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Wow, where did this week go? My Italian Paintings sit on their easels looking about the same as they did a week ago. Too much is going on outside and that is one of the problems of living in a snow state. All winter long we are cooped up in our houses, so when spring finally arrives there is so much to do outside.

Our three new Irish Tinker horses are settling in nicely, having been here just over a week now. Wow--are they a lot of work! Don’t get me wrong, they are “easy keepers”, at least in the eating department, but in the grooming department that is a whole other story. I love their long thick manes and tails and all that hair (called feathers) on their legs is really awesome. However, there is a bit of upkeep to all these feathers and fluff. Fortunately I have discovered the world of gels made just for such horses that helps keep their manes, tails and feathers looking spectacular. Still I spend a good hour and a half each morning primping and cleaning four horses (remember I already had my little mare).

Speaking of which, she is just now starting to be on speaking terms with these three new horses. However, she is still in “time out” because I can’t trust her to play nicely yet, which means when they come in at night, she goes out.

Well I guess even my blog is being affected by all these goings on--I have to cut this short, time to put three well-groomed horses back in the barn and let out one disgruntled mare for the night. Maybe next week I will get more done on my painting and if not, I am sure I will have something to say about the vegetable garden I still have to plant.

It’s been a tough week for me living in to paint. For one thing, those of us who live up here in Central New York are enjoying all the beautiful Flowering Crab Trees which we have planted in our yards, and are now bursting in an array of pinks, reds and whites. Now the pinks and reds of the Flowering Crabs are being joined by the lavenders and purples of the many Lilacs that abound everywhere. Truly, this is a wonderful time to be living in Central New York—especially after a long, snow-bearing winter.

Spring is my favorite time of the year; it is a time of rebirth not only in the horticultural world but also in my life too. If you read my weekly blog, you know that it’s been a rough time for me the last few months having lost my loyal and wonderful friend, my carriage horse Ben. They say time heals all wounds and there is truth in that. Although I will never forget Ben, it is time to make new memories.

This week three new horses joined our family. They are Irish Tinkers, also known as Gypsy Vanners, a European breed established several hundred years ago in the British Isles and became popular among the Gypsies for pulling their wagons. They are wonderful horses with sweet and kind dispositions. They are extremely hardy and easy keepers. The heavy feathering on their legs gives them the look of floating along the landscape when they trot throughout the pasture. I look forward to working with them and once again driving along my beautiful countryside enjoying the Flowering Crab Trees and fragrant Lilac bushes once again. So no matter how I try at the moment, I am finding it hard to find enough hours in the day to sit at my easel and paint all those lovely scenes of Italy in my Italian paintings collection.

Around the country, it is college graduation time once again. As a Central New York artist living so close to Colgate University, my thoughts are with this year’s class. Many colleges and universities have traditions that they have followed for a long period of time, and Colgate is no different.

A tradition which started in 1930 and continues today is the Torchlight Ceremony. On graduation night, the Colgate grads conduct a processional down the Willow Path and around Taylor Lake while carrying light torches. At one point in the ceremony, the torches are thrown into the water extinguishing the flames, signifying the end of one chapter in the graduate’s lives and the beginning of another. It is also quite a moving scene for the spectator as one watches the lights bobbing along the Willow Path and reflecting in the still waters of the lake.

The Willow Path and Taylor Lake also have another tradition, well maybe not so much a tradition as a legend. It is said that whomever you kiss on the bridge where the Willow Path crosses Taylor Lake, is who you will eventually marry. Curiously there might be something to this for the number of married Colgate couples is higher than at most universities.

The painting of The Willow Path is just one of many paintings I have done around the Colgate University campus. All of my Colgate University art paintings are available for sale as originals, poster prints, canvas prints and greeting cards, and make wonderful Colgate University gifts for graduates. Some of these paintings are featured this month at Mad Art Inc., located in Hamilton, NY, where the paintings are now on display along with poster prints that are for sale.

I am so excited to share my newest art of the Mediterranean Sea, an oil painting of Venice with you. I think you will agree with me, it shows the beautiful canal city in a very good light (quite literally). This is one of my larger paintings at 28” by 40,” and was painted on linen, so chances are the painting will outlast Venice itself!

I have so many hours in this particular painting, that if I were really living in Venice it wouldn’t surprise me if it weren’t enough time to declare residency. That being said, you would think that I should be glad to see the end of it with the signing of my signature. However, that isn’t the case, in fact I rather lingered for sometime over it until I could do so no longer. On the surface, it seems spending so much time dwelling over this one painting should have something to do with a Central New York winter, which this year seemed to go on forever and ever. Secretly, this painting will always hold an extra special meaning for me for it helped me escape a personal tragedy, which hit home unexpectedly.

I went out to the barn one cold morning in February to feed my two horses, only to find my dear old carriage horse, Ben, dripping in sweat and gasping for air. Ten minutes later he passed away with me holding his head in my lap. I went from two very healthy horses the night before, to one very sad little mare missing her pasture buddy. I was in a state of shock and heartache I couldn’t face head on.

If it had been in the summertime, I would have escaped and found solace in my perennial gardens and lily pond, however, because it was in the middle of winter I wasn’t able to do that. As a landscape artist, I was lucky to be able to find refuge in a world far away from my reality on a beautiful little side canal in Venice. Working on the painting became a type of meditation for me. My senses were so heightened that even the colors seemed to be more intense than usual, I could hear the water lapping against the sides of the brick walls, and feel the boats gently rocking from side to side. I escaped so completely that even my face felt warm from the sun streaming in between the buildings.

With the first brush strokes, I couldn’t see another horse in my future but with the passing of time and a finished canvas, which seems to hold my very soul, I now can see a future with another horse sharing my life and a new friend for my sad little mare.

I found myself in Johnstown, New York, last weekend when I had the chance to go to the 95th annual conference of the New York State Archaeological Association with dear friends. I attended this conference last year as well, which was located in the Catskills. Because of my great experience last year, I was really looking forward to this one as well.

I have always loved old things, but I didn’t expect to find myself surrounded by art at the conference. It never occurred to me that archaeologists were also accomplished artists, or I should say, used to be accomplished artists. Sadly, with the use of the new technology of digital cameras, the old art of drawing is quickly becoming obsolete.

Of the 30 lectures given at the conference, all but one was PowerPoint presentations from digital pictures. The one exception was slides; however they were also of photos. It wasn’t until I got home and my girlfriend and I started digging through old records from the 1950s and 1960s that I found intricate drawings of Indian relics found around my house by a local archaeology chapter. I was amazed by the detailed drawings of these objects.

Thousands of years before my family left Massachusetts, and trekked over a much-used Indian Trail, Indians had been here in Upstate New York. The proof is in what they left. We know where to locate their longhouses, flints, cooking pots and utensils, which keep springing up out of the ground. Their history is intricately detailed in the archeological drawings, which inspires me to do more Americana art to showcase our beautiful region.

With the use of a digital camera, it could be that the drawings of the artifacts themselves that could end up as lost history.

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I have written my past two blogs about the royal wedding horse carriage and the people that drive them, now let’s focus on the horses that pull them. From the numerous records kept about the horses in the royal archives, it seems that chestnut-colored horses have never been used as harness horses in the Royal Mews (royal horse stables). Coincidentally, many years ago when I was taking dressage lessons, my instructor warned me to never buy a Chestnut Mare because they are high strung and act squirrely. Ever since then I have made a point of watching “Chestnuts Mares” closely, and my instructor was right. Apparently the folks at Windsor have come to the same conclusion.

Dun, cream, black, bay and grey horses have been used, roughly in that order, since the time of George II in 1727. The most famous of these colors were the creams, which were bred at Hampton Court from 1714 until 1920. Because of inbreeding and the impossibility of obtaining replacements, their use had to be discontinued. The blacks were used for a couple of years, only to be replaced by the bays (brown), which are still in use today.

Of the bays, the predominate breed is the Cleveland Bay. They are supplemented by a number of Dutch and Irish horses, and some Oldenburg horses from Germany. However, the Cleveland Bay is a favorite of the Queens. The breed originated in Cleveland, district of Yorkshire in England during the 17th Century. It is the oldest established horse breed in England. The breed was developed during the Middle Ages for use as pack horses, and were crossbred with Andalusian and Barb Blood which gave them a heavy frame. Later they were bred with Arabians and Thoroughbreds, which created the lighter-framed Cleveland Bay of today, making it an ideal riding and carriage horse. The breed was used extensively during World War I, pulling artillery and suffered great losses. Horses in general declined after the WWI due to mechanization and the Great Depression.

By 1962, only four purebred Cleveland Bay stallions were present in England. If not for Queen Elizabeth II who stepped in and purchased the stallion Mulgrave Supreme, the breed would surely have died out. Since 1977, Elizabeth II has been a patron of the Cleveland Bay Horse Society, even so the breeds status remains in a precarious position with a total population of purebred Cleveland Bays under 2,000 horses, and fewer than 300 registered mares (females) in existence around the world. This rare breed of horse will be making a significant appearance as both riding and carriage horse for the Prince William and Kate’s royal wedding later this month.

Lastly and most significantly will be the Windsor Greys. These royal wedding horses will hold the place of honor, pulling the State Postillion Landau which will carry both Prince William and Kate after the royal wedding. Ironically, even though they will be in the spotlight for this special occasion, they are not rare or particularly special in the horse world. For starters, the Windsor Greys are not a registered breed, as the Cleveland Bays are. What makes them special is their grey-colored fur. From Victorian times and earlier, grey-colored horses were always kept at Windsor (thus getting their name). Finally with the reign of King George V in 1910, they were moved to London and Buckingham Palace. The Windsor Greys are made up of many breeds of horses.

I have to say, as an artist that has an extensive collection of horse art, with a passion for anything in the world of horses, I am so looking forward to watching the pomp and pageantry which is about to ascend on us. I hope that these last three blogs will make watching what happens outside the wedding as exciting and enjoyable as what goes on inside the church. “Long live the horses. Long live the coaches, and long live the King (and Queen).”

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While everyone is talking about the Prince Henry and Kate’s royal wedding dress, food and jewelry, I am more concerned with the details about the royal wedding horse carriage. I have painted horse and carriage paintings throughout my career and the Royal Wedding inspires me to add more horse art to my collection.

The Mews
The word “mews” derives from the old French word “mue,” meaning a changing of coat or skin. In the Middle Ages, a “mews” was where the king kept his falcons while they were mewing or molting. The earliest Royal Mews was built in 1377 at Charing Cross, however that building was destroyed by a fire in 1534, and rebuilt as a stable keeping its old name, but with a new function. In 1762, King George III bought Buckingham Palace. In 1824, the mews there was redesigned into what we see today.

The Coachmen
The dress of the coachman is known as “Liveries,” of which there are four styles from Scarlet, Full State, Black and Semi State. Semi State will be worn for the Royal Wedding. The job as coachman will be a bit different for the royal occasion since there is no box or seat for the coachman to drive from. So instead of sitting up front and driving the horses, the two coachmen will be seated behind the coach, in what is called the jump seat, which got its name because the coachman can jump on and off quickly in order to reach the horse’s head in a timely manner.

The Postillions
The postillions, like the coachmen, have their own four styles of liveries; the Ascot, Semi-State (for the Royal Wedding), Full State and Black Liveries. There are several differences between the coachmen and postillion dress. The most obvious difference is the addition of a leather guard on the outside of the right boot. Since the job of the Postillion is to drive the coach from the near horses, the boot guard acts as padding to protect the rider from the far horse where he is seated.

The Royal Harness
The harness room at the Royal Mews is probably the finest in existence. There are several different sets of harness to fit the appropriate occasion. The historic State Harness, also known as the Coronation Harness, weighs about 110 pounds and is very richly ornamented with guilt ormolu. The Postillion Harness will be used for the Royal Wedding, and it is now going through the polishing process to ensure it is perfect for the big day.

Note: This is the second blog I have written about the royal wedding horse and carriage details. Click here to read the first blog.

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Who hasn’t heard about the royal wedding taking place on April 29 at the Westminster Abbey in England? We will all be tuning in around the globe to watch commoner, Kate Middleton, and Prince William, exchange their wedding vows. I say, “Commoner,” when referring to Kate, but there really is nothing common about her and certainly nothing common about the ceremony that will take place on that day. So much is being said about Kate, the dress, the cake and William, but not much is known about the horse carriages which will be used on that very special day. This is my area of expertise.

I have spent my whole life around horses and carriages, which has greatly influenced my artwork over the past 50 years with an extensive horse and carriage painting collection. In earlier years, I worked for a family who restored carriages. I have rebuilt wagon wheels, upholstered seats, built folding tops and worked my way through a ton of sandpaper. In fact, I have my own collection of carriages, wagons and sleighs, but of course it pales next to what is housed in the Royal Mews (stables) at Buckingham Palace.

There are over 100 horse-drawn vehicles in the carriage wing of the Royal Mews, and five of these carriages will be used for Prince William and Kate’s royal wedding. They are Landaus and quite appropriate for the occasion. It is a very sociable carriage because the two seats face each other which make the Landau a type of vis-à-vis. A Landau is a four-wheeled, convertible carriage. The soft, folding top is divided into two sections, front and rear, and latches in the center. Both sections can be let down so that they lay perfectly flat; however, the front section has the added ability to be completely removed or left in place.

The Landau carriage is typically pulled by either a pair of horses, or what they call a four-in-hand. It may or may not have a coachmen’s driving seat and when it does not have one, then there is the need for postillions. For each pair of horses, one postillion sits on the near horse (facing forward on the left side) and drives from the horses’ back instead of from the box seat of the carriage.

Kate has chosen the 1902 State Postillion Landau for her coach, which was built by Adams and Hooper for King Edward Vll and is the most magnificent example of the coachbuilders’ craft. This coach is driven regularly because it is the coach the Queen customarily uses to meet foreign heads of state. The coach is painted in a lighter shade of maroon than the other coaches, and is richly adorned with gold leaf and is upholstered in crimson satin. It will be drawn by six of the Windsor Greys (team of grey horses used by royalty) requiring three postillions.

The second and third carriages are Ascot Landaus, and will carry the best man, maid of honor and the brides’ maids. There are five Ascots in the collection. They are very elegant with basketwork (cane panel) sides, and are smaller and lighter than the State Landau that Kate and William will be riding in. Traditionally, Ascot carriages are used for the Queen’s procession up the course at the Royal Ascot race.

The fourth royal wedding horse carriage will carry Queen Elizabeth and her husband, The Duke of Edinburgh. This is the Semi State Landau of which there are also five of in the Royal Mews. This carriage was Queen Victoria’s favorite and was built by Barker and Company around 1866.

The fifth and final Landau carriage is also a Semi-State Landau, and was built by Peters and Company. This carriage will carry Prince William’s father and wife, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, and Kate’s parents, Michael and Carole Middleton.

This is the first in a series of Italian paintings I am working on featuring Venice, Italy. Away from the hustle and bustle of the busy main canals, are the charming side canals. I love this scene for it has a very peaceful and tranquil feel to it.

I loved painting this scene because not only is it a quiet escape from the Grand Canal of Venice, but it was an escape for me too. While I was painting this scene, we were having our snowiest December since records have been kept.

The painting has a calming effect, you can almost hear the water lapping up against the tired and worn building, and you know I almost think I can hear an accordion in the background.

As an Upstate New York artist living a mere 45 miles from Syracuse, it’s hard not to get caught up in “Big East Basketball” and our Syracuse Orangemen. Now that my teams’ playing season is over, I began to wonder what happened to the University of Oregon Mighty Ducks and their first season on that artistic (and controversial) “Tall Firs” basketball court.

Back in November, I wrote a blog about the new basketball court at the Matthew Knight Arena at the University of Oregon. The court was turned into a painter’s palette as it is painted with a surrounding forest of “Tall Firs.” Many people wondered if it would be hard to spot the players amongst all of those trees. And fans wondered if the Ducks could pull out of last year’s slump and concentrate on their game without losing themselves in the intensely-graphic basketball court itself.

For the most part, Oregon fans love the new look of their arena and their “Tall Firs” basketball court. Basketball player Joevan Catron said, “It has everything an athlete needs or wants.”

Except maybe a center court line--there isn’t one! Perhaps that’s why this season wasn’t much better than last season. There is some discussion now on whether we will see a center line next season or not. Drawing the line might just be what the Mighty Ducks need.