Winter's Arrival and the Mustang Paintings

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated the happenings here at Rose Studios. Winter finally arrived on Friday, hard to believe we were still riding up until a few weeks ago:

The new mini “Tiny” was *supposed* to be finished in November, but that didn’t happen. Somehow I blocked out that almost nothing gets done in the studio in November, because it’s hunting season and then there’s Thanksgiving. Tiny has gone from clay to resin master, but I am going to hold off on his release until January, possibly mid-January, when the holidays are well over and everyone can breath easy again. I’ll have photos soon of him on his base, and with Doodlebug his playmate so you can see what size he is. I have a Sarah Mink “Spinnaker” on hand and he is the same size. Here’s “Tiny” right before he went into the waste mold:

Todd is whittling away at the shipping list, and is hoping to catch up by the first of the year. If you are near the top of the shipping list and do NOT want your order shipped during the holidays, please let me know! You can view the shipping list here.


I have also been doing some painting, no, not models, but paintings! I am very lucky that former model horse artist Sonya Johnson is a friend of mine and I was able to observe her doing some of her wonderful pastel landscapes. It looked so enjoyable I asked her one day if I could sit alongside and give it a try, and that was it, I’m hooked! It’s rejuvenated my creative world by giving me an outlet for non-equine subjects and getting to finish a project in a few hours/days, as opposed to months. When I’m tired of painting I sculpt, and vice-versa. I’ve been doing some landscapes and horses (can’t stay away from the horses!) and decided to do a small series of mustang portraits, depicting horses waiting for adoption in BLM holding facilities and adoption centers. Here are the first two, and while I may fuss around with them a bit more they are 90% done:

I may make prints available, but having never done that it might take me awhile to research it and decide what I want to do. I’m working on a third mustang right now.

That’s about it :)


Hope you all are warm and well :)

Sneak Peek of the upcoming mini "Tiny"

As promised I am finally delivering the first peek at the upcoming all-new mini "Tiny". The idea came to me that an earlier mini "Doodlebug" needed a playmate. I still have a few weeks of tinkering around with him before he is finished:

He is large stablemate scale and will obviously have a base. I am hopeful that we can do the release before everyone gets caught up with Christmas, but these things have a way of getting done when they get done. As always with the minis he will be open for ordering for an entire year with what could arguably be the hobby's most flexible time payment plans :)

Tiny was somewhat inspired by the Shire breed, but can also represent other hairy legged draft breeds and crosses. I think he'd look awesome in black and white pinto!

NAN wrap up

NAN has come and gone again, and here's the wrap up of champs and reserve champ horses sculpted by me:

Artist Resin Performance classes (with tack):

Parade/Circus:

Champion: Khemonahar Ali
owned by Tiffany Purdy
Khemosabi resin customized and finished by Tiffany Purdy to a Morab

Reserve: Kentucky Gold Push
owned by Shannon Hayden
Independence resin finished by Shannon de Wall-Hayden

Reining:

Champion: Velvet Phoenix
owned by Lyn Norbury
Reiner resin customized by Lyn Norbury and painted by Billie Campbell

Reserve Champion: LZ Oklahoma Fuel
owned by Annette Dean
Reiner resin 

Western Pleasure Quarter Horse:

Champion: Remington Steele
owned by Lyn Norbury
Reiner resin customized and painted by Lyn Norbury

Western Pleasure Other Breed:

Reserve: Mapachi Star
owned by Annette Dean
Lonestar resin customized and painted by Lyn Norbury

Western Trail-Geldings

Champion: Big Valley Casino Gold
owned by Vicky Norris
Lonestar resin finished by Sue Kern

Western Stockwork:

Reserve: Azul Amigo
owned by Vicky Norris
Reiner resin finished by Jennifer Scott

Artist Resin Halter (breed) classes:

Tennessee Walker Traditional scale:

Champion: Shaman
owned by Sharon Mossy
Independence resin finished by Carol Williams


Appaloosa:

Champion: Velvet Phoenix
owned by Lyn Norbury
Reiner resin customized by Lyn Norbury and painted by Billie Campbell

Tennessee Walker/Other Gaited mini resins:

Champion: Push in the Right Direction
owned by Amy Widman
Mini Indy resin finished by Carol Huddleston

Reserve: Gypsy Rose
owned by Randi Brazil
Mini Indy resin finished by Nikki Button

Arabian Stallions:

Champion: Khemolytic
owned by Hilary Schwafel
Khemosabi resin finished by Hilary Schwafel

Reserve: Paradox
owned by Gail Aspinwall
Mini Nahar resin finished by Sarah Minkiewicz-Breunig

Arabian, Purebred

Sculptor/Customizer: Sarah Rose
Painter/Finisher: Sarah Minkiewicz-Breunig

Andalusian/Lusitano:

Reserve: DNC Caballo Caliente
owned by Heather Moreton
Deseoso resin finished by Tracey Eilers

Quarter Horse:

Reserve: Canis Major
owned by Sharon Mossy
Little Lonestar resin finished by Hilary Schwafel

Arabian Mares:

Champion: La Nouba
owned by Sharon Mossy
Mini Nahar resin customized and painted by Paige Easley Patty

Reserve: High Society
owned by Randi Brazil
Jezebel resin finished by Nikki Button

Part Arabian:

Reserve: Bear
owned by Macy Lindsay
Mini Nahar finished by Mindy Berg

Thoroughbred:

Champion: Now or Never
owned by Natalie Sherard
Affinity resin finished by Sommer Prosser


Besides the champs and reserves there were numerous Top Tens that aren't pictured on the NAN website. Congrats everyone!

Some explainations

After my last post I began to think I might have come across as "I have nothing to do but run amuck on my property wielding tractors and other implements of undesired vegetation doom" and how that may sound to those patiently waiting for their orders. Recently some other artists have come out with very detailed descriptions of how their studios operate, and if a spouse is involved exactly what their involvement and responsibilities are. I think it's time I do that as well.

Most of you know my resins are cast in house by my husband Todd. Todd is a very meticulous person, and is also not a fast worker. It would be hard to be both meticulous and fast.  How this effects my customers is they have a longer wait, but what we feel is a superior casting. We get emails all the time saying how nice our castings are and how little clean up work is required before they can be painted. I also am fine with time payments, how ever long it takes and however small the payments are, and that has come back to me in a very positive way as having the most patient customers on earth when it comes to the casting schedule.

"So why aren't you in the casting studio helping Todd?" you might be wondering. Well, that is something that has been done a few times in the past, and it does not work that well for us. For one thing, I do not like anything to do with the casting process. I do, however, make the molds. Todd does all the physical casting, the clean up work, and the shipping. We sometimes employ outside help in getting the castings cleaned up, which we are doing presently (big thanks to Sonya!). When I insist on helping I get overly involved, nit pick, and in general step on Todd's toes and get in the way. I don't ask him to help me sculpt, he doesn't want or need me to help with casting.

I do all the record keeping, which is a hidden user of large amounts of time when one thinks of how neat it would be to be self employed. There is a LOT to keep on top of, especially considering that I take time payments. I use Quickbooks for this which has been beyond helpful to me. I have records of every single model horse sale I've ever made. I also update the website, try to post regularly on this blog (!), check in with the hobby forums, keep my advertising up to date (need to do that soon, too), and respond to email (sometimes I fall quite a bit behind on this).

So, after sculpting all winter with limited breaks to get groceries, I thoroughly enjoy the free time I do get when I have completed a new sculpture and need to just let Todd do his work. Be assured that when you do get your casting, it has been given the once and twice over, and if somehow one gets through with a defect we always will send a replacement. Doesn't happen very often, though :)

I like Big Butts

I do? Apparently my newest relief sculpture says it's likely:

In Jypsi's defense, though, it's the perspective that makes her butt look big. Here is the photo the relief was sculpted from:

In all honesty I do find horse butts to be cute. Actually most behinds are sorta cute, right? You think so too, and are thinking of purchasing a Jypsi in Repose plaque for yourself? Here is a link to the MH$P ad.


I've noticed over the years that I am not as prolific as many other artists, it's something I've been pondering lately. I don't have quite the creative zeal and drive that many have. I think I've come up with part of the reason for this, I have horse property, horses, and a fixer upper house. We are fortunate enough to have 3 gorgeous acres of meadowland in southwestern Colorado, and four wonderful horses that are a huge part of our lives. Improvements to the land are time intensive, and uniquely rewarding. I guess in a way my home and property is a larger art project, that will go on for years to come. Most recently, after my dad suggested it, I've been quite happily ripping out hawthorn bushes with my little backhoe. I do not like the hawthorns, they are mean bushes :) And now they are mostly dead. I like that. It's satisfying.

I do most of my sculpture in the winter, when there is little for me to do outdoors. As soon as the snow melts and it's no longer muddy I feel drawn to the outdoors. I love to putter around in my flowerbeds. I like waging war on the weeds. Riding is always a welcome activity, as well as fishing, off roading, perusing the shops in downtown Durango, and more recently, water sports.

I guess I am just too busy in the summer to sculpt :)

Affinity ordering deadline Sunday!

Time sure has flown, once again! Sunday is the very last day you can place your order for Affinity. Sales information is on the website. To order simply email me stating that you are placing your order, or send payment (or both!). My email and PayPal are both Sarah@rosehorse.com

Thomas Bainbridge had this to say about Affinity "sooo SOOOOO much nicer in person ... as if that was even possible, but somehow it is. Wow, the detail is just mind blowing ... Sarah sure knows her muscle groups and anatomy, no doubt about that! She is taller than I expected, which is nice. Also, MINIMAL and I mean MINIMAL seam/prep work. Bottom line ... you'll definitely love this sculpt! If you've been 'toying' with the idea of ordering one ... do it! You will not regret it! "


Here is a gorgeous dapple bay Affinity by Sommer Prosser winning big at Jewel Heist Live this past weekend: 

I've been getting a lot of feedback that the castings are fantastic and that she is bigger than folks thought she would be. She is, in fact, a bit taller than Lonestar or the Stone ISH. I think the quality of the castings is due to years of practice and learning little things to improve both the molds and the castings. I am getting better at cutting the molds, something I used to dislike but have finally gotten confident enough to enjoy and look forward to. Todd has gotten better at tweaking the molds to keep the seams tight without distorting the castings. Of course there are still casting 'bloopers', and some end up in the trash can. Nothing like when we first started way back when with Khan. You should have seen the trash bags full of messed up Khans! 


On another note, spring has finally arrived here in the Rockies, and while there is still snow covering the trails in the high country, the lower elevations are dry and ride-able! I'm hoping to get back to riding 500 miles a season this year, and have a GoPro camera on the way for trail videos. Todd and I were enjoying some quiet time on the porch last night watching our little herd happily munching on grass, reflecting on what great horses they have become and how much they have added to our life. Truly I can not imagine life without them. So much of what we do is about them, from moving to this corner of the state where we could afford horse property, to our choice of career, to fixing fences and weed control, to truck, horse trailer, and small tractor ownership, and on and on.  Horse ownership is a lifestyle choice, a paradigm shift, and for a disabled person like myself a way to borrow legs that take me into the wilderness. 

Affinity in Dapple Grey

Even though we were off to a slow start with some mold making issues, Affinity is now in full swing. A few painted copies have come up and it appears dapple grey will be very popular on her. Keep in mind that the ordering deadline is April 15th, for more info on that visit the Affinity webpage here.

Here is a lovely Affinity painted in pastel by the talented Mindy Berg, who also took these great photos:

In the next few weeks I'll be releasing a new medallion, and revealing the upcoming new mini (a brand new sculpt, not a shrinky!). I've also re-designed the Rose Studios Facebook page with the new timeline feature for you Facebookers :)

Affinity released!

Affinity is finally ready to offer for sale, and will be available to order until March 1st 2012. All sales information is available here on Affinity's webpage. Over the next 5-7 days the production molds will be made, and then castings will start to ship. I can't wait to see how she looks all painted up! Here are some photos of her in red primer, her veins and whisker bumps have not yet been added (that will be the last thing I do right before claying her up for the molds):

 

Labor and Delivery

I'm sure I am not the first to link mold cutting and the casting of the first resin to the birthing process. I have never given birth to a human, but somewhere deep inside a voice kept saying "breathe" and "is it almost out?" A picture is worth a thousand words, so without further adieu, here are the photos of the labor and delivery of Affinity:

That's one big block o' rubber! The 'holes' you see are the hooves, the armature pipe, and vents for the tail and head.

 

 Yes, a ratchet had to be involved!

 

It took most of a day to get this far. You are looking straight down to the belly, with the armature pipe removed.

  And....she's out! In pieces, but the mold is finally cut and ready to pour. At this point the only place she exists is in the negative space of the mold. 

Here we are this morning, getting ready for another day of refining details to get her ready for her photo session before the big release on Monday.

Looking back on last year

With the filly in the mold box waiting for a shipment of silicone, I've had a little bit of spare time catch up on other things. One of the things I've been wanting to do is reflect on everything that was good about last year. It is easy to forget that there were many things to be thankful for in a year that was so filled with sadness with the loss of two great friends, one being just a few weeks ago. It is snowing here, a good day to go through photos from the summer.

In July I got to attend the No Barriers summit in Winterpark, Colorado. I had so much fun! It is an outdoor sports retreat for people with disabilities, to give them the opportunity to try new activities and new equipment. Or in their own words No Barriers is a powerful community of modern day pioneers who use the experience of nature to promote innovation, education and assistive technologies that create transformative life experiences and inspire people with challenges to live full and active lives. Well, it certainly did that for me, a few weeks later we went on a pack trip and this time I put up the tent myself, having never put up a tent before in my life:

While attending the Summit I also for the first time climbed up a rope:

And rode an off-road handcycle:

I also got to kayak and canoe, but didn't take any photos as I wasn't sure about bringing my camera out on a lake. I *adored* kayaking, what a wonderful free feeling, and a good workout. Later in the summer Durango's Adaptive Sports Association held a four day women's sports program. I could only spare two days and got to kayak again, and tried waterskiing. Wow, that was something else! I liked flying over the water, but did not like crashing and rolling and having water forced up my nose.

Even though I was introduced to many new outdoor activities, I still prefer my horse for the ulimate outdoor experience. Here are a few of my favorite photos from this past summer:

Above Crater Lake, near Molas Pass

Rocky Mountain Columbines, Crater Lake trail

Above Crater Lake, looking north

Todd and Brush at Crater Lake

Late afternoon sun near Engineer Mountain

Mineral Creek from the top of the drainage near the Colorado Trail

Jypsi and I with Engineer Mountain

view from camp, Pine River trail near Sierra Vandera

Heading home

Sierra Vandera trail

There were a few other wonderful things that happened in 2011, like a great and much needed family reunion, making new friends and reconnecting with old friends, but this post is already getting pretty long so I will leave it at that. I already feel more hopeful about 2112 just by posting this. Now, off to enjoy the rest of my snow day!

Affinity phase one complete!

The clay phase of Affinity, the thoroughbred filly, is complete. She is happily waiting in the mold box for a shipment of silicone. Sometime next week I'll be cutting open a big block of rubber and 'birthing' a new resin! The first casting will be further refined, smoothed, and little details like veins and whisker bumps will be added. If all goes well she will be ready for ordering in a few short weeks, pretty exciting!

Here is how she looked moments before being placed in the mold box: