Michele Martin

Postcard for my senior art show

"Teade" - 24" x 30" Oil painting, 2006 Teade is my trainer Gail's horse. I have her to thank for the idea of this thesis; the photograph of Teade was soft and intimate, giving the feeling of a sweet encounter with such a wonderful animal.

"Hoof and Pick" - 16" x 20" Oil painting, 2006 Routine maintenance is essential in the horse world. This painting implies just that. I thank Huey for providing me with his foot for this example.

"Crossties" - 22" x 28" Oil painting, 2006 Horses are trained to stand still on "crossties" - two ropes or straps with clips on the ends. This gives riders the ability to get their horses ready with all of the necessary riding equipment. Snickers, a large pony shown here, waits patiently while his rider gears him up.

"Bridle" - 24" x 20" Oil Painting, 2006 Our student Emily is shown fastening the nose band of the bridle - one of the last steps in getting her horse ready for riding. The various angles of this composition can easily put the non-riding viewer into a state of confusion as to why there are so many straps of leather and where do they go? Whereas the horse-person understands it "no big entanglement".

"Tacking Up" - 24" x 30" Oil painting, 2007 Emily tightens the girth of the saddle to her horse Snickers, kind of like a big belt. This candid composition shows not only the "up close and personal" aspect of the horse world, but the work and labor that comes with the territory.

"Canon Bone Wound" - 16" x 20" Oil painting, 2007 Tre got his leg injured while playing outside in the pasture. Again, this painting demonstrates the constant care that comes coupled with "careless" horse-play.

"Tre" - 22" x 28" Oil painting, 2007 This, perhaps, shows the dark side of getting too close to horses. By the expression in his face, Tre is obviously not happy... that could be because as I took the photograph of this composition, I was spraying him in the face with water! Well, you have to wash his face somehow... he just hates it.

"Friends" - 18" x 24" Oil painting, 2007 This painting shows the more, quiet, intimate moments we have with our friends. Samantha is shown bending her head down, only reveling her riding helmet, which could implicate her talking to her horse. The photo of this composition was given to me in black and white. I then just altered the color scheme into a more sepia-look.

"Dakota" - 22" x 28" Oil painting, 2007 Lauren's hands are shown holding a grooming brush while tickling Dakota's soft nose. Horses need constant attention and love affection. Even when we're giving them a routine brushing, we need to show them it's a pleasant experience.

Paintings all hung in the sculpture building's main gallery.