In a previous post I commented on my recent travel to Spain and Portugal to ride, train and paint horses. In preparation for my upcoming artist reception and showing of new original paintings I thought I would provide more impressions of my travels and how it has influenced my recent work. Please plan on attending my reception at High Desert Gallery in Redmond Oregon on Friday, July 20 from 5-9PM. For more show information please call the gallery at 1-866-549-6250 or visit the gallery’s website at www.highdesertgallery.com.
During my travels I was most impressed with Mediterranean time. Everything shifts later, there's time for yourself in the morning, a break in the afternoon allows for a rest or getting personal things done, a later dinner gets the family together to share the day and wind down for the next one... it's a more relaxed pace, time for work, play and the good things life has to offer. Some of those things I experienced - really wonderful table wine, delicious breakfast pastries, hearty coffee, delicious bread, a friendly curiosity, a welcoming and inviting attitude - work to live, not live to work. Hundreds of years of family histories, old and young, an understanding of the value of life - because of death, a maturity and wisdom that comes from that history, an acceptance of being human. These are some of the experiences I had during my time there.
History heaped on history, I stood on the most western point of Europe that overlooked the ocean. The earliest of nations had used this very spot as a look out. I felt the hundreds and hundreds of years that earth had been tamed by humans, it was still earth, bare soil and rock, the same big cliff some Roman had stood on as I was standing now - you start to get an understanding when they talk of "the old world". We are such young pups over in the states.
Early spring flowers, lush green rolling hills, yellow soil, yellow walls, white washed buildings with handsome blue detail and pale orange-red tile roofs. Villages and Quintas (small ranch/farms) nestled in the nooks and crannies of the landscape, old stone bridges, painted tiles, marble entries, fruitful gardens and cobblestone courtyards. Healthy happy round topped trees spotted with bright spots of oranges hanging in the dark green foliage. Thursday - fresh cut flowers for the week delivered to Alcainca, strong small ladies in their scarves knotted at the neck, brown wool jacket and dark skirt, practical black shoes, deep intense eyes, salt and pepper hair brushed across forehead and cheek bones that could tell their life's story, walking the steep winding cobblestone streets with bunches of white lilies tucked under their arm, cane in the other.
The daily routine, early morning, people walking back from the local market bringing home the ingredients for the breakfast and the following daily meals. The food at these local markets is locally farmed, in-season, healthy and fresh, the bread is baked fresh daily. Delicious. Pastries from the pastry shop, produce from the produce stand, meat from the butcher and it's all right there in the neighborhood, always fresh.
The following works are new and part of the High Desert Gallery (Redmond) reception on Friday, July 20th. I hope you can attend!
Vibrant (image above)
Acrylic on Canvas 16"x 20"
The horse breeders in Spain and Portugal love to show off their stallions, and the stallions love it too. They get them all fired-up looking proud and full of "bravado"!I have this image emblazed on my mind, this stallion - like fire in the wind (bright reds, oranges and yellows) with all of his strength – galloping, lunging, spinning, and darting around as if there was a bull in there with him, showing us his graceful catty moves, mane and tail flowing like flames, vibrant energy pouring out of him - never loosing his cool (signified by the blue). I could almost hear him saying, "and then I'd fake him out like this, hook him on like that and then we'd really get him if I did something like this, yeah, like that, that was good, did you see that!?" running by one more time as if to show us if we missed it. This is him - vibrant as can be, running by to check and see, if we noticed his fancy moves.
Levels of Trust
Acrylic on Canvas 24"x 48"
Sometimes in my painting I get a chance to communicate what my equine models might be thinking or feeling. In this work, communication is in horse terms, it just takes a little awareness to recognize. When you do, a whole world of partnership with your horse opens up! In “Natural Horsemanship” there are levels you work through. I think most importantly - is the level of trust your horse has in you - and his level of understanding of what you are asking him to do. Horses
react to what we communicate to them. They quite often mirror our attitudes. I start out with a horse slightly tense and high headed, ears on everything but you, a hard eye. a tight jaw and a distant look. This horse is not yet open to your "ask". The middle horse is warming up, head has dropped, you got an ear, jaw still a little tight, the eye is looking at you but he's still ready to flee if needed, you've got some curiosity now but... If you asked too much at this point, you might get a refusal. The horse facing you is relaxed, ears on you, soft eyes, licking and chewing, wanting orders – "hooked" on to you. Now you're ready to have some fun!
Yellow Sand
Acrylic on Canvas 30" x 40"
The ménages and arenas in Portugal were filled with yellow sand. This same pale yellow was in the ancient cobblestones in Lisbon and some of the very old buildings were made of this yellow stone. It was a color so unusual to me and so appealing. There is something very grounding to be in a building that is made from the earth it sits upon. Here the blue stallion (an Andalusian) is powering around in a ménage filled with yellow sand. The Lusitano stallion watches on knowing he will get his turn to show his moves next. The color ratio and combination is inspired from beautiful tiles that mark the names of streets or "rues" in the villages there.
Striking
Acrylic on Canvas 18"x 36"
I was lucky enough to visit
Quinta de Archino during a time when there were no guests and received
private lessons from Dom Braganca in trade for exercising schooling
stallions. Dom Francisco De Braganca's family ruled Portugal from 1640
to 1910. He is dedicated exclusively to the Portuguese equestrian arts,
culture and horse, continuing the centuries-old traditions of
horsemanship laid down by European royal riding masters. He has
extraordinary knowledge of the classical royal court riding arts and
trained with the master Nuno Oliveira. In earlier years Dom Braganca
performed as a "forcado," an assistant to the Portuguese mounted
bullfighter. Today he teaches, trains and breeds fine Lusitano's at his
farm near Lisbon, Portugal, Quinta de Archino and travels the world
giving clinics. He ended up allowing me a ride of a lifetime on his
prized and highly trained Lusitano stallion, Pasqua. This is Pasqua –
hundreds of years of royal bloodlines run through this magnificent
horse’s veins - he is striking!!!
The Artist Reception is scheduled for Friday, July 20, 2007 from 5-9PM at High Desert Gallery & Custom Framing of Central Oregon located at 453 SW 6th Street in downtown historic Redmond Oregon. To view my work please visit Kimry Jelen.
Original artwork by Kimry Jelen. All rights reserved
and copyright 2007. Use of image is restricted and prohibited without
prior written permission. High Desert Gallery &
Custom Framing of Central Oregon content copyright 2007. The Art &
Soul of Central Oregon™ and Central Oregon Artists & Beyond™ are
trademarks of High Desert Gallery & Custom Framing of Central
Oregon.
On a recent trip to San Francisco I was thrilled by the antique Chinese porcelains I saw. Many were in the collection of Richard Gervais (www.richardgervaiscollection
Please plan on joining us for a wonderful evening of lively
conversation, great art, refreshments and live music by Jacob French! High Desert
Gallery is honored to host an artist in attendance reception for Paul
Alan Bennett and John Simpkins on Saturday, August 11, 2007.
