Amy's Angles

Play Time

2009-05-06T04:02:26Z

"Play Time"

Dolphins love to play with each other and have fun. Dolphins even enjoy chasing bubbles. They enjoy being with their family, and a dolphin family will sometimes save people from sharks. Here is a story you will not want to miss out on.

It takes place around the coast of New Zealand in October 2004. There were three student lifeguards who went for a swim with their instructor. Lifeguard Rob Howes said they were going for a 100-meter swim off the coast of Ocean Beach near Hangar on the North Island. One of the students had a small cut on her leg and it was just enough blood to attract sharks. Rob was a little unnerved when the dolphins came in at such a quick speed. He and the students were wondering if the dolphins were being aggressive toward them. They were swimming around the lifeguards in a tight circle and yet in an aggressive manner.

The dolphins bunched the four swimmers together by circling about 4-8 centimeters from them, slapping the water with their tails for about 40 minutes.

Howes said he swam away from the main group when an opening occurred. One large dolphin became agitated and submerged toward Howes, who turned to see where it would surface. That was when Howes noticed the shark not too far away from them in the crystal clear waters. It was then that he realized what was going on. But he had now made it more difficult for the dolphins to protect them from his swimming away. The shark then circled around Howes and he instinctively knew what it was.

When Howes saw the shark head toward the young women, including his 15-year-old daughter, he noticed that the dolphins went into hyperdrive. All that could be seen were lots of dolphin backs and fins in a tight circle around the young women. You could barely see the heads of the girls in the water. The dolphins were probably trying to cause confusion.

The shark disappeared when the rescue boat came on the scene but the dolphins stayed close by while the swimmers made it to shore. The women never saw the shark, because he stayed near the bottom of the ocean. Howes said that he never told the women about what actually happened until the next day. He also went to talk with dolphin experts on the behavior of the dolphins. He found out that it is not uncommon for a dolphin to protect swimmers from danger.

There are many documented cases of dolphins protecting swimmers. Around that time of the year there were many sightings of the white sharks in the area because of the fact the sharks usually give birth to their young in that area.

I actually saw that story on Animal Planet and enjoyed it. Dolphins are very nice creatures and they are friends to swimmers in the ocean.

On Alert

2009-04-26T17:23:53Z

"On Alert" was a joy to paint, and to think about how the African elephants have love and compassion for their calves. A mother elephant will carry her calf for two years before giving birth. That is a long time to be pregnant. I can't even begin to imagine being pregnant that long. The elephants in this painting look like a mother elephant on the lookout for her calf or even for her herd. Elephants look out for each other.

I want to tell you two stories about how compassionate elephants can be to each other in their herd. One of the elephants is a sweet and devoted member of the herd. Cynthia Moss, an expert on these animals, tells this story of a mother's devotion.

Echo, the "beautiful matriarch" of her elephant family, gave birth to a male calf, Ely, who could not stand up because his front legs were bent. He was born with rigid carpal joints. Echo continually tried to lift him up by reaching her trunk under him and lifting him up. She would not give up. Ely stood and was able to shuffle around before collapsing to the ground. Eventually, the other elephants gave up and left. Even though Echo and her other daughter Enid were very hungry and thirsty, they wouldn't leave an exhausted Ely to go to the watering hole. After a great deal of effort, all three elephants were able to reach the watering hole, where Echo and Enid splashed themselves as well as Ely. Echo and Enid then made low rumbling calls to the rest of their family. After three days, Ely's joints loosened and he was finally able to stand.

But there is more to this story. When Ely was seven years old, he suffered a serious wound from a spear that had become embedded about one foot into his back. Echo had another calf at this time but she remained bonded with Ely and would not allow veterinarians to come near him. When Ely fell down after being tranquilized, Echo and the other clan members tried to lift him. Echo, Enid, and another of Echo's daughters, Eliot, remained near Ely despite attempts by the veterinarians to disperse the elephants so they could help Ely. The elephants refused to leave despite the gunshots being fired over their heads. Finally, Ely was treated and survived the injury. Echo's lifelong devotion to Ely has been rewarded and Ely made it into adulthood.

Elephants have strong feelings toward each other. They experience joy, grief, and depression, and they do mourn the loss of their friends and family. Here is a story about two Asian Elephants who show such devotion for each other.

Shirley and Jenny, two female elephants who were unintentionally reunited after living apart for 22 years, showed that they truly had missed each other when they were separated. At different times, each was brought to the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, founded and run by Carol Buckley, so that elephants live out their lives in peace like an elephant should. Upon these two elephants' initial meeting, when Shirley was introduced to Jenny, there was an urgency in Jenny's behavior. Jenny really wanted to get near Shirley and get into her stall. They roared loudly, emanating from deep in each elephant's heart as if they were old friends. A search of their records did prove that they did have a relationship where they were in a circus together. Shirley was a 20-year-old elephant and Jenny was just a calf. Even today they remembered each other.

These two stories just prove that elephants have emotions similar to ours. If you have any elephant stories you would like to share, we can blog about it.

Amy is a Featured Artist at Art At The Main

2009-03-03T02:31:40Z

From February 16 to March 14 I am a featured artist, along with three other new artists, in the Salt Lake City Public Library art gallery, Art At The Main. On Friday, February 20, we were part of a gallery stroll and there were quite a few people who showed up. In the gallery stroll, when visitors come into the gallery at the library they can sign up to get notices of when special events are going to happen there. Then they will get notices in the mail or by e-mail of which person is going to be the next featured artist.

It is so exciting to see people looking at my work in the gallery and perhaps be interested in one of my paintings. I hope that someday there would be interest enough to buy one. That would be a really electrifying day. But that is the life of being an artist. Excitement comes when someone is interested in one's art.

To prepare for being a featured artist, I needed five new paintings. I was shocked that I had to come up with five new paintings in around five weeks. However, having three paintings partially finished was a real help in getting the five paintings done in five weeks. The fact is, the more I paint the faster I become. That is one thing that I have learned during the last five weeks in having to push myself, I am getting quick in my painting. I have completed some paintings in 6 hours and then others in 10 hours.

Now that I have learned that lesson, I am beginning to see my paintings in a whole different light. Creativity does take time, but since the painting end of it is getting quicker I can get them out at a faster rate. That is exciting to discover. Now my next adventure would be to save money and go places where I can get close and personal with animal subjects to photograph for my work.

If any of you happen to be in the downtown Salt Lake City area, please feel free to stop in at Art At The Main and come and see my work.

Black and White Summer Day

2009-01-12T02:08:29Z

My painting "A Black and White Summer Day" reminds me of when my sister Karen and I raised calves together. There was a time when our great uncle Pete, a dairy farmer, had to go on a trip. Karen, who was 12 at the time, and I at age 14 were told by our father that we could have the opportunity to milk Pete's cows and make extra money for ourselves. We decided to do it.

It would leave us with good memories. The only thing I really hated, though, was Dad would wake Karen and me up at 5:30 a.m. I don't exactly remember how long we milked his cows but I don't think it was very long. Maybe five days. I remember Dad teaching me to prep the cows for those milking machines and then putting bag balm on the cows' udders when we were done milking. The cows were Holsteins, like the cows in this most recent painting.

Not too long after that experience, Dad got Karen and me a calf of our own to raise. Dad was very creative with names, and he came up with a name for my heifer calf, Esmerelda Potts. Karen's calf was a bull so his name became Burt Benson. Dad got two more calves after that. One was named Benjamin Cool, and I can't seem to remember the fourth one's name because he died not long after we got him.

We had to feed the calves milk formula three times a day. We had buckets with nipples on them and we would mix the formula and then put it into the buckets, nice and warm, then we would take them outside and the calves would go crazy. They would suck the bottles of milk down with speed that you couldn't believe. We would mix warm milk and feed them day after day, watching these little calves get bigger and fatter and sassier everyday as time would march on.

One fun thing that I loved to do with my calf was to rub her above her tail. She liked that because it was in an area cows can never scratch on their own. I also liked to run with her by grabbing her tail, and she would run and drag me for five feet and then I would have let go of her tail and she would be running and bucking and kicking and then she would come back for more. Calves also loved to suck on my fingers, thinking I was the bucket with the warm milk in it.

When our calves finally grew big enough we sold them and that was when I bought my first pair of contact lenses.

I will always remember my calf Esmerelda Potts, and that is what my painting brings to mind. By the way, did you notice a different animal? Maybe a black and white horse? I saw that horse and the cows in a photo in a Farm and Ranch magazine. I decided that someday I was going to paint that. Of course I had to change it a little to make it into a really nice painting with the rules that artists follow to make some really nice art work to attract the eye to it.

The Perfect Tree

2008-12-24T05:22:24Z

When I was searching through photos for painting ideas I came across one with a cowboy riding his horse, pulling a mule with a tree on the mule's back. It looked so serene in that scene. It makes me think about the shows where people had to ride out and cut down their own tree. Most of the people in those really early days usually didn't have enough money to purchase presents in the local stores, or maybe they were not close enough to a store.

This painting makes me think about shows or movies depicted in those times, such as "Little House On The Prairie" or "Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman" where people were snuggled down with their families with the winter winds blowing outside their homes, where they opened homemade gifts for their families. Their meals weren't store-bought either, they were homemade gifts.

Today, most of our gifts are store-bought and Christmas has become a commercialized thing rather than celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, who had come to this earth to rescue this world from being forever condemned. So the thought I would like to leave with all who read my blog is this: Remember what we are really celebrating, the "reason for the season," not who gets the nicest gift but that our family, our children are saved through the blood of Christ and the remembrance of Christ's birth is what we should be talking about with our kids the most. There are some families who enjoy having birthday parties for Jesus' birthday. There are families who love to read the story out of the Bible. There are those who love to help other families in remembrance of God's love and the fact that that love needs to be shared in a world that is lost.

I want all who read my blog to know that I care for each and every one of them. And I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

MAMA ELEPHANT AND HER CALF

2008-12-03T04:01:16Z

I just love elephants, both the African and Asian. I’ve been reading a lot about them lately and I am especially excited about the love of an elephant for her herd. Pachyderms are very beautiful and magnificent animals.

Cowboy and His Elephant, written by Malcolm Macpherson, published by Thomas Dunne Books, is a true story about a young African elephant that ended up in America after going through a tragic beginning. Her family was killed through a cull in Africa and she was spared and sent to America, with other baby elephants, to be sold to either circuses or zoos.

Bob Norris is a cowboy and he has an enormous empathy for animals. This book tells you a wonderful story of a man who fell in love with a hurt and vulnerable baby elephant, whose name happens to be Amy. Great name, wouldn't you think? From this genuine friendship came a deep bond between a man and beast, which is just incredible to read about. Bob Norris adopts Amy, and through his genuine love for animals and his perseverance, this cowboy – an accomplished horseman – is able to help Amy build confidence, trust for humans, and feel like she is part of his family. His hired help loves her and enjoys her company as well. This story will make you laugh, cry, and come away amazed by this true story.

Here are some examples from the story. For a cowboy, fence riding was relaxing and could even be fun in good weather. The chore called for long, solitary sojourns under a big sky. For Bob, it was a time for reflection, singing songs, and talking to his horse and himself. Usually when he was setting out, Amy walked behind him and Big Bob, his horse, as far as her wallow before turning back. Bob no longer looked around to see if she was following him. But one fine day, for a reason known only to Amy, before she seemed to notice how far she had gone past the wallow, she was out of sight of the barns and ranch buildings. She looked back and then with a snort of determination, she followed Bob, who slowed up to her pace. He lowered his hat and watched her out of the corner of his eye. She explored around rocks and under bushes. Lizards and strange ground-nesting birds and rabbits burst from under the sage. She would chase after them and Bob was astounded by her curiosity. Then he would realize that she had not lived wild like this since Africa. Amy was apparently having fun.

Another time, Bob had a picnic with Amy and her other animal friends, a dog and a goat. Bob had a radio with country music on and had the volume down low. He took their lunches from a paper bag and spread the food out on the table, and they ate together. Amy would cause vibrations and Bob thought that she was trying to tell him something and he would feel sad that he couldn't understand what she was telling him. Often Amy felt the moods of Bob even before he did. When he was sad, angry, down, or happy, she adjusted to his mood. She would trumpet a greeting if Bob was happy, be quiet and watchful if he was down, and pout with him.

Another thing I just have to mention is a time when Bob and his wife, Jane, traveled from Colorado to the warmer climate of Arizona for the winter months. They hauled Amy around in a horse trailer, and this excerpt of the story was hilarious. They entered Arizona and had to pass through the port of entry.

“The inspector looked out the window at Amy's trunk waving in the air-- outside her trailer. Her head bumped up against the ceiling. Even a numbskull could have seen that she was an elephant.
He looked startled. ‘What the hell's that?’

“‘What?’ asked Bob with feigned surprise.

“The inspector looked and pointed out the window. ‘That!’

“Bob said, ‘A cow.’ The inspector looked at him real hard. ‘A horse,’ Bob said, changing his mind.

“‘A horse with a damned trunk?’

“Bob grinned slyly. ‘It takes all kinds.’

“‘Well, cowboy, whatever it is you got in there, get it out of here before I impound it.’” Malcolm MacPherson, The Cowboy and His Elephant, Thomas Dunne Books, New York, 2002, page 150.

There came a point in time where Amy had to leave Bob because she was getting too large for a ranch hand to handle and move around. This is a very heart-wrenching part of the whole story but that is not all. This part of the story was not only hard on Amy, it was hard on Bob as well.

This is a book worth reading. I found it at my local library.

Today, Amy is in an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. She is in her 20's and she has had her first calf. She is a classic example to a story that has had a happy ending.

http://www.elephantsanctuary.org/bios/african.asp

Autumn Wolf

2008-09-24T16:34:24Z

How many of you like the family dog but hate the wolf? Here is an example: people love the way dogs are with their families. They love the loyalty of their dogs, the way they protect and love their owners. Dogs will even die for their families. Wolves also protect their packs and will die for them. When wolves defend their territory from other wolves, the alpha pair will run into danger first. Just imagine our President being first into battle, we would go to wars less often than we do now. Dogs are very friendly with their owner, the same way a wolf is friendly with its pack. Wolves love to play and romp and howl with other pack members, their "family." Everything that humans like about "man's best friend" is part of the wolf family. All dogs are descendants of the wolf and the things that people admire and love about their dogs were inherited from their wolf ancestors.

People fear the wolf because of what they believe; not of facts, but of myths and folklore. Wolves are not bloodthirsty savages out to kill people. In fact, people are more in danger of being injured or killed by dogs than a wolf. Wolves are very shy and elusive, that is why they have not been able to study or film wolves very effectively. Jim and Jamie Dutcher had to hand-raise wolves to earn the wolves' trust in order for them to film them successfully at close range. All the wolves you see on the film "Living With Wolves" or read about in his book "Wolves At Our Door" are wolves that were hand-raised and then released into their own pack. Then Jim let the wolves behave like wolves and come to him on their own terms. He never trained them to obey his commands at all. Everything was on their terms. There is no doubt that wolves are one of the most intelligent animals on Earth.

Wolves do not kill for fun, they don't have time to. Despite their image as ferocious killers, wolves are not always successful hunters. A strong, healthy moose can survive a wolf attack just by standing its ground. While following a wolf pack for a full hunting season in Isle Royale, David Mech, a wolf biologist, recorded 77 moose kill attempts and only six successes. It is the same with the deer and elk in Yellowstone and the surrounding areas. Wolves don't kill as much as people are accusing them of. Douglas Smith, wolf biologist at Yellowstone, says that the wolves in those areas only kill about every 15 days, and 85-90% of the time the game animals wins. If there is speculation that the wolves did a lot of surplus killing in an area, you can probably bet it wasn't the wolves. For example, there is speculation that the wolves were killing lots of deer and elk in the central Idaho area during the winter of 2007. However, the truth was that the deer were coming out of the mountains because they were dying from lack of food. The snow was so deep that the deer couldn't get to the grass. In fact, the animal that posed a real threat to the deer and elk population was dogs being loose. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game had to feed over 2,000 head of deer a day. But wolves were blamed for deaths of many deer and elk.

Finally, the first link below is to Hoppy's or Limpy's story; people know him by both names. He is known as a celebrity wolf. He is a wolf of the Druid pack that was loved by many. His life story gives wolves a different picture, the image of what wolves are not only to me but to many individuals who love and admire the wolf. He was a good wolf who was killed while doing nothing wrong, by people who hated and didn't understand wolves. Please read it, because it is what wolves are all about. The link underneath has pictures of him doing things with his pack and outside his pack. Here is a little proof that wolves really are not the monsters that hunters think they are.

http://www.earthjustice.org/library/features/hoppy-the-story-of-wolf-253.html

http://www.earthjustice.org/library/features/tracking-hoppy-the-wolf.html

Purses in Park City

2008-08-25T03:56:45Z

My boys recently spent some time at their grandparents' place in Idaho, helping them on their farm. While they were gone, I decided to take Alicia, who was lonely for her brothers, to the tourist town of Park City, Utah. Have you been to this rustic, scenic town? If you haven't, it might be a great place to plan a vacation. Since we were going there, I decided to take along my painted purses and see if there would be any businesses interested in carrying them to sell to customers. Park City is a great market for my purses; it attracts the wealthy as well as celebrities to live and work there. The trip ended up being fun. Not only did we do some soliciting for my purses, but we also did some window shopping and ended up buying a shirt for Alicia with a picture of a glowing wolf on it. We also ate dinner there outside on the front patio of a nice restaurant.

There was one business that was interested in my purses but they were more interested in my paintings being on a small wallet than a bigger purse. Their subject matter was more of cartoon look of a bull moose, horse, cat, etc. I am excited for the idea of working with them in that aspect of creating something that customers are going to want to purchase.

I did go to other local shops in the area and talked with some of the people. One person suggested going to the art festival the following weekend and see if there was interest there. So that following Sunday we were back with all three of my purses in tow. While there, it was interesting to see the excitement among the buyers there looking at the merchandise at many of the booths. I was amazed at the different merchandise that was out ready to sell.

There were many different and beautiful hand-crafted items. There are so many talented individuals! I noticed that there were some big metal sculptures that looked like they could be used as lawn ornaments. They were colorful animals that had rolling pins that made the head nod. However, I overheard some people asking the seller his price for those items. I was astonished when I heard him say that they were around $45,000. So I asked John, "What would you think about being able to whip out a checkbook and buying such an item?" I do realize that most Americans can't be frugal with their money but it makes me imagine what we could do with money like that.

If you are in the Salt Lake are looking for something to do, check out Park City. It does not disappoint.

My passion for wolves

2008-08-03T17:13:23Z

My newest painting depicts wolves, which I think are fascinating animals. The reason why I called this particular painting the "Wolves Chorus" is because wolves really do sing to and with each other. This is their method of communicating with the rest of the pack. If a family member is gone for some time, when they return to their pack they are greeted with excited yips, howls, and whines and lots of body language showing how happy they are that the absent wolf has returned. They sing together and they love to sing in dissonant chords simply because it causes the pack to appear larger to other packs of wolves coming into the area.

I have a great passion for wolves and I would like to shed a little light on the reason why I love them. Lots of people admire the compassion that elephants have for their families. Wolves are the same and have even more compassion for members of the pack. Let me explain why I say this. In a family of elephants, only the females are in the herd, but for wolves the females and males are both involved. Wolves are every bit as compassionate for their pack as an elephant is for the herd. In the wolf pack, the alpha female and male are usually the only ones who have puppies. However, the puppies are raised by the whole pack. Wolves love puppies! When puppies are born the whole pack gets excited and will jump around expressing their excitement to one another. In the book "Wolves At Our Door," Jim and Jamie Dutcher spent six years in a tented camp on the edge of Idaho's wilderness, living with and filming a pack of wolves. They did this because they were determined to overcome some misconceptions that people have when it comes to wolves.

One misconception is that wolves are nothing but blood-thirsty killers, even among their own. That is not the case. Even though bad things might happen in packs, it is a rare occurrence. Wolves show great compassion for their pack as a whole. They show respect for all the members of the pack. The wolves show a wide range of emotions like humans do. In "Wolves At our Door," one of their gentle wolves, the omega wolf Motaki, was killed when a cougar got into the Dutchers' big enclosure. The rest of the wolves mourned her loss for about two months. For many weeks they did not engage in play, which wolves normally do every day. The omega instigates play, and without Motaki, they lost the spirit. Jim could use no better word than depression to explain the wolves' mood. Before Motaki's death, the wolves would rally together and howl enthusiastically as a group, but after her death they would stand apart and sing alone; they were mournful. When Jim went for a walk toward the place where Motaki died, the mood of the wolves accompanying him changed when they passed the place where she died. Their tails went down, their ears went back, and they sniffed the ground where she laid. These gestures were reserved for submission. Jim wondered how much they understood about death. Surely they had seen her body, but their mournful howls had a searching quality to it, as though they thought she could return to them. To cheer them up, Jim decided to introduce new wolf pups.

I highly recommend "Wolves At Our Door" for anyone who wants to know more about the wolf. It is an excellent story to read to older children or have them read themselves, or you can get the movie "Living With Wolves" and show it to younger children. It is the story of the wolf pack that Jim and Jamie lived with. They were devoted to their wolves and it showed in the pack. The alpha wolf was Kamots and he was a benevolent leader. He would come up to Jim and just sit with him in silence and extend his paw to Jim's hand. The two of them would just sit that way. He would even play with his brother Lakota who was the omega wolf (lowest wolf in the pack). Next in rank from Kamots was Matsi. Jim and Jamie learned from Matsi more than from any other wolf about companionship, about how deeply wolves need each other. Matsi was a male wolf and he loved wolf pups. Even after the female wolf had her puppies and when they could finally step out into the world, Matsi took over the raising of the pups. In fact, he was so good at the fathering skill that after a while the pups preferred him over their own mother. He was also quick to jump to defend Lakota, the omega wolf, if he felt Lakota was picked on too much. He would be found in many wolf squabbles defending the underdog. He had a lot of compassion. Lakota, as the omega, was the mildest and gentlest wolf in the pack. Even though these wolves are low in rank they are important to the pack. The omega wolf was the wolf to instigate play and ease tensions and bring about harmony in the pack. He or she would start the howling and the silly games of keep-away or chase.

Wolves are known to take care of the injured wolf in the pack as well as their elderly wolves. In the book "Kinship With The Wolf," there is a woman named Tanja Askins who worked with her own pack of wolves in Lundeburger Heide Wildlife Preserve in Germany. She revealed a new picture of the wolf as a highly intelligent, social, sensitive creature that brings inestimable value to healthy natural systems. In the book there was a wolf's skull found that had evidence that it had been broken at one time but it had healed again. Tanja made it clear that wolves take care of the injured as well as the elderly. They feed the wolf until it is healed up enough to help with the hunt or help by caring for the pups.

There is so much I can tell you about the wolf but I will say more at another time. I hope I am clearing up some misconceptions about the wolf. It deserves our understanding and respect.

Traveling For Inspiration

2008-07-28T04:12:24Z

As an artist, I go outdoors a lot to find inspiration for my paintings. Just recently, I went up the Heber Valley way in Utah, into the High Uintas, and ended up in an area around Mirror Lake. The lake is beautiful with a wooden walkway around part of it. People were fishing everywhere. There must be lots of fish in that lake. I did ask some of the people if they were catching any and some said that it wasn't their lucky day. However, there were others who were catching fish. I guess it depends upon where you decide to do your fishin'.

On another recent trip, I went to Salmon, Idaho, to visit relatives. I went go on daily walks with my dogs along the country roads. I marveled at how tall and grandiose the mountains looked. Their majestic stature made the mountains look tall and proud of their appearance against the backdrop of a clear blue sky. Salmon is a small town that makes me envision myself in the rustic times of the 1800s. I don't know why it causes me to think this because it is a modern-day tourist town. But the western times are brought to mind when I'm there. It is a cute little haven nestled against a beautiful, serene mountain setting. Maybe the mountains are what makes me feel that way, along with the smallness of the town, with horses being more pronounced in the fields surrounding it.

When I'm out and about, I look at areas as if I were going to paint it on a canvas. I envision in my mind's eye if a particular scene looks like something people would like to have hanging on their walls to gaze at. I also look for the detail of things, such as the detail of a horse's hair as it lays, and the soft, fine lines of the horses' graceful bodies, grazing in the fields, the uneven lines of the grass and flowers in the fields, the variety of colors in the mountains and the different shades of green in the fields. These are some of the many to look for as an artist.

I also take many photographs. I am so fortunate to have a husband who is a photographer. He teaches me how to take great pictures or he takes the pictures for me, then I can go home and look at the pictures and pick and choose which one I want to use as reference material.

One week after we returned from our trip to Salmon we took a train ride on the Heber Valley Railroad. It was a three-hour ride to where we would have an opportunity to look at the beautiful scenery in Utah's Prove Canyon. I found many opportunities to get pictures or new ideas for my compositions.

I enjoy the many opportunities I have to spend time in nature observing the animals, streams, and mountains. It really broadens my horizons and provides a great deal of painting ideas. I look forward to my next opportunity to go into nature and be inspired. Hopefully someday I could go to Africa or some other far off land.

2008-07-21T02:40:08Z

I have a new painting depicting draft horses pulling a wagon with a man and a woman in it. There are two dogs in the painting and many trees and fencing. I enjoyed painting this, because it gave me an emotional escape back to the days when people lived more simply. They didn't have the technology that we do today. The two dogs in the painting represent their need for dogs as workers. Dogs had many roles including helping the ranchers keep their livestock together right down to protecting the family. The border collie is such a dog for this job. My parents used to own such a dog. Her name was Bulliver. She was a great dog for the family.

Draft horses are large horses whose ancestry comes from the forest horse, now extinct. They came from European descent and are now part of the big Shire down to the smallest Shetland pony. Humans domesticated horses to perform a variety of different duties, including, hauling heavy loads, plowing fields, and other heavy tasks that require the big horse's pulling power. Draft horses are big, heavy, calm, patient, well-muscled animals that were desired for work.

In the nineteenth century, horses that weighed more than 1,600 pounds and moved quickly were in demand for farming, hauling freight, and moving passengers--especially before the railroads came along. In the 20th century, draft horses were used for practical work, and for war. Half a mill lion of these horses were used in World War I. The draft horse was well in demand at this time.

They were also used a transportation for the family wagon in the early 19th and 20th centuries. The stories of the Great Oregon trail had many settlers traveling with their wagons across God's creation to set up their homesteads in the West in the fine state of Oregon. This endeavor might not have been as successful if it weren't for the use of draft horses.

Today these horses are used more to show. Owners primp their horses and make the wagons look really sharp. I am used to the smaller, more common riding horses, and when I stand beside these draft horses, I am glad that one does not step on my foot. Ouch! My cousin owns many drafts horses. He loves the shire horse, which is the largest of the draft horses. They are huge. He shows them and has even made several trips to England to buy them. His horses are a big part of his life.

Arabian Horse - the Beautiful Breed

2008-06-02T02:09:08Z

I have been doing my latest compositions on the horse. One of my favorites is of an Arabian horse looking serenely over a fence off into the distance. The Arabian horse is a breed with a reputation for intelligence, spirit, and stamina. I was able to experience working with one of these magnificent animals I borrowed a horse from my sister. I wanted my son, who was nine at the time, to learn the joy of riding horses. JC was a beautiful gray Arabian and an excellent children’s horse.

Some people believe that it is more difficult to train a "hot-blooded" horse such as the Arabian. However, most Arabians have a natural tendency to cooperate with humans, but when treated badly, like any horse, can become excessively nervous or anxious, though seldom become vicious unless seriously spoiled or subjected to extreme abuse. With proper handling, Arabians are suitable riding horses for riders at all levels.

We had a great experience with JC. Curtis, my son, learned lots of things from her. He learned to show a horse at the halter and under western tack. We also learned what it was like preparing a horse for a show, even after cleaning the horse the night before the show and arriving the next day only to find the beautiful gray horse has a lovely big, green manure spot on her side.

Arabians are a wonderful, and a beautiful breed of a horse. I am proud to have owned one.

More about my paintings ... and me

2008-05-20T03:06:52Z

Hello Everyone,

I am Amy Miller and I am an artist. I love to paint scenery and animals. That is about my favorite to paint. I did love working on paintings of my children.

Right now I am painting horses. Horses were my first love to draw. When I was a kid I was facinated by horses. At springtime every year I would get this urge to go and ride my horse. In the springtime, I would get the cobwebs off the saddle and get ready to ride. It is probably that way for all horse lovers.

When I was a kid I would ride on my horse for hours in a timber area by my house. I would go riding down in the timber through trees, bushes, water, etc. There were lots of ways to train a horse by going horseback riding in that area. I also loved to ride my horse in the arena, continuing to teach my horse about any new discipline that the horse might need. I wasn't an expert about horses by any means but I really enjoyed riding and learning new things.

I was involved in 4-H as a kid. I loved doing 4-H with my horse. I learned lots of things about the horse from doing that. We had 4-H horse camp every year where we actually went up in a mountainous campsite, where there were cabins to sleep in, and we would sign up for classes and learn lots of new things about the style of riding that we were learning at the time. By midweek, the older kids would go further up into the mountains on our horses for an overnight trip. It was a blast. We would travel up the trail, spend the night up in the mountains and then come back down the next day.

Call it horse fever! That's why I'm working on horses as a main subject in my paintings now.