To my horsey arty friends out there, I have a new website address as I finally went for it and bought a domain. Having made it over the 'how do you link your domain to your host' fence, it is now officially working in fine order....I'd call it a clear round to the novice IT geek that I am fast becoming.
And so, my website is now http://www.equineartportraits.com/
I have built it on wix, but wondering if the home screen is to slow on opening....I am a bit twitchy and impatient when browsing and I wonder if others are the same?
I would love any feedback or comments on the site so that I can improve it. Thanks!
Showing posts with label horse portraits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label horse portraits. Show all posts
Sunday, 13 February 2011
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Updates to website and Equine Ad's link
I have had a wee tinker with the website this week, and you can find me here, until such time as I make my mind up on my domain:
http://www.wix.com/equineartportraits/oakleyartstudio
And I have updated my 'Equine Ad' too....
http://www.equineadverts.co.uk/index.php?view=showad&adid=30540
Hoping to bring in some traffic and feedback we'll see how that goes!
http://www.wix.com/equineartportraits/oakleyartstudio
And I have updated my 'Equine Ad' too....
http://www.equineadverts.co.uk/index.php?view=showad&adid=30540
Hoping to bring in some traffic and feedback we'll see how that goes!
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Just incase there is I have started an Etsy too...really beginning to lose track now.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/EquineArtPortraits
Just incase there is I have started an Etsy too...really beginning to lose track now.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/EquineArtPortraits
Friday, 21 January 2011
My 'Folksy' is up.....
No time like the present, I say....I have listed on Folksy as 'EquineArtPortraits to do horse portraits on commission. You can find it here:
http://folksy.com/shops/EquineArtPortraits
So, do I just sit and wait now, or what?
http://folksy.com/shops/EquineArtPortraits
So, do I just sit and wait now, or what?
To market, to market to sell a ..... horse portrait
It's only a few weeks since I started blogging and got my website up, and now that I have them there my focus has shifted a bit to where and what else I can do to to find people who are interested in what I do?
The art will go on anyway. but it is very rewarding to work on a commission and see someones delight when they see the finished piece.
I wonder, is that is something you only really get when you meet them face to face, or is 'feedback' left on a sellers page the same? I am not sure, but I think I might try and find out.
So starts the quest of 'where can I sell', and it is all a little overwhelming as there are so many options
Do I Ebay? Or what about an Etsy? I am a bit nervous that it will lead me on to a bit fat Etsy shopping habit, there is so much beautiful stuff on there! Or then there is Folksy, apparently is a more uk oriented arts and craft site.....in short there is a lot of choice, and I think the only way to find out is to try them all!
If anyone is reading who knows me personally, you will know I have real issues with remembering things like log on details and passwords, so this is going to be interesting!
The art will go on anyway. but it is very rewarding to work on a commission and see someones delight when they see the finished piece.
I wonder, is that is something you only really get when you meet them face to face, or is 'feedback' left on a sellers page the same? I am not sure, but I think I might try and find out.
So starts the quest of 'where can I sell', and it is all a little overwhelming as there are so many options
Do I Ebay? Or what about an Etsy? I am a bit nervous that it will lead me on to a bit fat Etsy shopping habit, there is so much beautiful stuff on there! Or then there is Folksy, apparently is a more uk oriented arts and craft site.....in short there is a lot of choice, and I think the only way to find out is to try them all!
If anyone is reading who knows me personally, you will know I have real issues with remembering things like log on details and passwords, so this is going to be interesting!
Monday, 17 January 2011
Do you do dogs?
Since the first horse portraits were taken up to the stables a few months ago, people were asking "Do you dogs? You should do dogs..." and so on.
And so a couple of weeks ago, I did. His name is 'Kerry'....
......and with that, it seems, I do dogs too!
And so a couple of weeks ago, I did. His name is 'Kerry'....
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| Dog Portrait, Kerry, German Shepherd copyright A. Cairns |
Friday, 7 January 2011
Horse Portrait of the month: Dee Dee
"He is terrific....You are very talented"
Elaine and I had some discussion about which photo to use, he looked so nice in all of them.
We settled on this one as he looked very sweet in it, which Elaine felt suited his lovely nature.
Elaine Stevenson, of the Portrait of her Daughters Horse Dee Dee
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| Copyright remains with Artist, Antonia Cairns 2011 |
Dee Dee is a livery horse up at Hazelden Equestrian Centre in Glasgow, where I ride. I was lucky enough to take some framed work to the stables just at the moment that Elaine was thinking about commissioning a portrait as a Christmas gift for Abigail........ as ever in life, timing is everything!
It was tricky to find a time to visit and photograph him, as Abigail was never away from the stables. When I met him I could understand why....he had the most beautiful face and such a curious nature, with his ears pricked up in the snow. What a lucky girl!
We settled on this one as he looked very sweet in it, which Elaine felt suited his lovely nature.
To my delight, Elaine tells me Abigail loves the artwork and has taken it to the yard to show it off......Dee Dee was a joy to meet and to draw, and working on him brightened up the days of the most ferocious cold snap in December!
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Living the dream
I had a brief period of living the dream in my twenties.
I took a half lease in a former racehorse horse called Sam who frankly was rather beyond my riding ability. I came a cropper when he went for a gallop in a much too small field one day, suffering a nasty break to my arm. It scared me off for a good 15 years.
I recall going to the stables to collect my belongings, arm in cast, and everyone sharing their tales of broken legs, arms, toes, fractured collar bones and concussions and thinking "Are you all completely mad? Why do you still ride?"
Fifteen years on, I know the answer.....I ride because I must. Despite the risks, there is nothing quite like being around horses, the exhilaration, the bond and the trust that you have to build each time you ride. The nerves that kick in when the bar is raised a notch higher than you feel comfortable jumping and the rush when you clear that jump.
I would still love to live that dream again, although I might sense check my love of a thoroughbred!
I took a half lease in a former racehorse horse called Sam who frankly was rather beyond my riding ability. I came a cropper when he went for a gallop in a much too small field one day, suffering a nasty break to my arm. It scared me off for a good 15 years.
I recall going to the stables to collect my belongings, arm in cast, and everyone sharing their tales of broken legs, arms, toes, fractured collar bones and concussions and thinking "Are you all completely mad? Why do you still ride?"
Fifteen years on, I know the answer.....I ride because I must. Despite the risks, there is nothing quite like being around horses, the exhilaration, the bond and the trust that you have to build each time you ride. The nerves that kick in when the bar is raised a notch higher than you feel comfortable jumping and the rush when you clear that jump.
I would still love to live that dream again, although I might sense check my love of a thoroughbred!
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Catching Ponies
Since I can first recall at the age of seven I have had a love of two things; drawing and horses. I will come back to the drawing, but for now let me speak of horses.
I was fortunate as a child to have a couple of years living in the country to introduce me to how riding should be for every child who takes to these wonderful animals. At the stables in near Oban where I lived, the schooling was relaxed and the trekking was great wth the ponies well used to being hacked out. I don't recall ever seeing a horse bolt or buck, and we happily rode them bareback to the fields at the end of the day to turn them out.
Requests for a pony of my own were not successful - as a parent myself now, I have sypmathy - and so at weekends, I would romp around the fields near to Ganavan quite literally try to catch ponies ...thinking back only a child would be so daft as to try and approach and befriend strange horses, and I did come a cropper with a bite once or twice.
Now, at the age of thirty six, I am no closer to catching or getting a pony (or horse) of my own. I ride every week, but a job, two kids and a mortgage have put my dream firmly in the 'as if' camp. No number of requests to Santa will deliver a gift with such a great financial and time burden to my family, not to mention the inherent increased risk of accident associated with riding more frequently. And yet even with the limitations of living in the city and rarely going out on hack, I still adore these animals and yearn to ride more.
In short, I still want to catch that pony! I am now changing tack, and finding new ways to catch them through my work as an artist, through Horse Portraiture.
I am discovering new outlet for my love of horses. In between riding them I now draw them and work on catching them in a different sense.....catching their essence, beauty and expression in the art. This is such is a special thing and I feel extremely lucky that I have a talent that allows me to do this.
I have started this blog to share my experiences creating Horse Portraits alongside my own personal horse experiences as I continue to grow and develop through my riding and my art. My hope my art will bring delight to owners and horse lovers, and that through doing something that I truly love well, may even inch closer dream....
I was fortunate as a child to have a couple of years living in the country to introduce me to how riding should be for every child who takes to these wonderful animals. At the stables in near Oban where I lived, the schooling was relaxed and the trekking was great wth the ponies well used to being hacked out. I don't recall ever seeing a horse bolt or buck, and we happily rode them bareback to the fields at the end of the day to turn them out.
Requests for a pony of my own were not successful - as a parent myself now, I have sypmathy - and so at weekends, I would romp around the fields near to Ganavan quite literally try to catch ponies ...thinking back only a child would be so daft as to try and approach and befriend strange horses, and I did come a cropper with a bite once or twice.
Now, at the age of thirty six, I am no closer to catching or getting a pony (or horse) of my own. I ride every week, but a job, two kids and a mortgage have put my dream firmly in the 'as if' camp. No number of requests to Santa will deliver a gift with such a great financial and time burden to my family, not to mention the inherent increased risk of accident associated with riding more frequently. And yet even with the limitations of living in the city and rarely going out on hack, I still adore these animals and yearn to ride more.
In short, I still want to catch that pony! I am now changing tack, and finding new ways to catch them through my work as an artist, through Horse Portraiture.
I am discovering new outlet for my love of horses. In between riding them I now draw them and work on catching them in a different sense.....catching their essence, beauty and expression in the art. This is such is a special thing and I feel extremely lucky that I have a talent that allows me to do this.
I have started this blog to share my experiences creating Horse Portraits alongside my own personal horse experiences as I continue to grow and develop through my riding and my art. My hope my art will bring delight to owners and horse lovers, and that through doing something that I truly love well, may even inch closer dream....
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