The Watering Hole

11x14 oil on stretched linen

 

 

This is a painting of a few of the wild mustang mares in Kiowa's band, at the Sandwash Basin HMA, May 2012.  The little paint looks pregnant.  I don't know her name or if she in fact foaled later in the summer.  What a treat it was to watch them come in and drink!!

Update:  Dec 28, 2012

I have found out that the bay paint mare in the middle's name is Vogue.  She didn't foal this past year but has a sorrel two year old filly, Gem, with whom she maintains a close bond.  There is a helicopter round up scheduled for fall of 2013 at Sandwash Basin.  If you're not aware of how brutal these roundups can be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=Vw8iX7LO8g0&NR=1 .  I  hope that all these magnificent horses survive. 

Sand Wash Basin Mustangs

I was privileged to spend this past weekend observing and photographing the beautiful wild horses of the Sand Wash Basin up by Craig Colorado.

These are only a few of the images I took.

It was fascinating to watch the herd interactions, the protocol observed at the wateringhole; communications through body language.  Judging by all the scars on the stallions these discourses oftentimes turn serious.

I of course intend to turn some of them into paintings. But to those paintings I hope to bring my new found insights into the beauty and tenacity, both inside and out, of all that is the mustang.  

I have almost finished my first painting: image to follow!