Giddy Up

Source: google.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: cyancheung.co.uk via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: alostfeather.blogspot.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: prettystuff.tumblr.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: bowerbird-blog.blogspot.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: plumprettysugar.blogspot.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: minnja.blogspot.com via Sunny on Pinterest

The Kentucky Derby was this past weekend and it is perhaps the grandest of Kentucky traditions. Numerous celebrities and sometimes even royalty visit Churchill Downs the first weekend of May to see the greatest two minutes of sports. Everything from the mint juleps to the extravagant hats is deeply embedded in Kentucky's culture.

In honor of all of the beautiful horses that populate the state of Kentucky I have chosen to share the fashion pictures above with you today. Although all of the models look beautiful and the clothes are wonderful it is definitely the horses that are stealing the show.

♥ Sunny

Soo behind!

Man, I just get caught up posting to my blog only to fall behind again!

Well, I've been busy making art for a slew of shows (which I have been posting!). I also spent last weekend (well, the weekend before last) in Marshall Vandruff's Animal Anatomy three day workshop at LA Academy of Figurative Art, which totally kicked my ass! (In a good way!)

I literally have tons and tons of pages of notes and sketches of animal anatomy stuff, but I'm just posting a few of my gestural study pieces. But man, that class was awesome- if you ever get a chance to take a class by Marshall, DO IT! But seriously, it was non-stop drawing and soaking in information for three straight days! It was exhausting drawing that much!

Also, we primarily drew horses (since they are the "piano" of animals- you know the basics of a horse, you can apply it to other animals), which I totally LOVED. Seriously. Drawing horses for hours= daisy a happy girl!

We also did a fun exercise where we looked at a photo of an animal and drew a person based off the animal. These were two goats i drew into girls...

The Two Most Exciting Minutes In Sports

Today was the Kentucky Derby. It is a day when celebrities, the best horses in the world, and occasionally even royalty come to Churchill Downs to experience a Kentucky Tradition that began in 1875. Always held the first weekend in May it is known as the Run for the Roses. Today’s field included 20 horses. My bet was on the lone filly, Devil May Care. The last filly to win was Winning Colors back in 1988.

But the derby is about more than just the beautiful horses. There also the parties, the food, the hats, and the Mint Juleps. No fashionable lady goes to the derby without her hat. To many women it is the most important aspect of derby day and they began looking for their hats months ago. You want a hat that makes a statement and represents you.
The drink of choice at the derby is the Mint Julep. This year Tiffany created 73 Mint Juleps that were sold for $1,000 each. The profits went to charity. And the Juleps contained organic sugar from Brazil, 10,000 year old glacier ice from Alaska, Kentucky grown mint, and Woodford Reserve bourbon. This years winner was Super Saver.

♥ Sunny

via: Christopher Lawler Art,WomenXone, Examiner,Polly Singer, Photobucket, Luxist, Flickr, Fan House

If you're in the Los Angeles area, I'd like to invite you to the opening reception for a show I have a piece in!

"Animal Instinct"

Opening reception: Saturday, November 7th 2009, 7-11pm

with DJs, food, and drinks

Runs November 7th-15th

The ARTery Gallery @ the LAB

2930 Bristol Street

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

http://www.animalinstinctartshow.blogspot.com/

Featuring the work of over 25 artists celebrating the beauty & wonder of animals with sculpture, photography, graffiti-influenced work, prints (including etching & letterpress), crochet, plush, paintings & more.

* 80% of all sales go to the Humane Society of the United States*

This is my piece that I'm shipping from Florence to be in the show-

"Cavalli di San Marco"

2009, Watercolor on Aquarelle paper

Custom Florentine frame with silver gilding

The frame (not pictured yet) is going to by a Florentine framer- they take their framing VERY seriously here!! It's a whole artform in and of itself...

The piece is of the Four Horses of St Marks.. originally from an ancient Roman hippodrome in Constaninople!