Back from Ocala with photos and inspiration…

Joanna Zeller Quentin /

Okay, okay, so it’s almost the end of February, and this may be my first blog of the new year. Lots of stuff has been happening though, so I attribute it to being super crazy busy with art- and in a good way!
This year I was honored to be asked back to the HITS Ocala Equine Art Gala. This is the show’s third year, and the third year I’ve been able to attend. (Technically, year one was a no-show for me- what with being sick and all- but the art made it, even if I couldn’t!) The talent- both from the artists and the riders and owners attending- is A+ top of the line, so I am always delighted to be invited.

One of the (many) great things about this show is the concentration of fantabulous horse/art/animal loving people all gathered together in one very fancy room. (And the food isn’t too bad either…!) Usually when selling art to horse show people I’m in jeans and they are in breeches and boots. On Thursday night, we were all in formalwear. My crazy marketing BFF and I staked out what has become “our” spot, strategically located between the bathrooms and the bar, and set up a few easels, print racks, portfolio and cards. As the night went on, I kept a careful tally of how many people stopped by to look, talk, flip through prints, etc. You can always learn so much by studying people as they study art. And, without a doubt, two paintings were absolute winners.

The next morning I dragged my friend out to the showgrounds and spent most of the day photographing jumpers and hunters. The rest of the weekend was spent photographing old houses, spanish moss draped grandfather oaks, wildlife and Ocala’s prime export- Thoroughbreds. One thing I’ve always been missing in my portfolio has been landscapes- horses just out being horses, grazing, sleeping in the sun, etc. With the deplorable lack of turnout here in Dallas and my increasing feelings of pity for my guys trapped in the barn, I was extra sensitive to Ocala’s acres and acres of lush pasture, picturesque four board fencing and stately show barns. Here are a few of the pics I took for inspiration…

So, with visions of sun drenched paints and silhouettes of oak trees dancing in my head, I headed back to Dallas for a day of reckoning with the art in my studio. There’s old work to be finished, even older work to be redone, and new work yet to be started. But I have recharged my batteries with inspiration, and that seems to be the greatest gift from my “artcation”. (That, and the food…)

And because I can’t resist sharing, here’s a few of the pics from the jumper ring. New paintings to follow shortly!