"Tang Dynasty Prancer" framed

"Tang Dynasty Prancer", 12x12, oil on linen

Here is the painting, framed.  A frame makes a painting look so much more important.  Unfortunately, the colour is not accurate in this photo but you can read about the Tang Dynasty horse and see the accurate colour in my post below.  

If you'd like to see this painting up close, just click on the photo.  Click on it twice and it'll be almost life size!  Thanks for visiting!

Please leave your comments, I'd love to hear from you.

"Tang Dynasty Prancer"

"Tang Dynasty Prancer", oil on linen, 12x12



My father, who passed away this past October at the age of 92 years, passed along his great love of horses to me. As I've mentioned in previous posts, as a young artist horses were the subject of many of my paintings; many of them my Dad's. The hearts of artists and poets throughout the ages have
been captivated by the beauty, power and grace of these wonderful creatures.

My Dad had such a way with them, such a gentle touch; it was apparent to all who knew him. Now, I do not see a horse without thinking of my Dad and the while I paint them, I think of him, as well.

As a still life painter, the Tang Dynasty horse has become a great source of inspiration for me. Within the Tang society (China 618-906AD) the horse played an important role and was revered for their vigor and strength. They symbolized strength and status, as well as reflected on the personality of their owners and the prosperous and powerful Tang Dynasty itself.

Ceramic models of the owner's horse have been found preserved in their tombs. Upon death, many Chinese horsemen were buried with clay horse sculptures and horses on which human figures are mounted, occupy a special place.  These would often be found either preceding or following the coffin.

The Tang horse portrayed in my painting "Tang Dynasty Prancer", 12x12, oil on linen, is not an authentic Tang horse but a reproduction which occupies a special place in my studio and which I treasure nonetheless.   I've painted a number of them which I'll display in future posts. 

I hope you enjoy their elegant, and often dramatic, beauty as much as I enjoy sculpting them with paint.  For me, with each brushstroke, the ancient horse comes to life.

This framed painting is available for purchase at: [Space] Untitled or for further information please email me at bobbi@bobbidunlop.com

Please see the post above to see this painting framed. 







"Wild Wild West Hollywood"!!!

"Turquoise and Orange", 8x10 inches, oil on linen

Upcoming Show:


I'd like to invite all of you in the area to an upcoming event I'll be showing my work at billed as "Wild Wild West Hollywood Art Show and Celebrity Auction"

This is a charity event to benefit the "Gerry Forbes CJAY 92 Kids Foundation". The evening will include special guest appearances by local professional athletes, film and tv stars including Amber Marshall and Graham Wardle of CBC's "Heartland", Chris Potter of "The Young and the Restless" and "Kung Fu The Legend Continues", to name just a few. My good friend, wildlife artist Glenn Olson , will be the Featured Artist.

The evening's festivities also include a live auction, as well as a silent auction, with mayoralty candidate Craig Burrows as the celebrity auctioneer.

My painting, "Turquoise and Orange" (above), framed, 8x10 inches, oil on linen, retail $850, will be part of the auction with 100% of the proceeds going to benefit the Kids Foundation.

In addition, I will be showing a number of paintings which will be for sale with a percentage of the sale going to the foundation.

"Wild Wild West Hollywood Art Exhibit and Celebrity Gala"
September 18th, 2010 - 3:30 pm
Belgo Brasserie
501 - 8th Avenue S.W.
Calgary, AB
Tickets: $25


I would love to see you there!

Other news....

The Canadian Institute of Portrait Painters   has honoured me by asking me to be a juror for their "Open National Exhibition". The show is being held at Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB, September 21 - October 15th, 2010. I'm really delighted to have this opportunity to be part of this exceptional show

"Model Break", oil on linen, 10x14

I'm happy to announce that my painting, "Model Break", was selected as part of the FAV15% (jury's favorite 15% of the entries) in the July 2010 FineArtViews Painting competition.

"Petite Ochre Pot", Demo - Completed Painting

Completed Painting: "Petite Ochre Pot", oil on panel, 7x6

And, here is the completed painting. I have just continued to lay on pieces of paint with my larger bristle brush.....more paint, more refining, as I bring the background color in to create the beautiful shadows in the pot's form. In addition, to create space around the pot, I've lightened (made cooler) the surrounding area. You will notice the brushstrokes becoming more impasto in the completed piece, also. I've tried to leave them just as they are. To me, the brushstroke is incredibly beautiful. That's what painting is all about.

To see Steps #1 and #2 of this demonstration, please see below.

"Petite Ochre Pot" - Demo - Step #2

"Petite Ochre Pot", 7x6 inches

Step 2: I've let the underpainting dry overnight....blocking in the first step (see below) takes about 15 minutes but if I can, I like to work on a dry surface for this stage. Still using the largest bristle brush I can handle on such a diminutive panel, I begin to really have fun...applying paint! Again, I try not to concentrate on drawing, just enjoy the process of laying on pieces of paint. And of course, color.....the intial stage has captured the concept I have in mind...where the light hits the objects and where the shadow creates the space my little pot nestles into. I push and pull my values, in the darker areas keeping the paint thinner, while in the area of light and color, I've concentrated on color as well as paint quality. I love to see the brushstrokes and I try very hard to just lay in a piece of paint and not disturb it too much. At this stage it's inevitable because the little pot is being sculpted with paint. With brushstrokes, I bring the paint tube into focus, as well. Not too much going on with the berry branch as this point, but I have made a start on it....

"Petite Ochre Pot" - Demo - Step #1

Step #1 - "Petite Ochre Pot"

For my larger pieces I use oil primed linen but for many of the very small daily paintings, I prepare panels. In this case, I began by first gessoing a panel of hardboard with two coats of acrylic gesso. The gesso was applied with a large flat bristle brush in random strokes - you can see the brushstrokes in evidence. Once this was dry, I toned the panel using a mixture of burnt umber and ultramarine blue with turps to make a greyed tone, rubbing off the excess with paper towelling and then letting it dry overnight. I set up the still-life in my studio under natural north light. Always, a concept forms firmly in my mind and at this time I begin to place the objects into the space using a large bristle filbert brush. I used a mixture of ultramarine and phthalo blues and burnt umber for this and concentrate on massing in the light and shadow, not on drawing.....this step takes just a few minutes to do, especially for such a tiny painting. When I can, I like to let this stage dry before I being to apply color. In this example, I let the paint dry overnight....