Huge Charcoal Angus Bulls and a Colt

Hello Everyone..!!

Happy Summer!  The sunshine and longer days are a delight to the soul!

In the interest of transparency I must confess that my 'First Friday Posts' have become 'Post as I have time and work to share'... which is more realistic and happens about every five or six weeks.  All of our lives are so full that I imagine nobody noticed.  

All of the works in this post are for my Altamira exhibit on August 2nd.

This posts consists of and oil painting and some charcoal drawings... two of the drawings, the bulls, are 3 feet x 6.5 feet!  I have never done drawings this large and creating at this scale with charcoal was a lot of fun.  Maneuvering them around the studio, up and down the stairs, and transporting them to the photographer was another story.  These Angus Bulls were on The Mead Ranch a few winters ago, their large dark shapes against the snow instantly reminded me of one of my favorite works by Francisco Goya.

'Giant' - Francisco Goya - 1818

I did some small drawings of them a few years ago and have wanted to do them in large format ever since.  They are designed to hang together facing each other.... that said, they will also stand alone as the two together would need about sixteen feet of linear wall space.  Maybe the Metropolitan has space for them.  :)

Stalwart Knight One - 36 x 77 - Charcoal on paper - Available at Altamira Fine Art - SOLD

Stalwart Knight Two - 36 x 77 - Charcoal on paper - Available at Altamira Fine Art - SOLD

To create works this large in charcoal I used the full spectrum of charcoal mediums available, from a charcoal pencil to, literally, a charcoal brick about 8 inches long.  There was a learning curve in regards to handling the paper, the different textures of the charcoal, the effects of the fixative and framing details in regards to the scale of the pieces.  

The variety of charcoal mediums used to create the bulls. 

The below is an oil painting of a Lipizzan Colt.  It is the starkness of the composition in the below painting which mainly excites me.  Placing a subject in the middle of a canvas can be tricky business and it is the backdrop and the shapes in the colt which make this composition successful.  It is titled 'Bokeh' as that is a word which refers to the aesthetic quality of the blur of out-of-focus areas in a photograph.  I played with blurring the areas at the bottom of the painting to bring the viewers attention to the white star on the forehead and the eye which are more detailed.  The blurred areas along the bottom also creates imbalance which is necessary as the colt is in the center of the painting.

'Bokeh' - 15 x 41 - Oil on Linen - Available at Altamira Fine Art - SOLD 

The below is the study for 'Bokeh'

Study for 'Bokeh' - 10 x 18 - Charcoal on paper - Available at Altamira Fine Art - SOLD 

And a last, but certainly not least, a 'Post' would not be a 'Post' without a picture of Uma.

Thank you for taking the time to keep up with what has been going on in the studio. 

May you have wonderful upcoming summer days!

All my best,

~ September 

ALTAMIRA FINE ART, A Gerald Peters Exhibit, NMWA entry, and Red Horses

Hello Everyone!

I accidentally posted this post at the same time as the Giclee Sale last week and since it posted under the 'sale' post most people did not see it.  Please excuse the redundancy if you already have seen it. It is part of my 'blog' learning curve.  

Spring is in the air and with it are longer days and renewed energy!  Jackson rarely has spring come this early so it is a treat, the birds that migrate are here and the aspens are budding.  It is a bit of a shock and nobody is complaining... quite the contrary.   

There is much to report in this blog post. I will start with:

A gallery transition from Trio Fine Art to ALTAMIRA Fine Art

 I will be in transition from Trio Fine Art, which I co-owned and co-operated for six years, to ALTAMIRA Fine Art on May first.  The reason for this new chapter is that I want to have more time to paint.  Running Trio Fine Art has been an incredibly rewarding experience in regards to having the opportunity to work with, and create art alongside, the talent of Kathryn Turner, Molly Hirschfield, Lee Riddell, and Jennifer Hoffman.  I am proud of what Trio has become and would like to extend a huge amount of gratitude to my business partners, collectors, family and friends for your support.  Neither Trio Fine Art nor my career would be where they are without your unwavering enthusiasm. I am excited to have the opportunity to exhibit at ALTAMIRA and will have a one woman exhibition this summer from July 24th - August 14th, with a reception on August 2nd. If you are in town please come and the paintings will be available to view online.

Other exciting news is:

An Exhibit at The Gerald Peters Gallery

'Works on Paper' 

The Gerald Peters Gallery - Santa Fe

May 11th - June 16th

Hedley - Johnson - Loken - Vhay

The following paintings will be displayed as part of this exhibit.

'Joy Four' - 10 x 10 - Watercolor on 300lb Arches Hot Press Paper - GP - SOLD

'Joy Five' - 10 x 10 - Watercolor on 300 lb Arches Hot Press Paper - GP - SOLD

'Joy Six' - 10 x 10 - Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Hot Press Paper - GP - SOLD 

It is no wonder that hummingbirds are a symbol of abundance and joy.  I paint them as the sheer sight or sound of them immediately fills my soul with delight.  

'Blue Mustang One' - 9 x 15 - Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Hot Press Paper  - GP - SOLD 

'Blue Mustang Two' -  9 x 13 - Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Hot Press Paper - GP  - SOLD 

Outside of the fact that I have an affinity for horses in general, Mustangs have a special place in my heart as I grew up in Nevada and have been watching them in the desert ever since I was a child.  The wild horse epitomizes the west. 

For more information about these pieces or the exhibit please contact Maria Hajic and the below email link:

Maria Hajic - The Gerald Peters Gallery

It is an honor to be asked for the second year in a 

row to participate in the 'More' category of the 

National Museum of Wildlife Art's Western Visions Miniatures and More Exhibit 

this upcoming September.

'A Kindred Glow' - 20 x 36 - Oil on Belgian Linen - NMWA - SOLD

This painting was inspired by a John Singer Sargent (American, 1850 - 1925) painting, titled Smoke of Ambergris, that I saw this past January at the Clark Museum in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Sargent's handling of paint is like none other and to be able to see the brush strokes in person made me a better painter. Every few years there is a painting that changes the way that I work and see. This was one of those. 'A Kindred Glow' was also inspired by the beauty of this bird and my fascination of painting white objects. I would like to thank Henry Holdsworth for his generosity in allowing me to work from his photographs for this piece.

'Ode to O'Keeffe Two Sketch' - 5 x 7 - Conte on Paper - NMWA - SOLD

This sketch will be a part of the drawing division of the NMWA Miniatures and More exhibit. 

These works will be available on the night of September 14th.

For more information please click on the link below:

National Museum of Wildlife Art's Western Visions Miniatures and More Exhibit

New Red Horses

The red horses paintings are created purely from imagination, they are done outside of reference material.  They are based upon thirty years of drawing the horse, japanese sumi-e brush painting, and inspiration from deceased artist Craig Sheppard,  and the abstract sculptures of Deborah Butterfield. These works are numbered as to their place in a trajectory of these paintings which began in 2007.

There are a few new facets to this group of Red Horses. I have not yet done a colt - Red Horse 30, nor have i done one as small as Red Horse 45 which is 3.5 x 5. I have also been exploring a new substrate, 4 ply Bristol (on RH 41 and 42). Bristol has a less absorbent surface so the water and the pigment float on the top which creates a lovely pooling effect with the paint. It is also smoother and brighter white which gives the paint more vibrancy. On Red Horse 41 and 42 I have added washes of red paint along with the watercolor lines of the horses.

'Red Horse 45' - 3.5 x 5 - Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Hot Press Paper - Altamira - SOLD

'Red Horse 43' - 7 x 10 - Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Hot Press Paper - Altamira - SOLD

'Red Horse 41' - 7 x 9 - Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Hot Press Paper - Altamira - SOLD

'Red Horse 42' - 7 x 9 - Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Hot Press Paper - Altamira - SOLD

For Information about these Red Horses please contact Altamira Fine Art at the below link:

ALTAMIRA Fine Art

And last, but not least, I have to include this picture of my new studio companion Uma. I never thought I would own a mini dachshund (a dog not built for one of the coldest places in the country).  Nor did I think that I would own a dog who now has a down coat and a blue fleece jacket.  All that said, I am smitten, so she is staying.  Here is 'Uma in Blue' - she is quite proud of herself, as she should be :)!

All my best,

~September 

'flight' & two 'ex arte equinus fifth equine art competition' awards

happy holiday season to everyone! 

this is a late first friday post as i wanted to include art from the 'flight' exhibit which is currently at trio fine art - it is a group exhibition of avian subjects - please come in and see it if you are in jackson.

trio's holiday hours are thursday - saturday from 12 - 6 through the 31st of december. 

the below are pieces in the exhibit. 

'falcon gentle one' - 15 x 15 - oil on linen - sold
a special thank you to john goodell for access to the peregrine from which these two paintings were painted

'falcon gentle two' - 15 x 18 - oil on linen - sold

'downstream' - 7 1/2 x 12 - oil on linen - sold 

'joy one' - 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 - watercolor on paper  - sold

'joy two' - 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 - watercolor on paper  -  sold 

'silent glance' - 15 x 20 - charcoal on paper - Available at Altamira - sold 
special thanks to henry holdsworth for allowing me to use his photos for reference

'falcon gentle sketch' - 5 1/2 x 6 1/2 - watercolor graphite on paper - sold 

'ex arte equinus fifth annual equine art exhibit' awards

i am honored to have opened an exciting email today from the 'ex arte equinus fifth annual equine art exhibit' directors.  this exhibit has grown to represent the best of equine art being currently produced in the country.  

the below awards will be showcased in 'art horse' magazine in march of 2012. 

'nora's gait' - 12 x 24 - oil on linen - sold

winner of the editor's choice award

'alacrity' - 12 x 24 - oil on linen - sold

'honorable mention' in the painting category by painting curator, valarie wolf

i would like to thank every art enthusiast who is reading this blog for your support of my work.  whether you purchase or admire your support keeps me in the studio creating more art which is a gift.  thank you... i am grateful.

have a great holiday season!

with warmest regards,

~september 

western art & architecture, c-quito, the legacy galleries scottsdale holiday exhibit & charcoal studies

hello everyone!  

it has been an amazing few months of weather... that said, winter is just around the corner with temperatures dropping and flurries of snow on the back deck as i write.   

october was busy with excitement about an article in western art & architecture, commissions, charcoal studies, and a painting for legacy's scottsdale holiday exhibit.

it has been a great honor to have had an article written about my work in this winters issue of 'western art and architecture' magazine.  this recognition validates years of dedication to the pursuit of creating art.  seonaid campbell, an incredibly talented freelance writer & documentary film maker, did an amazing job in capturing the story.  it can be read on the link below.  please note that you will need to download the pdf to your computer and read it from there... my apologies for the added step.  if you are not technically inclined please send me an email (click here: september@vhay.com) and i will send it to your directly.  otherwise please click on the link below to download to your computer.  

september vhay - western art and architecture

below is the art that came out of the studio this month...my elves were hard at work :)

a commissioned portrait of a belgian warmblood stallion named c-quito.  he is an incredible athlete..... in 2010, he was fifth nationally in the 

regular confirmation hunters showing only 11 weeks and in 2011 he has already won 3 USHJA hunter derbies. it is an honor to be in his presence and to watch him move.  more information and videos are available on the link to his website below: 

c.quito's website

c-quito - 12 x 24 - oil on linen - sold

in addition to the c-quito portrait a piece to be part of the legacy gallery's holiday small work show was completed, titled 'afternoon rivers'.  the exhibit will be on display starting with a reception on december 8th from 7 - 9 at the legacy gallery in scottsdale, arizona.  all works will be sold by draw. 'afternoon rivers' is a painting of horses on the crane creek ranch, which is on the snake river, in jackson, wyoming.  the pattern of light on their backs stopped me in my tracks and had to be painted.  for more information contact the legacy gallery at the below link:

the legacy gallery

'afternoon rivers' - 12 x 24 - oil on linen - sold

the below is a charcoal study done for 'afternoon rivers'.  the study is currently at trio fine art.

Crane Creek Light - 10 x 10 - Conte on Paper - Available at Altamira Fine Art - sold 

also completed is a charcoal study for a commissioned 30 x 60 oil painting of two colts which is also available at trio fine art.

Spring Dance - 10 x 13 - Conte on Paper - Available at Altamira Fine Art - sold 

stay warm and have a wonderful month of november and an early happy thanksgiving to everyone.  

all my best,
~september 

a white horse, drawings & save the dates.

HAPPY FALL EVERYONE!

a time of transformation, abundance, & celebration!


i have no doubt that all who live in jackson had a glorious month of september.  what a delight to have so many indian summer days...let's hope for more in october.  the month of september was spent on drawings, commissions and paintings.  with the weather changing and the shorter days, it has been a nice time to be in the studio.


please save the date for the upcoming exhibit: 
works by 
kathryn turner, jennifer l. hoffman, lee riddell and september vhay 
 titled 'flight' at trio fine art: 
(a percentage of sales will be donated to the teton raptor center)


'flight' - december 8th - 31st - reception on december 8th from 5 - 8 




below is a recently finished oil painting of a friends mare which was purchased partially through the completion of the piece.  the most rewarding element of this piece is the warm and cool temperatures on the horses neck and the shapes of the whites areas.  the white on the jaw, top of the neck, and the back are the priming on the canvas, i.e., they are not painted.  all of the area around the horses legs is also primed canvas.  it is an optical illusion that the white of the jaw is warmer than the white around the horses legs as they are the exact same surface, primed canvas.  the surrounding paint makes the jaw look warmer.  this is a watercolor technique in which you leave the white of the paper (in this case the primed canvas) for the white areas instead of painting the area with white paint.  

nora's gait - oil on linen - 12 x 24 - sold

'spring forward' is a conte drawing done of a palomino horse here in jackson.  

it is a drawing in which a minimal amount of line creates his form.

spring forward - 18 x 20 - conte on paper - available at ALTAMIRA Fine Art  - sold 

have a wonderful month of october.  stay warm, stay dry.... 

and in tribute to steve jobs.

"stay hungry, stay foolish"

bless you mr. jobs for all that you brought to our world. 

may we all learn from you to live close to our hearts in life and in love.   

all my best!

~september 

july exhibit journal drawings

enclosed please find four journal entries that will be framed and available in this upcoming exhibit in july.  the journal entry drawings are where the ideas for paintings come together so they are often full of life and discovery.  these drawings are signed which is not usually the case but because they will be in exhibit they are they are signed. 

orchid sketch two - 5.5" x 6.5" - conte on paper - sold

nora's gait sketch - 5.5" x 8.5" - conte on paper - sold

july exhibit oil drawings

'friday's blaze' - 12 x 12 - oil on belgian linen - sold

'nora's gait' - oil on cradle board (a 2" x 11" 14" wooden 'box') - sold




these 'oil drawings' (drawings done in oil paint) are studies for future paintings or underlays for paintings.  drawing in oil has all of the benefits of charcoal with the additional ability to completely erase down to the substrate.  the monochromatic aspect of these drawings have a simplicity that compels the viewer interact with the piece by mentally finishing the painting on their own.  when i do the drawings as underlays for paintings i often love the drawings so much that i don't have the heart to paint over them.