I thought I would share something I should have posted last night!
Night Before Christmas
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all over the land
Was the hustle and bustle for the gifts most in demand.
Out at the ranches and down on the range,
All was quiet, nothing was odd, or even a little strange.
Tonight is a night for them like any other
Finish the chores then go in and help mother.
The stock was all fed and bedded down for the night,
It was really a quite peaceful and very serene sight.
Up in the mountains with fresh snow on the ground,
Wild hoof prints could be seen, not making a sound.
Then came a snort, a stomp and a neigh;
Something had startled the quietly grazing bay!
Sensing something not right, the stallion took a stand
Upon a high cliff where he watched over his band.
Sometime after sunset, but before the moon was high
Came a strange apparition right out of the sky!
The wild pounding of hooves could be heard all around
As the horses came racing in great leaps and big bounds!
The young in the center, they circled and pranced,
Worried and nervous, the wild ponies danced.
What was this thing, landing here in the night
Causing a stir and not just a little bit of fright?
The snow whirled and swirled and then seemed to settle
Then came a whistle like the noise from a kettle!
The horses spread out, noses close to the ground
Hoping to discover the source of this sound!
Sensing no peril, and seeing no danger
They all came forth to meet with this stranger!
It was quite a sight, indeed a true puzzle
One by one, they reached out to touch with their muzzle.
When right before them stood a tiny little man,
Glowing and smiling, as only Santa truly can.
“Don’t fear, wild ones, I mean you no harm,”
He said in a voice meant to disarm.
Ears flickered, eyes softened, throaty neighing was heard
As one by one, they came and trusted his word.
His team was a curious sight for them all
For none had ever seen a deer quite this small!
“I have a problem and I’m hoping to find help,”
Said this kind and quite saintly jolly old elf.
“You see, my reindeer have taken quite a fall,
And I need some help from you each, one and all.”
One by one, as if on some invisible command,
The wild ones lined up, ready to meet the demand!
Santa laughed and cheered and wept with joy
For these wild ponies were going to help the old boy!
Quick as can be, he got the lines all set
Hopped on his sleigh and yelled “Now let’s GIT!”
With a sprinkle of magic and a little bit of show
The wild ponies rose to the sky, all set to GO!
All thru the night, the Christmas ponies did fly
Prancing and parading as big reindeer on the sly!
Christmas cheer was delivered to all on that night
Thanks to the wild horses given the gift of flight.
When the night was all spent and toys were all gone
Santa returned the tired ponies by the crack of dawn.
Soft pats, tasty treats and a great big “Thank You!”
Was seen and received by this special crew.
But now you too, know the story of Santa and his sleigh
Delivered Christmas gifts with just a whinny and a neigh!
~Andi Harmon
Friday, December 25, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Prints and Cards for sale!
Hey everyone!
We have prints for sale! Woo Hoo!
I have a bunch of prints of the book cover, that look simply awesome, signed by both Michelle and myself, 11x14 on heavy stock, suitable for framing, for only $10 + shipping!
I also have 1 print of Coyote Lakes and 1 print of Mesteno, both 11x14 on heavy stock, same as above, also only $10 + shipping!
The cards are at the printers now and should be here the first of the week. $25 cards with envelopes for just $25 + shipping! You can't even begin to touch a Hallmark card for that! These are nice, quality cards, with Coyote Lakes, Big Summit, Mesteno or the book cover on the front, blank inside. Great for Christmas or gifts or just everyday stuff!
We now have a price list of all the higher quality prints available ... check it out!
Pearl prints, very high quality paper, won't fade or crack, available for any of the artwork:
11x14: $30
15x15: $40 (cover art only)
22x28: 100
30x30: $145 (cover art only)
Giclee Canvas prints:
8x10: $20
11x14: $30
16x20: $60
18x24: $75
22x28: $95
24x36: $150
The prices are without stretcher bars on the canvas prints; add another $10 for stretcher bars.
We also have frames available, in all types and shapes and sizes, starting at $35 and up.
All of the prints are also available on the lesser quality paper (heavy poster stock) for just $10, like Mesteno, Coyote Lakes and the book cover.
Prices do not include shipping.
Order now for great gifts for the horse lovers on your list!
We have prints for sale! Woo Hoo!
I have a bunch of prints of the book cover, that look simply awesome, signed by both Michelle and myself, 11x14 on heavy stock, suitable for framing, for only $10 + shipping!
I also have 1 print of Coyote Lakes and 1 print of Mesteno, both 11x14 on heavy stock, same as above, also only $10 + shipping!
The cards are at the printers now and should be here the first of the week. $25 cards with envelopes for just $25 + shipping! You can't even begin to touch a Hallmark card for that! These are nice, quality cards, with Coyote Lakes, Big Summit, Mesteno or the book cover on the front, blank inside. Great for Christmas or gifts or just everyday stuff!
We now have a price list of all the higher quality prints available ... check it out!
Pearl prints, very high quality paper, won't fade or crack, available for any of the artwork:
11x14: $30
15x15: $40 (cover art only)
22x28: 100
30x30: $145 (cover art only)
Giclee Canvas prints:
8x10: $20
11x14: $30
16x20: $60
18x24: $75
22x28: $95
24x36: $150
The prices are without stretcher bars on the canvas prints; add another $10 for stretcher bars.
We also have frames available, in all types and shapes and sizes, starting at $35 and up.
All of the prints are also available on the lesser quality paper (heavy poster stock) for just $10, like Mesteno, Coyote Lakes and the book cover.
Prices do not include shipping.
Order now for great gifts for the horse lovers on your list!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Posters!
We have posters now!
Accepting orders for posters of the book cover, Mesteno, "Horse With No Name", Coyote Lakes, or any of the other paintings as they are completed!
These will make wonderful Christmas gifts!
Posters are 12x18 on heavy poster paper, and good enough for framing or just hanging without a frame!
They are only $10, plus $3.50 to cover shipping and handling!
If you would like to order a quantity for your group or club to resell, contact me and I will give you a great discount.
And as an extra incentive ...
Pre-order the book and get a poster for just $5!
And if you want to purchase the book as a gift for someone, since it won't be out before Christmas, the poster makes for a great gift to put under the tree and I will include a certificate indicating a book will be sent hot off the press!
You just can't go wrong!
You can use PayPal or send me a check or money order ... it's that simple!
I will be updating my web site, tonight if the storm doesn't knock our power out, with handy PayPal links as well.
Order now before the Christmas rush!
Accepting orders for posters of the book cover, Mesteno, "Horse With No Name", Coyote Lakes, or any of the other paintings as they are completed!
These will make wonderful Christmas gifts!
Posters are 12x18 on heavy poster paper, and good enough for framing or just hanging without a frame!
They are only $10, plus $3.50 to cover shipping and handling!
If you would like to order a quantity for your group or club to resell, contact me and I will give you a great discount.
And as an extra incentive ...
Pre-order the book and get a poster for just $5!
And if you want to purchase the book as a gift for someone, since it won't be out before Christmas, the poster makes for a great gift to put under the tree and I will include a certificate indicating a book will be sent hot off the press!
You just can't go wrong!
You can use PayPal or send me a check or money order ... it's that simple!
I will be updating my web site, tonight if the storm doesn't knock our power out, with handy PayPal links as well.
Order now before the Christmas rush!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Christmas Cards!
Order yours NOW!
The Coyote Lakes cards are now ready for ordering and the Big Summit/Ochoco cards will be ready to order in the next day or two!
All the cards come with envelopes and protective sleeves, are blank inside with a blurb on the back about the art and the book.
Cards are $1.25 each or 25 for $25! We're taking orders now and will ship them out in plenty of time to mail for Christmas!
Prints are also available now. The prints of Mesteno, A Horse With No Name, Coyote Lakes, Big Summit are all 11x14 on pearl paper and sell for $25 each. The cover art is 15x15 and we will be doing posters of the book cover as well, for $10 each!
We are still figuring out the shipping charges but it will be minimal ... check back in a day or two!
Here is the book cover, ready for posters and ready for the book!
And in case you forgot what the other prints look like, here they are!
The Coyote Lakes cards are now ready for ordering and the Big Summit/Ochoco cards will be ready to order in the next day or two!
All the cards come with envelopes and protective sleeves, are blank inside with a blurb on the back about the art and the book.
Cards are $1.25 each or 25 for $25! We're taking orders now and will ship them out in plenty of time to mail for Christmas!
Prints are also available now. The prints of Mesteno, A Horse With No Name, Coyote Lakes, Big Summit are all 11x14 on pearl paper and sell for $25 each. The cover art is 15x15 and we will be doing posters of the book cover as well, for $10 each!
We are still figuring out the shipping charges but it will be minimal ... check back in a day or two!
Here is the book cover, ready for posters and ready for the book!
And in case you forgot what the other prints look like, here they are!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Cards for sale!
While we're waiting on the first printing of the Christmas cards from the paintings for the book, I thought I would offer some pen and ink cards Michelle drew back in 2003 of the wild herds. There are a limited number of these and when they are sold out, they won't likely be printed again!
There are 8 designs total:
South Steens herd, sage colored cards
Warm Springs herd, pale blue cards
Palomino Butte herd, light pumpkin colored cards
Burro jenny and foal, sage colored cards
Kiger herd, tan cards
Kiger trotting stallion, tan cards
Kiger stallion head, tan cards
Kiger mare and foal, tan cards
There are 6 of each of these cards available for $1 each or all 6 for $5, plus shipping. I also have 4 sets of mixed Kiger cards, 4 per set. I'll sell all 4 sets, 16 cards total, for $12 plus shipping. All the cards come in protective sleeves and have envelopes.
On the back of each of the cards, except the burros, is a short description on the herd they represent, with a small map of Oregon showing the HMA's. Michelle's name, address and phone number are also on the cards.
Here is what is printed on the back of each card:
America's Living Legends
Kiger Mustangs of Oregon
Symbols of our western heritage, wild horses are still found in most of the western United States. Each herd has its own unique characteristics of size, color and conformation. Nowhere is that more true than in the Kiger herd management area. These horses exhibit Spanish mustang characteristics, and are thought to be one of the most pure herds in the wild today. These wild horses have been managed by the Bureau of Land Management since 1971. All herds are gathered periodically to remove excess numbers. These are made available for adoption. For more information about adopting a wild horse, call the BLM 541-573-4400 or check the web page www.or.blm.gov/Burns.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
America's Living Legends
Palomino Buttes Wild Horse Herd
The Palomino Buttes Wild Horse Herd Management Area is located in Harney County Oregon. It can be reached by traveling on Highway 20 approximately 16 miles east of Burns and turning south on the OO Road. The major landmark in the area is Palomino Buttes from which this herd received its name. The Herd Management Area contains approximately 71,668 acres. The Appropriate Management Level for the Palomino Buttes Wild Horse Herd is 32 to 64 head of horses. The Palomino Buttes Wild Horses are known for their palomino and red dun colors. For the most part, these animals are thought the be more on the gentle side than horses from some of Oregon's other wild horse herds. Because of their gentle nature, travelers going down Highway 20 often mistake them for domestic horses. Palomino Buttes horses are of saddle horse conformation.
Two large colorful stallions who have left their mark on the Palomino Buttes Herd are Red Dunny and Imposter. Both stallions were red dun in color, had stockings on three of their legs and had blaze faces. The Imposter received his name because it was impossible to determine who he was from a distance because he possessed the same color and white markings as Red Dunny.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
America's Living Legends
Warm Springs Wild Horse Herd
The Warm Springs Wild Horse Herd Management Area is located in Harney County Oregon between State Highways 205 and 395 and lies about 15 miles south of State Highway 20. The Herd Management Area contains approximately 508,391 acres. The appropriate management level is 111 to 202 head of horses. The Warm Springs Wild Horse Herd is known for its colorful Appaloosa coat patterns that are seen on many of the horses. Some of the Appaloosas found in this herd are referred to as "old time Appys" as they have very little mane and tail hair. These horses are of saddle horse type. The most noteworthy stallion that has left his mark on the Appaloosas of Warm Springs HMA is Dollar. Dollar is so named because he is said to have a million "dollars" worth of color being black and having a white blanket with black peacock spots.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
America's Living Legends
South Steens Wild Horse Herd
The South Steens Wild Horse Herd Management Area is located in Harney County Oregon, westside of the Steens Mountain in the area of Donner and Blitzen River. The HMA contains approximately 154,000 acres. The appropriate management level is 159 to 304 head of horses. The Steens Mountain Wild Horses are mostly noted for their vivid colors, pintos both overo and tobiano color patterns. Of course, other common colors seen are sorrel, bay, black, brown and grey. Most of the horses are of saddle stock conformation. The bands of these horses seen in their wild state are truly breathtaking.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
So there you have it!
All total, there are 64 cards and envelopes. Nice sized, blank inside, great for any occasion! They are standard "A6" size, 4-1/2 x 6-1/4 in size. These would make great Christmas gifts for anyone and especially horse lovers!
To order, go to PayPal and order thru my email of andi@wisecomp.com and let me know which ones you want and how many. Shipping will be minimal; add $1.50 per pack of 6 cards and we should be fine. You can mix and match any quantity you want, that we have in stock.
Soon, we will have the current, full color, Christmas cards and prints available from the new artwork for the book!
There are 8 designs total:
South Steens herd, sage colored cards
Warm Springs herd, pale blue cards
Palomino Butte herd, light pumpkin colored cards
Burro jenny and foal, sage colored cards
Kiger herd, tan cards
Kiger trotting stallion, tan cards
Kiger stallion head, tan cards
Kiger mare and foal, tan cards
There are 6 of each of these cards available for $1 each or all 6 for $5, plus shipping. I also have 4 sets of mixed Kiger cards, 4 per set. I'll sell all 4 sets, 16 cards total, for $12 plus shipping. All the cards come in protective sleeves and have envelopes.
On the back of each of the cards, except the burros, is a short description on the herd they represent, with a small map of Oregon showing the HMA's. Michelle's name, address and phone number are also on the cards.
Here is what is printed on the back of each card:
America's Living Legends
Kiger Mustangs of Oregon
Symbols of our western heritage, wild horses are still found in most of the western United States. Each herd has its own unique characteristics of size, color and conformation. Nowhere is that more true than in the Kiger herd management area. These horses exhibit Spanish mustang characteristics, and are thought to be one of the most pure herds in the wild today. These wild horses have been managed by the Bureau of Land Management since 1971. All herds are gathered periodically to remove excess numbers. These are made available for adoption. For more information about adopting a wild horse, call the BLM 541-573-4400 or check the web page www.or.blm.gov/Burns.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
America's Living Legends
Palomino Buttes Wild Horse Herd
The Palomino Buttes Wild Horse Herd Management Area is located in Harney County Oregon. It can be reached by traveling on Highway 20 approximately 16 miles east
Two large colorful stallions who have left their mark on the Palomino Buttes Herd are Red Dunny and Imposter. Both stallions were red dun in color, had stockings on three of their legs and had blaze faces. The Imposter received his name because it was impossible to determine who he was from a distance because he possessed the same color and white markings as Red Dunny.
America's Living Legends
Warm Springs Wild Horse Herd
The Warm Springs Wild Horse Herd Management Area is located in Harney County Oregon between State Highways 205 and 395 and lies about 15 miles south of State Highway 20. The Herd Management Area contains approximately 508,391 acres. The appropriate management level is 111 to 202 head of horses. The Warm Springs Wild Horse Herd is known for its colorful Appaloosa coat patterns that are seen on many of the horses. Some of the Appaloosas found in this herd are referred to as "old time Appys" as they have very little mane and tail hair. These horses are of saddle horse type. The most noteworthy stallion that has left his mark on the Appaloosas of Warm Springs HMA is Dollar. Dollar is so named because he is said to have a million "dollars" worth of color being black and having a white blanket with black peacock spots.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
America's Living Legends
South Steens Wild Horse Herd
The South Steens Wild Horse Herd Management Area is located in Harney County Oregon, westside of the Steens Mountain in the area of Donner and Blitzen River. The HMA contains approximately 154,000 acres. The appropriate management level is 159 to 304 head of horses. The Steens Mountain Wild Horses are mostly noted for their vivid colors, pintos both overo and tobiano color patterns. Of course, other common colors seen are sorrel, bay, black, brown and grey. Most of the horses are of saddle stock conformation. The bands of these horses seen in their wild state are truly breathtaking.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
So there you have it!
All total, there are 64 cards and envelopes. Nice sized, blank inside, great for any occasion! They are standard "A6" size, 4-1/2 x 6-1/4 in size. These would make great Christmas gifts for anyone and especially horse lovers!
To order, go to PayPal and order thru my email of andi@wisecomp.com and let me know which ones you want and how many. Shipping will be minimal; add $1.50 per pack of 6 cards and we should be fine. You can mix and match any quantity you want, that we have in stock.
Soon, we will have the current, full color, Christmas cards and prints available from the new artwork for the book!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Giclee Prints
And others ...
Some of you may not have heard of "giclee" (pronounced gee-clay) prints before; I never had until this year. I have one hanging in my living room now, of Mesteno, that Michelle painted. The print looks so much like the original that unless you have the original next to it, you have no idea it's not an original.
The giclee prints we will have available of the artwork from the book will be printed on canvas and put on stretcher bars, just like the original oil painting. We will have them offered for sale either framed or unframed.
We are going to offer a limited number of giclee prints of the various pieces of work, on a pre-order basis. Once we reach the finite number of prints (to be determined shortly), no more giclee prints of that piece will be available. They will be numbered and re-signed by the author.
Explain "Giclee"
I searched on line and found some explanations of what exactly a giclee print is, why it is different, and why it is more sought after, and more expensive, than traditional prints on poster board, water color paper, etc.
Once you place an order for a print, either giclee or on poster board or other media, it will take approximately 2-3 weeks to get the print to you. The printer will ship it to Michelle, she will sign it and ship it off to you. If you want it framed, add another week or so to the delivery date. Michelle has a source of some wonderful barn wood frames that are very fitting and suitable for this art!
Prints will be available in a couple different sizes as well. The original size, which in most cases will be 18x24 (I think!), or smaller sizes, like 11x14 or 8x10. The cover art is a different size that the other, standard sized paintings; it's 30x30 in it's original format and will be available in 15x15. We will also be making some posters suitable for framing of the cover art, which will look identical to the book cover, with the title and author/artist names. Those will also be available in custom sizes, on quality paper.
The Christmas cards we will be taking orders on this week. We would like to get a large, pre-purchased order in advance to help cut down the costs. Each card comes with an envelope, will be full color, blank on the inside and will have information on the back describing the scene on the front. They are perfect for any horse lover to send out their Holiday Greetings on and they will be much cheaper than Hallmark cards!
Check back soon ... this will be updated again shortly with prices and information on how to order your prints and cards! A giclee print for that horse lover on your list would be the perfect gift!
Some of you may not have heard of "giclee" (pronounced gee-clay) prints before; I never had until this year. I have one hanging in my living room now, of Mesteno, that Michelle painted. The print looks so much like the original that unless you have the original next to it, you have no idea it's not an original.
The giclee prints we will have available of the artwork from the book will be printed on canvas and put on stretcher bars, just like the original oil painting. We will have them offered for sale either framed or unframed.
We are going to offer a limited number of giclee prints of the various pieces of work, on a pre-order basis. Once we reach the finite number of prints (to be determined shortly), no more giclee prints of that piece will be available. They will be numbered and re-signed by the author.
Explain "Giclee"
I searched on line and found some explanations of what exactly a giclee print is, why it is different, and why it is more sought after, and more expensive, than traditional prints on poster board, water color paper, etc.
The Term : The term "giclee print" connotes an elevation in printmaking technology. Images are generated from high resolution digital scans and printed with archival quality inks onto various substrates including canvas, fine art, and photo-base paper. The giclee printing process provides better color accuracy than other means of reproduction.Another, slightly less technical description:
The quality of a giclee is astounding. The colors, the texture and appearance are so similar to the original and well worth the extra investment!
In giclee printing, no screen or other mechanical devices are used and therefore there is no visible dot screen pattern. The image has all the tonalities and hues of the original painting. Giclee (pronounced Gee’clay) is a French term meaning to spray or squirt, which is how an inkjet printer works. However, it is not the same as a standard desktop inkjet printer, and is much larger. Giclee prints are a little over a metre wide and are often affectionately referred to as a “knitting machine” as they look very similar.
Once you place an order for a print, either giclee or on poster board or other media, it will take approximately 2-3 weeks to get the print to you. The printer will ship it to Michelle, she will sign it and ship it off to you. If you want it framed, add another week or so to the delivery date. Michelle has a source of some wonderful barn wood frames that are very fitting and suitable for this art!
Prints will be available in a couple different sizes as well. The original size, which in most cases will be 18x24 (I think!), or smaller sizes, like 11x14 or 8x10. The cover art is a different size that the other, standard sized paintings; it's 30x30 in it's original format and will be available in 15x15. We will also be making some posters suitable for framing of the cover art, which will look identical to the book cover, with the title and author/artist names. Those will also be available in custom sizes, on quality paper.
The Christmas cards we will be taking orders on this week. We would like to get a large, pre-purchased order in advance to help cut down the costs. Each card comes with an envelope, will be full color, blank on the inside and will have information on the back describing the scene on the front. They are perfect for any horse lover to send out their Holiday Greetings on and they will be much cheaper than Hallmark cards!
Check back soon ... this will be updated again shortly with prices and information on how to order your prints and cards! A giclee print for that horse lover on your list would be the perfect gift!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
A work in progress
Ah, Michelle sent me a photo of the Coyote Lakes painting she is doing.
It's about 75% done. She had to get all the background pieces and colors and shadows in first, then will add the snow. It is snowing on the painting now as I type!
So I thought I would show you what it looks like ... so far ...
Isn't that cool? The chestnut gelding in the middle with the star and the snip is Dusty, the gelding we adopted from that gather (and who is in the original photo) and the black mare and foal out front is Ranger and his dam. Ranger was adopted by my friend Karen and their story is in the book.
I'm so excited! I can't wait to see the finished product! The painting, and the scans for the Christmas cards, should be done in about a week and the Christmas cards will be ready in about 2 weeks! YAY!
And no, I still don't know yet what the cards will sell for but it will be reasonable and there will be a break for quantity buying! So check back here and on the web site and on Facebook for updates!
Oh yeah ... I'm Facebooking now ... and twittering ... and I think all the Facebooking and twittering and blogging are connected ...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Christmas Cards Coming!
Soon, Michelle will be done with the first of our Christmas cards!
There won't be any cutesy Santa kids or reindeer horses, sorry.
What there WILL be is a print of a beautiful original oil painting by Michelle of a herd of wild horses from Coyote Lakes HMA coming in on a gather, thru the snow covered sage brush. The cards will be blank inside so you can put your own greeting on it. You will be able to order them direct, thru me, and pretty soon, they will be up on a Cafe Press site to order as well. From Cafe Press, you will also be able to order the print of your choice onto the medium of your choice -- t-shirt, coffee cups, mouse pads, hats or whatever you want! As I get the quality scans sent to me, I will upload them to the Cafe Press site and let you all know when they are available!
Here is the photo that was the inspiration for the first card:
The print won't look exactly like the above photo but several of the horses in that photo, as well as ones from other photos, will be in the painting. A gelding we adopted from this gather is shown above, in the middle of the herd with the star and the snip on his nose, next to the red dun. Pretty cool! There will also be a black mare with a black foal at her side in the painting that is representative of my friend Karen's gelding Ranger, who also came in on that gather as a baby.
More on how to order cards, or whatever you want, as soon as it's available!
There won't be any cutesy Santa kids or reindeer horses, sorry.
What there WILL be is a print of a beautiful original oil painting by Michelle of a herd of wild horses from Coyote Lakes HMA coming in on a gather, thru the snow covered sage brush. The cards will be blank inside so you can put your own greeting on it. You will be able to order them direct, thru me, and pretty soon, they will be up on a Cafe Press site to order as well. From Cafe Press, you will also be able to order the print of your choice onto the medium of your choice -- t-shirt, coffee cups, mouse pads, hats or whatever you want! As I get the quality scans sent to me, I will upload them to the Cafe Press site and let you all know when they are available!
Here is the photo that was the inspiration for the first card:
The print won't look exactly like the above photo but several of the horses in that photo, as well as ones from other photos, will be in the painting. A gelding we adopted from this gather is shown above, in the middle of the herd with the star and the snip on his nose, next to the red dun. Pretty cool! There will also be a black mare with a black foal at her side in the painting that is representative of my friend Karen's gelding Ranger, who also came in on that gather as a baby.
More on how to order cards, or whatever you want, as soon as it's available!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Progress!
I'm getting excited ... we're getting down to the wire on the book!
I've taken a few orders -- thank you! Now we are looking for sponsors or advertisers to go in the book and help fund this project! It's shaping up nicely and Michelle is working on a couple of different pieces of art right now. I believe she is working next on Ligget Table and Coyote Lakes horses, both of which will be awesome! Of course, all her work is awesome. Look for the art as it takes shape on these pages.
Don't forget to go to my book site too:
www.oregonslivinglegends.com
I've added an order form for those who don't wish to use PayPal.
Soon, I will have some more cool stuff for you to order, using the artwork for the book:
If you are a trainer and would like to hang your shingle in the book, contact me for some special rates! If you know anyone who would like to advertise in the book, the deadline is December 1st 2009.
Coming soon to the web site:
More artwork
Order forms for art, cards and more!
Advertising price list
More excerpts from the book
Check back often ... things are moving FAST now!
I've taken a few orders -- thank you! Now we are looking for sponsors or advertisers to go in the book and help fund this project! It's shaping up nicely and Michelle is working on a couple of different pieces of art right now. I believe she is working next on Ligget Table and Coyote Lakes horses, both of which will be awesome! Of course, all her work is awesome. Look for the art as it takes shape on these pages.
Don't forget to go to my book site too:
www.oregonslivinglegends.com
I've added an order form for those who don't wish to use PayPal.
Soon, I will have some more cool stuff for you to order, using the artwork for the book:
- Christmas Cards
- Blank Note Cards
- Calendars
- T-Shirts
- Signed Prints
- Mouse Pads
- And More!
If you are a trainer and would like to hang your shingle in the book, contact me for some special rates! If you know anyone who would like to advertise in the book, the deadline is December 1st 2009.
Coming soon to the web site:
More artwork
Order forms for art, cards and more!
Advertising price list
More excerpts from the book
Check back often ... things are moving FAST now!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Art Tour Photos!
Ah yes, finally! Photos from the art tour!
When we set up Michelle's artwork, we thought it would be nice to include the photos that were the "inspiration" for the art.
Mostly, because people make comments like "did that horse really look like that?", especially the wild horses.
What we found out is that people really enjoyed seeing the whole creative process! I think it looked pretty cool too!
First is the cover art ... and all the photos she used to create the cover art:
Next is Mesteno, and the photos she used for it:
And lastly, Corine, the "freeze brand" one:
Cool, huh?
I think showing how Michelle got the inspiration for the drawings and paintings adds so much to the display as a whole.
And it stops the questions of "did that horse really look that good?" that seems to come up here and there!
What do you think?
When we set up Michelle's artwork, we thought it would be nice to include the photos that were the "inspiration" for the art.
Mostly, because people make comments like "did that horse really look like that?", especially the wild horses.
What we found out is that people really enjoyed seeing the whole creative process! I think it looked pretty cool too!
First is the cover art ... and all the photos she used to create the cover art:
Next is Mesteno, and the photos she used for it:
And lastly, Corine, the "freeze brand" one:
Cool, huh?
I think showing how Michelle got the inspiration for the drawings and paintings adds so much to the display as a whole.
And it stops the questions of "did that horse really look that good?" that seems to come up here and there!
What do you think?
Monday, September 21, 2009
September Update!
Michelle was invited to be in Hamley's store during the Pendleton Roundup this year. For those that don't know Hamley's, suffice to say it is "the" place you want to be if you are an artist of any type, and during the Roundup is the time to be there!
She took her "working ranch women" series along with her work for the book. The response to the wild horse art was incredible! She talked to so many people she was hoarse before it was over. The people coming around ranged from those who have (or had) wild horses, or know people with wild horses, or their parents/grandparents had wild horses to people who had no idea you could actually SEE wild horses in the wild still!
She helped promote not only the book, but the BLM program here, and wild horses in general. She encouraged people to come to Burns to see the horses at the corrals, and to go see them in the wild as well. She handed out flyers talking about the book, with a couple of pieces of artwork on the flyers and the web site address for the book.
It's all coming together ... and quickly! We've pre-sold a couple of books and the interest in the finished product is intense. By the time the next big adoption in Burns comes around (probably after the South Steens and Beaty's Butte herds are gathered) we will have several pieces of art work to show and probably a draft of the book on display as well.
I'm excited!
And I'll have some photos of the display we had set up during the art tour in the next couple of days. Michelle will be emailing me the photos she took (mine were from my cell and not that great) and I will get them posted.
Look for more frequent updates as things progress!
She took her "working ranch women" series along with her work for the book. The response to the wild horse art was incredible! She talked to so many people she was hoarse before it was over. The people coming around ranged from those who have (or had) wild horses, or know people with wild horses, or their parents/grandparents had wild horses to people who had no idea you could actually SEE wild horses in the wild still!
She helped promote not only the book, but the BLM program here, and wild horses in general. She encouraged people to come to Burns to see the horses at the corrals, and to go see them in the wild as well. She handed out flyers talking about the book, with a couple of pieces of artwork on the flyers and the web site address for the book.
It's all coming together ... and quickly! We've pre-sold a couple of books and the interest in the finished product is intense. By the time the next big adoption in Burns comes around (probably after the South Steens and Beaty's Butte herds are gathered) we will have several pieces of art work to show and probably a draft of the book on display as well.
I'm excited!
And I'll have some photos of the display we had set up during the art tour in the next couple of days. Michelle will be emailing me the photos she took (mine were from my cell and not that great) and I will get them posted.
Look for more frequent updates as things progress!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Art Tour
We have an annual event here in Harney County, celebrating and recognizing the artistic talent of the area.
This year, Michelle had her art on display downtown at the Harney County Chamber of Commerce building.
Michelle has 2 art "projects" going on right now; her "Working Ranch Women" series and the paintings and drawings for the book. So she had 2 panels set up, one for each of the projects.
I felt the tour, and the artwork was well received. I was pretty pleased with the reception the wild horse art got; people were very interested and impressed!
For each of the 3 pieces displayed, I helped Michelle in putting up the actual photos the subjects were taken from.
For the book cover, with the multitude of horses, people could see these horses were painted from actual horses and they could see where the idea for the cover came from, which is a trap site. We had about 8-12 different photos on display around the almost finished book cover artwork. People seemed to really enjoy seeing how and where the art came from.
For Mesteno, we had the old photo of him at the horse corrals, plus a couple photos of Kigers in the wild, showing the color and the scenery that inspired the painting.
For the one of Corine, titled "Horse With No Name", we had the original photo of Corine and the horse as well as a description/explanation of the freeze brand and how to read one. We got a lot of questions about that process and it was nice to have the explanation and example right in front of us!
All in all, I felt the tour went great and I think the book is really going to be a hit, even here where wild horses are "common".
I'll post photos of the displays later ...
This year, Michelle had her art on display downtown at the Harney County Chamber of Commerce building.
Michelle has 2 art "projects" going on right now; her "Working Ranch Women" series and the paintings and drawings for the book. So she had 2 panels set up, one for each of the projects.
I felt the tour, and the artwork was well received. I was pretty pleased with the reception the wild horse art got; people were very interested and impressed!
For each of the 3 pieces displayed, I helped Michelle in putting up the actual photos the subjects were taken from.
For the book cover, with the multitude of horses, people could see these horses were painted from actual horses and they could see where the idea for the cover came from, which is a trap site. We had about 8-12 different photos on display around the almost finished book cover artwork. People seemed to really enjoy seeing how and where the art came from.
For Mesteno, we had the old photo of him at the horse corrals, plus a couple photos of Kigers in the wild, showing the color and the scenery that inspired the painting.
For the one of Corine, titled "Horse With No Name", we had the original photo of Corine and the horse as well as a description/explanation of the freeze brand and how to read one. We got a lot of questions about that process and it was nice to have the explanation and example right in front of us!
All in all, I felt the tour went great and I think the book is really going to be a hit, even here where wild horses are "common".
I'll post photos of the displays later ...
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Orphanage
So I thought maybe I would post a few little snippits from the book for you all ...
The first one will be from the "Orphanage", a section in the book with a little information and photos of some of the orphans we've had the last few years from the BLM.
A couple of the most memorable would be "Sweetheart" and "Karma".
As some of my followers may recall, Sweetheart just about didn't make it. She was days old when she came here and was pretty pathetic looking:
She nearly died due to an unknown infection. I slept in the stall with her for about 3 weeks, helping her to stand so she could drink her milk and eat her hay and grain. She never gave up and neither did I!
And this was Sweetheart as a long yearling, before she went to her new home:
Karma came to us at about 3-4 weeks old. She wasn't in dire need like Sweetheart but she did need mothering. She was an unusual color, even for a foal coat and we quickly determined she is a chocolate, or bay silver dapple.
When she shed out the following year, we decided we were right on her color:
Karma got her name because of circumstances before she came to me. I spotted her in the corrals on her dam about 2 weeks earlier. Her dam was a beautiful black mare, nicely built and Karma just had a "presence" about her. I jokingly told the BLM if that little one was an orphan I would take her in a heartbeat!
I got a call 2 weeks later. Another mare slammed into Karma's dam and broke her hip on a gate and she had to be put down. We brought her home and thanks to others on the wild horse lists on Yahoo, she was aptly named "Karma".
Jill in NC was dubbed Karma's "godmother"; if anything ever happened to me, she would go to Jill. As luck would have it, we simply got too full here with horses and were forced to downsize our herd. I offered her to Jill and she took me up on it. Karma went to training with Kitty Lauman before Jill got here to get her clear on the other side of the country. Karma did well with her training and she is enjoying life now on the east coast!
More to come later!
The first one will be from the "Orphanage", a section in the book with a little information and photos of some of the orphans we've had the last few years from the BLM.
A couple of the most memorable would be "Sweetheart" and "Karma".
As some of my followers may recall, Sweetheart just about didn't make it. She was days old when she came here and was pretty pathetic looking:
She nearly died due to an unknown infection. I slept in the stall with her for about 3 weeks, helping her to stand so she could drink her milk and eat her hay and grain. She never gave up and neither did I!
And this was Sweetheart as a long yearling, before she went to her new home:
Karma came to us at about 3-4 weeks old. She wasn't in dire need like Sweetheart but she did need mothering. She was an unusual color, even for a foal coat and we quickly determined she is a chocolate, or bay silver dapple.
When she shed out the following year, we decided we were right on her color:
Karma got her name because of circumstances before she came to me. I spotted her in the corrals on her dam about 2 weeks earlier. Her dam was a beautiful black mare, nicely built and Karma just had a "presence" about her. I jokingly told the BLM if that little one was an orphan I would take her in a heartbeat!
I got a call 2 weeks later. Another mare slammed into Karma's dam and broke her hip on a gate and she had to be put down. We brought her home and thanks to others on the wild horse lists on Yahoo, she was aptly named "Karma".
Jill in NC was dubbed Karma's "godmother"; if anything ever happened to me, she would go to Jill. As luck would have it, we simply got too full here with horses and were forced to downsize our herd. I offered her to Jill and she took me up on it. Karma went to training with Kitty Lauman before Jill got here to get her clear on the other side of the country. Karma did well with her training and she is enjoying life now on the east coast!
More to come later!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Another Weekend
Not much to report ... things are moving along!
I am reviewing different publishers, trying to find the most "bang for the buck" since I will be self-printing the book. I do have a couple of publishers I can submit the manuscript to, seeing if they are interested in printing it but with the economy in the tank, it's not looking hopeful. Most publishers won't go out on a limb for an unknown author publishing a non-fiction piece of work, sad to say!
If you know of a publisher I should look at, please let me know! I am looking at Whitehall right now as they have very nice, quality, full color, soft cover, "perfect bind" books and are fairly reasonably priced.
The air is feeling like fall, even if it is still August. I'm taking advantage of the cooler weather in the mornings and evenings to work on my book and such and taking advantage of the nicer weather in the day to try to ride!
The Burns BLM is currently gathering the Murderer's Creek horses. Let's hope for a safe gather and no orphans that I will need to add to the "Orphanage" section of the book!
This fall it looks like the South Steens herd will be gathered. With any luck, Michelle and I would like to attend this gather and maybe get some last minute photos, and maybe some art, for the book before it's printed!
I am reviewing different publishers, trying to find the most "bang for the buck" since I will be self-printing the book. I do have a couple of publishers I can submit the manuscript to, seeing if they are interested in printing it but with the economy in the tank, it's not looking hopeful. Most publishers won't go out on a limb for an unknown author publishing a non-fiction piece of work, sad to say!
If you know of a publisher I should look at, please let me know! I am looking at Whitehall right now as they have very nice, quality, full color, soft cover, "perfect bind" books and are fairly reasonably priced.
The air is feeling like fall, even if it is still August. I'm taking advantage of the cooler weather in the mornings and evenings to work on my book and such and taking advantage of the nicer weather in the day to try to ride!
The Burns BLM is currently gathering the Murderer's Creek horses. Let's hope for a safe gather and no orphans that I will need to add to the "Orphanage" section of the book!
This fall it looks like the South Steens herd will be gathered. With any luck, Michelle and I would like to attend this gather and maybe get some last minute photos, and maybe some art, for the book before it's printed!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
We survived!
Well, Michelle and I went on the radio this morning and talked about her artwork and about the book.
>whew<
It was scary and I'm sure we sounded nervous but I think it went well. We talked for about 20-25 minutes, and I don't think we bored anyone. I felt like it flowed well together, talking about the upcoming art tour here next week and then tying the art Michelle is doing for the book in with the whole thing.
I did hear a comment something to the effect of "brown nosing" when it comes to the BLM! Jokingly, of course. But honestly, our local BLM is simply awesome from the staff to the program itself and I have no problems bragging up on them! They are the reason I saw fit to do a book about Oregon's wild horses! So yeah, I probably did some pretty heavy promoting of the BLM, because they deserve it!
Between this blog, going on the radio, and now a web site for the book, it's really feeling like it's coming together. It's felt like a dream for so long and now it's sinking in that it's a reality!
So, I started a web site last night. I obtained a domain for the book and uploaded a beginning to the site. There are changes to be made, and none of the links on the left side are functional yet but it should be all together within a couple days.
Click here to see the new website:
Oregon's Living Legends
I'll continue to keep updating this blog, but the web site will have the "constant" data and facts about the book. I will be able to do so much more with the web site than I can with the blog, but the blog will be great for changes and announcements.
So, signing off for now but keep checking back! And thank you for your suppot!
>whew<
It was scary and I'm sure we sounded nervous but I think it went well. We talked for about 20-25 minutes, and I don't think we bored anyone. I felt like it flowed well together, talking about the upcoming art tour here next week and then tying the art Michelle is doing for the book in with the whole thing.
I did hear a comment something to the effect of "brown nosing" when it comes to the BLM! Jokingly, of course. But honestly, our local BLM is simply awesome from the staff to the program itself and I have no problems bragging up on them! They are the reason I saw fit to do a book about Oregon's wild horses! So yeah, I probably did some pretty heavy promoting of the BLM, because they deserve it!
Between this blog, going on the radio, and now a web site for the book, it's really feeling like it's coming together. It's felt like a dream for so long and now it's sinking in that it's a reality!
So, I started a web site last night. I obtained a domain for the book and uploaded a beginning to the site. There are changes to be made, and none of the links on the left side are functional yet but it should be all together within a couple days.
Click here to see the new website:
Oregon's Living Legends
I'll continue to keep updating this blog, but the web site will have the "constant" data and facts about the book. I will be able to do so much more with the web site than I can with the blog, but the blog will be great for changes and announcements.
So, signing off for now but keep checking back! And thank you for your suppot!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
The process of art
Since becoming friends with Michelle, and starting this book, I have been privileged to see the works of art she has done as works in progress. It's great to first hear about the concept of a drawing, then see the subject matter she is going from, then watch the progression of a piece of art.
I thought you all might like to see it too!
Then we went a step further ...
We decided to go beyond this photo. The horses heads and backs and faces and all are so nicely depicted, we thought why not make it larger, more horses, representing pretty much all the colors the horses come in?
She numbered the horses and decided on colors and such as she went along. Here is what it looked like after the first time she painted on it:
Today, she is about 2/3 of the way through with the painting. It's a huge painting (I'll get the exact dimensions from her) and it will shrink down nicely with lots of detail. This is what she has completed as of today:
Pretty cool, huh?
So, if you have an Oregon horse, and it has some face markings that stand out, send me a head shot of the horse ... maybe you'll see it in one of the drawings! Michelle is looking for face markings and such so they don't all look alike. There is one in the drawing above that belongs to an adopter, so send us yours and maybe you will see your horse in one of these!
I thought you all might like to see it too!
Michelle is currently working on the book cover. I've gone over photos over and over, trying to decide on "the" photo for the cover. Michelle and I began pouring over photos from the BLM and from my collection, trying to decide on what was worthy to grace the cover of a book on Oregon's wild horse herds.
Michelle came across a photo that has an artistic feel to it. We both agreed it would be simply great for the cover.
Then we went a step further ...
The photo that gave us the idea for the cover came from a trap site. A trap site is the place where the BLM contractors that gather the horses will drive the horses to for sorting and loading into the trailer to haul to the holding facility. When the horses first enter the trap, which is basically a pen of panels with jute fencing around it, they go in a bit of a swirl ... they come to the fence and follow it around in a swirling motion.
Here's the photo that gave us the idea for the piece of art Michelle is painting now:
We decided to go beyond this photo. The horses heads and backs and faces and all are so nicely depicted, we thought why not make it larger, more horses, representing pretty much all the colors the horses come in?
So here is how Michelle initially mapped it out:
She numbered the horses and decided on colors and such as she went along. Here is what it looked like after the first time she painted on it:
Today, she is about 2/3 of the way through with the painting. It's a huge painting (I'll get the exact dimensions from her) and it will shrink down nicely with lots of detail. This is what she has completed as of today:
Pretty cool, huh?
So, if you have an Oregon horse, and it has some face markings that stand out, send me a head shot of the horse ... maybe you'll see it in one of the drawings! Michelle is looking for face markings and such so they don't all look alike. There is one in the drawing above that belongs to an adopter, so send us yours and maybe you will see your horse in one of these!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Pictures!
Everyone likes pictures, right?
I thought I would share a few that may be in the book ...
This is Mesteno, whose painting can be seen below:
Here's a couple of horses we suspect are brothers; they were adopted a few years ago by a guy over in the Willamette Valley.
Last fall, I was accompanied by my neighbor and a fellow blogger up onto the Steens to see the South Steens horses. We found the "Hollywood Herd" and they allowed us to mingle amongst them! It was quite an experience and I thought I would share a couple photos from that day as well here ...
And one more, for good measure ... this one was checking out my fellow bloggers daughter, who is just off camera, walking up to them with a camera of her own ...
Now after seeing these photos, how could anyone question what I see in these horses? Our BLM has simply done an outstanding job in the preservation, and improvement, of these herds!
PayPal Buttons!
I now have PayPal buttons set up on the right!
The "Pre-Purchase" button has a fixed amount of $50. That will include shipping costs to send the book to you.
The "Donations" button has no fixed amount; you can donate any amount you wish.
And remember, the lucky person who donates to the book and pushes the total donated amount over $250 will get a framed giclee print of their choice! You might want to wait to claim your print until they are all done ...
I'm not 100% certain what all the prints will look like that she is doing but I can tell you the one for the South Steens herd will be outstanding! She will be using "Lewis and Clark", 2 of the senior stallions from the "Hollywood Herd" that have been adopted and are now released onto a sanctuary in California. She will show them in a "battle", with a small band of mares and foals in the background. That print will be in full color.
She will also be doing a pencil drawing (I think it will be pencil -- it may be color -- Michelle? are you reading this?) of Ligget Table horses coming in to water at sunset/sunrise, with clouds of dust behind them.
I think there will also be some of the "forest" or "mountain" horses; hidden in the trees, on a hillside, in the snow, etc. I believe she is doing 12 prints total of the 19 herd areas in Oregon. If you have an Oregon horse, you will need to watch for YOUR herd management area being depicted and order a print!
The price isn't set on the giclee prints yet and I'm sure we'll have a range of options as well as sizes to choose from, whether you want them framed or whatever. And I think we will likely do some other, less expensive prints as well. We'll also have sets of prints where you can buy all of them or mix and match for discounted prices from individual prints. And I think we will also do a "special" price mix, such as buy a book and a print (or set of prints) for a certain amount. The possibilities are endless!
Later on down the road, I will probably set up something with Cafe Press to include the artwork that you can have printed on the medium of your choosing, be it a t-shirt, hat, cups, etc.
Things are moving ahead fast! The book will be out and in your hands before you know it!
The "Pre-Purchase" button has a fixed amount of $50. That will include shipping costs to send the book to you.
The "Donations" button has no fixed amount; you can donate any amount you wish.
And remember, the lucky person who donates to the book and pushes the total donated amount over $250 will get a framed giclee print of their choice! You might want to wait to claim your print until they are all done ...
I'm not 100% certain what all the prints will look like that she is doing but I can tell you the one for the South Steens herd will be outstanding! She will be using "Lewis and Clark", 2 of the senior stallions from the "Hollywood Herd" that have been adopted and are now released onto a sanctuary in California. She will show them in a "battle", with a small band of mares and foals in the background. That print will be in full color.
She will also be doing a pencil drawing (I think it will be pencil -- it may be color -- Michelle? are you reading this?) of Ligget Table horses coming in to water at sunset/sunrise, with clouds of dust behind them.
I think there will also be some of the "forest" or "mountain" horses; hidden in the trees, on a hillside, in the snow, etc. I believe she is doing 12 prints total of the 19 herd areas in Oregon. If you have an Oregon horse, you will need to watch for YOUR herd management area being depicted and order a print!
The price isn't set on the giclee prints yet and I'm sure we'll have a range of options as well as sizes to choose from, whether you want them framed or whatever. And I think we will likely do some other, less expensive prints as well. We'll also have sets of prints where you can buy all of them or mix and match for discounted prices from individual prints. And I think we will also do a "special" price mix, such as buy a book and a print (or set of prints) for a certain amount. The possibilities are endless!
Later on down the road, I will probably set up something with Cafe Press to include the artwork that you can have printed on the medium of your choosing, be it a t-shirt, hat, cups, etc.
Things are moving ahead fast! The book will be out and in your hands before you know it!
Getting set up ...
I am working on figuring this whole thing out! I want to set up a PayPal button and will be doing that shortly ... I think I can put it beside my pages so it stays on top.
I will be set up soon to accept donations to get the first printing of the book out there. We're going to offer an "incentive program" for donations. Whoever makes the donation that brings the donated amount to $250 total will get their choice of a framed giclee print from Michelle Severe, the artist that is doing the artwork for my book! The giclee prints are so well done you have a hard time telling they aren't originals!
What's a giclee print?
Well, here is an explanation for you!
I have 2 of them; one is Mesteno (see below) and one is from Michelle's website called "Workday Repairs" and they are simply awesome. They are printed on canvas on stretcher bars and framed professionally and Michelle will re-sign them as well.
I will also be set up soon to take pre-release orders on the book. I've decided to not go with any in black and white and go for full color. I know this will be an added cost I need to pass down to my customers but I believe it's worth it! The color photographs and the color artwork simply deserve to be seen in color!
Tentatively, the book will be for sale in the $40 to $50 price range, depending on the paper, the publisher and the shipping costs. I will keep the retail price as low as possible and will also take wholesale orders for bookstores and shops.
Next spring, Michelle and I will be hitting the road on book tours. The obvious places will be adoption events and the Extreme Mustang Makeover events sponsored by the Mustang Heritage Foundation. We'll get a full schedule once it gets closer.
I'm also going to put together a regular website for the book; purchasing and donations will be available from there as well!
Michelle is nearly finished with the book cover. I think you will all really like it; there are 24 horses of all colors, shapes and sizes on it and she's done it fairly large so when it's shrank down for the book cover, it will still retain all the wonderful detail she's put into it. When she has a good scan of it, I will put it at the top of my blog for all to see!
So many things to do ... so little time!
Oh, and if you have an adopter story about a Mustang you have from one of the Oregon herds, please send me your story! I could use stories about horses from Beaty's Butte, Ligget Table, Sheepshead and Stinkingwater. Any of the herds from Oregon would be great but those herds are lacking in stories.
Off to work on PayPal buttons now!
I will be set up soon to accept donations to get the first printing of the book out there. We're going to offer an "incentive program" for donations. Whoever makes the donation that brings the donated amount to $250 total will get their choice of a framed giclee print from Michelle Severe, the artist that is doing the artwork for my book! The giclee prints are so well done you have a hard time telling they aren't originals!
What's a giclee print?
Well, here is an explanation for you!
In giclee printing, no screen or other mechanical devices are used and therefore there is no visible dot screen pattern. The image has all the tonalities and hues of the original painting. Giclee (pronounced Gee’clay) is a French term meaning to spray or squirt, which is how an inkjet printer works. However, it is not the same as a standard desktop inkjet printer, and is much larger. Giclee prints are a little over a metre wide and are often affectionately referred to as a “knitting machine” as they look very similar.
I have 2 of them; one is Mesteno (see below) and one is from Michelle's website called "Workday Repairs" and they are simply awesome. They are printed on canvas on stretcher bars and framed professionally and Michelle will re-sign them as well.
I will also be set up soon to take pre-release orders on the book. I've decided to not go with any in black and white and go for full color. I know this will be an added cost I need to pass down to my customers but I believe it's worth it! The color photographs and the color artwork simply deserve to be seen in color!
Tentatively, the book will be for sale in the $40 to $50 price range, depending on the paper, the publisher and the shipping costs. I will keep the retail price as low as possible and will also take wholesale orders for bookstores and shops.
Next spring, Michelle and I will be hitting the road on book tours. The obvious places will be adoption events and the Extreme Mustang Makeover events sponsored by the Mustang Heritage Foundation. We'll get a full schedule once it gets closer.
I'm also going to put together a regular website for the book; purchasing and donations will be available from there as well!
Michelle is nearly finished with the book cover. I think you will all really like it; there are 24 horses of all colors, shapes and sizes on it and she's done it fairly large so when it's shrank down for the book cover, it will still retain all the wonderful detail she's put into it. When she has a good scan of it, I will put it at the top of my blog for all to see!
So many things to do ... so little time!
Oh, and if you have an adopter story about a Mustang you have from one of the Oregon herds, please send me your story! I could use stories about horses from Beaty's Butte, Ligget Table, Sheepshead and Stinkingwater. Any of the herds from Oregon would be great but those herds are lacking in stories.
Off to work on PayPal buttons now!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
On the radio!
Well, next week, Michelle and I will have our first real "promotion" of the book; we will be on the local radio station talking about the book and the artwork! I'm nervous about being on the radio but excited to get the publicity!
I will also be looking at collecting donations to help with publication costs, and I will be contacting various groups like the BLM, MHF and Oregon's tourism department with pleas for financial assistance for the first round of publishing.
And I will be pre-selling a few books as well. Soon, I will have links for paypal so you can pre-purchase a book -- which will be signed by myself and Michelle -- or so you can donate to help get it published!
I will also have some artwork for sale soon here from Michelle and when the book is completed, the artwork will be available individually or in sets.
Oh, and check out Michelle's web site for more of her artwork!
Michelle Severe Western Artist
I will also be looking at collecting donations to help with publication costs, and I will be contacting various groups like the BLM, MHF and Oregon's tourism department with pleas for financial assistance for the first round of publishing.
And I will be pre-selling a few books as well. Soon, I will have links for paypal so you can pre-purchase a book -- which will be signed by myself and Michelle -- or so you can donate to help get it published!
I will also have some artwork for sale soon here from Michelle and when the book is completed, the artwork will be available individually or in sets.
Oh, and check out Michelle's web site for more of her artwork!
Michelle Severe Western Artist
Mesteno
One of the first pieces of artwork completed for the book, and for the whole series of wild horses, is a piece Michelle painted of Mesteno, one of the original Kiger Mustangs "discovered" back in the 1970's. He is, of course, long since gone, but to many, his legend, and heritage, lives on in the Kiger and Riddle herd management areas.
Keep watch for more art work as it comes along ...
Introduction
WELCOME!
Yes, I have joined the blogging masses! But for good reason! I'm here to introduce, and keep you updated on ...
Oregon's Living Legends (copyright 2009 LCR)
So, what's Oregon's Living Legends?
Good question!
Awhile back, I was speaking with a friend of mine, Michelle Severe, who is an extremely talented artist, with wildlife drawings and paintings one of her specialties. Actually, it's how I got to know her; she had created a bunch of artwork for a Kiger Mustang adoption event and we struck up a conversation, and a friendship, from that point on.
We were talking about how people asked if there was a book on Oregon's Mustangs, since Michelle had artwork on them.
Hmmmm ...
So, an idea formed ... and blossomed!
And Oregon's Living Legends was started!
So what's it all about?
Well, pull up a chair and I'll tell you a little about it ... and me!
Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to write.
OK, that's not 100% true ... my dream has been to live on top of a mountain with a bunch of horses and write!
I'm in the high desert, so it's sort of on top of a mountain.
And I have a bunch of horses.
So, time to write!
After speaking with Michelle, and a few brainstorming sessions, I began researching and writing a book on wild horses. Specifically, Oregon's wild horses, since those are the wild horses I am most familiar with. My husband and I have been volunteers for the Burns (Oregon) district BLM for several years and have been duly impressed with the quality of the horses found roaming free in various herd management areas here. We have been equally impressed with the quality of the BLM staff involved in the management of the horses.
I felt the efforts, and the horses, of Oregon's BLM needed to be recognized, and show-cased, if you will. I contacted the Burns BLM, I went on-line, I scoured thru documents and photos, I called upon folks who have adopted horses and I began the compilation process.
The result is my book, Oregon's Living Legends, with a hopeful release date of Christmas of 2009 or just after the start of 2010.
My book isn't a political statement, it's not "pro-BLM", it's not "pro-wild horse advocate", it's not cold with just facts and it's not all touchy-feely with the whole "Black Stallion Syndrome" type of thing either. Actually, it's all of those things and none of those things at the same time. My hope is the book will not only help people see and understand the wild horses and the herds and grow to love and appreciate them they way we have but that it will also serve as an example of what the BLM program in every state *could* be.
One of the things I things I think people will like about the book is the eye appeal! Michelle has agreed to be my artist/illustrator for the book and with her artwork gracing the pages (and it will be available separately as well), a book unlike any other will emerge.
As an example ... the piece of artwork gracing this post depicting the gentling of a wild horse by a local trainer, Corine Elser. It will be accompanied by a wonderful poem by Andrea Bassett entitled "Freeze Brand" and will be included in the book.
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