Wilde (Meyer) Horses

By Judy Feldman | www.wildemeyer.com

Most figurative artists tend to have favorite subjects to portray, whether it’s people, still life, landscapes or animals. When the horse is the focus, it’s pretty certain that the artist who created that painting is an equine lover and a rider.

Chaille's grandfather, Ed Tweed, with his imported champion stallion *Orzel
(Photo courtesy of Chaille Trevor.)

It seems that the most beautiful horse paintings are done by people who are really passionate about these animals. They ride all the time and know their horses so well, that they can really show their spirit and even their soul – just look at the eyes, and you will see an amazing sensitivity.

Chaille astride the champion Arabian stallion
Brusally Gwiazdor, at the gates of Brusally Ranch. 
(Photo courtesy of Chaille Trevor.)

After the Ride by Chaille Trevor

Chaille Trevor is equally committed to her horses and her art. She divides her time between riding and painting. Chaille has a unique lineage in the horse world – her grandfather owned Brusally Ranch and was a major breeder of Arabian horses. He also was the creator, along with Anne McCormick and Philip Wrigley, of the well–known Scottsdale Arabian Horse show that will have its 58th annual show this February at West World.

“My grandfather imported 26 Arabian horses from Poland, and I still have some horses from that breeding,” Chaille said.

Chaille with some of her grandfather's imported Arabian mares.
(Photo courtesy of Chaille Trevor.)

After getting an art degree at ASU, Chaille’s grandfather invited her to live and work at his ranch. She stayed there for 17 years, training and showing his horses. When I spoke to Chaille, I really felt that she has a deep connection to her horses. This special affinity is what gives her paintings their grace and energy. “Love,” a 36”x48” painting that was recently featured in Phoenix Home & Garden, depicts the close bond between a mare named Panatela and her little niece, Tess.

Love 36"x48" oil on canvas
by Chaille Trevor

Chaille's beloved mare Brusally Orzyna
(Photo by Heather Buttrum www.heatherbuttrum.com.)

Chaille’s paintings could be interpreted as a metaphor of the relationship between a horse and its rider. “If a horse trusts his rider, the two become as one, with the horse always willing to please,” she explained. “As an avid rider, I know my horses’ movements – as well as their faces and bodies -  and I try to portray that in my paintings.”

Free Spirits 12"x24" oil on canvas
by Chaille Trevor

Movement and energy are the themes in “Free Spirit,” The position of the horses’ legs, the way they hold their heads, and the dust kicked up defy the static limits of a painting, and they seem to come right towards the viewer.

A Gentle Life  30" x 24" oil on canvas
by Chaille Trevor

Chaille’s paintings have a sketch quality to them. She feels that technique enables her to “go deeper and deeper to get closer to what you feel about the subject and to express yourself.” “High Spirits” is a good example of this style. But I have to say that my favorite painting is “A Gentle Life.” When I look at this horse’s beautiful head with its soulful eye and delicate muzzle, I just want to wrap my arms around it. Chaille has spoken of her love for this horse to me through this painting.

His Prize 36"x48" oil on canvas
by Chaille Trevor

A Place of Peace 24"x30" oil on canvas
by Chaille Trevor

Wild Spirit 48"x72" oil on canvas
by Chaille Trevor

If you happen to be at the Wilde Meyer Gallery in Tucson, ask to speak to Betty Wilde. She’s a devoted horse lover, and would love to speak to you about the Wilde (Meyer) horses!

Thanks to Tobi Lopez Taylor of Coronado Ranch Sport Horses for contributing photos and information to this post.  Follow Brusally Ranch Appreciation Society on Facebook where you can learn a lot more about  Ed Tweed's contributions to Domestic, Polish, and Russian Arabian horse breeding. A book about Chaille's family's Arabian horse breeding program will be published by Screenfold Press in 2013. Titled The Polish and Russian Arabians of Ed Tweed's Brusally Ranch, by Tobi Lopez Taylor, the book presents a history of the ranch and discusses Tweed's 27 imported horses individually. Each chapter features a four-generation pedigree, historic photographs, extracts from documents in the Brusally Ranch archives, and an annotated list of offspring. The book will be available through Amazon.com.

Please visit www.wildemeyer.com to see more of Chaille's paintings.

Big and Small

Can you think big and still paint small?

It’s time again for Wilde Meyer’s annual Gem Show, the show of smaller paintings by many of the gallery’s artists. For most of us, this is a change from our regular formats, and small paintings present their own challenges.

When I started thinking about my own paintings, large and small, and looking at some of the other participating artists, I began to consider that we tend to keep our same style and subject matter, but we have to make some changes to succeed in this smaller context. 

Time for a Walk 11.5"x14.5" oil on canvas
by Judy Feldman

I love to paint interiors. I just finished one called “Interior with Red Chair.” But I couldn’t just shrink it! In my Gem Show painting, entitled “Time for a Walk.” I think I conveyed feeling of an inviting place, but with fewer elements. And, of course, the dog got smaller (by walking off the canvas!) With “A Christmas Surprise,” I purposely created a small image, focusing mainly on the new puppy in the box.

Bandit 4"x4" acrylic on canvas
by Ryan Hale

Ryan Hale finds small paintings challenging in a different way. Since he is an abstract artist, he likes to work freely and intuitively.

Ryan likes to interpret patterns of aerial views of landscapes. He’s fascinated by how land is divided, especially when seen from above, where civilization and nature both co-exist and collide. You can appreciate his intentions in these larger paintings entitled “Daily Intervals,” which measures 60”X72”, and “The Forming Earth,” which is 36”X36.”

So, when it came time to do some 12”X12” paintings, Ryan decided to work on several at once, so they would be related and could be hung together in different orientations. While he was painting them, he would move them around. “It’s a challenge, like creating a puzzle,” he said. “I takes a lot of thought to get a strong enough image on a small canvas.”

Structure IV 12"x12" acrylic on canvas
by Ryan Hale

I think these two small paintings, entitled “Structure III" and "Structure IV" are very successful. They reflect Ryan’s considered style and thoughtful color selections, and work well as a single unit or together. He also included a figurative painting, “Bandit,” which probably comes from another part of his creative brain!

Structure III 12"x12" acrylic on canvas
by Ryan Hale

Along the High Road oil on canvas 26"x41.75"
by Leigh Gusterson

Leigh Gusterson does beautiful expressionist paintings of the landscape around her Taos, New Mexico home. Often, a blue truck is driving through the vibrant scene, with a dog hanging out the back, such as “Along the High Road” (26”X41.75”) and “Fall Showers” (27”X27”). Her colors are delicious!

 

Taos Mountain Sunset  6.25"x9.25"
by Leigh Gusterson

Glorious Tree in Pilar 5.25"x9.25"
by Leigh Gusterson

Leigh also shares her love of the New Mexico landscape in her small paintings, but on a more intimate scale. In “Glorious Tree in Pilar,” we see Leigh’s truck journeying through the road, but we’re closer, and the flame red tree just pulls us into the 4”X 8” painting. I’m really impressed with “Rancho Sheep.” Leigh gets so much information in a tiny 4”X6” format, all in perfect proportion. “Taos Mountain Sunset”, a 5”X 8” painting, gives us the full beauty of the scene, yet we do feel closer to it than when we view her larger work.

Gem Show 2012

You might be a bit overwhelmed when you see the wall of small paintings at the Gem Show. But it’s worth taking the time to look carefully, and ask Laura, Ryan or Jonathan to show the ones you like by themselves. It’s challenging to paint small, but the result is really a “gem!”

Gem Show 2012

All In the Family

Desert Companions 10"x12"
by Roger Alderman

I’m still thinking about the possibility of an “art gene,” since I discovered that there are two sets of siblings who exhibit their work at Wilde Meyer.

Although their parents were not fine artists, Roger Alderman and Acacia Alder probably do have the art gene. According to Acacia, her family loved “making things” for their 100-year-old home, such as furniture and crafts, and they appreciated beautiful surroundings.

“Our house was always buzzing with a project,” she said. “Our parents felt that you should have a personal relationship with your environment, and a belief in yourself that you could make things. They felt that if you could put trust in your hand and your brain, and if your heart was in it, you could succeed at making something.”

Seen Its Better Day  9" x 12"
by Roger Alderman

Roger remembers visiting the Cleveland Museum of Art as a child, and being “knocked out” by what he saw. He later studied Industrial Design and Fine Art at The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. He’s also studied studio art at the Pima Community College, the Tucson Museum of Art School, and The Drawing Studio, in Tucson, Arizona. Roger has developed his own unique painting style through years of painting and drawing, using bold colors and expressive palette knife work. He often paints outdoors, in the areas around his Tucson home.

“’Cloud Burst’ depicts the summer build up of clouds we get in the Tucson area during the monsoon season,” he says.

Cloud Burst 30"x40" oil on canvas
by Roger Alderman

“Desert Charmer” was inspired by a visit to the Saguaro National Monument during the spring, when the hillsides are carpeted with yellow flowered Brittlebush. 

Desert Charmer 31.75"x 37.5" oil on canvas
by Roger Alderman

Sundown by Roger Alderman

Acacia Alder also has a contemporary view of the landscape, but she prefers to paint in her studio. Although you can appreciate her love of the outdoors, her paintings are quite stylized.

Golden Light by Roger Alderman

For example, “Sundown” and “Golden Light” both depict the Aspen trees, yet Acacia paints their trunks, rather than the leafy tops, focusing on the unique bark of these trees. They’re outlined in red and black, which makes the trees “pop” against their background. In “Sanctuary at Purgatory Chasm,” the trees, rocks and mountains again have that outlined style, which gives the painting a modern, interesting look – and a little like stained glass. Acacia says she has been influenced by Van Gogh and Cezanne. I think you can see that in her work!

Sanctuary at Purgatory Canyon 60" x 40" acrylic on canvas
by Acacia Alder

The Pendleton sisters have a wonderful collaboration going that produces mixed media pieces in paint and glass. Sandy Pendleton says that her father was a carpenter and made a living with his craft. But it was her grandmother who loved art.

Amber Sunset 12" x 36" triptych
by Sandy Pendleton
glass panels

“She did china painting, greenware ceramics, quilting and made dolls,” Sandy said. “Whenever we’d visit her, she’d always have an art project for us to do.”

Celestial Geode 12" x 15" x 2" plus base
by Sandy Pendleton

Sandy liked to make things, but she followed her interest in math and science to have a career as a programmer and project manager with IBM. When she retired, she started working with glass. “I think I like this medium because it requires some technical knowledge, in terms of chemistry and temperature control. And, it’s so much fun to experiment!” “Celestial Geode” looks like it took quite a bit of experimenting to achieve this interesting piece. “Amber Sunset Bowl” almost looks like ceramics, but it has the beautiful iridescence of glass


Nancy Pendleton, Sandy’s sister, has always loved art, drawing as a child, and, later on, obtained a BFA in graphic design. While she was working as an illustrator, she also pursued her interest in fine art, first in figurative images, and now in an abstract style. She loves mixed media, and started using handmade paper, with acrylics and natural objects. Her painting entitled “Studio Recycles Red” is a good example of her skill with different materials.

Sweet Spot 15"x10"
by Nancy Pendleton and Sandy Pendleton

Studio Recycles Red 14" x 18"
by Nancy Pendleton

When her sister became proficient in making art glass, the two decided to work together.

“We’ve worked out a technique,” said Nancy. “I often use a centerpiece in my art, and Sandy came up with glass pieces that work well in my paintings.” You can see examples of this sibling collaboration in “Bursting” and “What You See Is What It Is,” as well as some charming dog paintings such as “Sweet Spot” and “Flirting with Fido.”
 

Bursting 60"x48"
by Nancy Pendleton and Sandy Pendelton

What You See Is What It Is 24"x24"
by Nancy Pendleton and Sandy Pendleton

So, maybe there is an art gene! And, as Acacia said, it can just be that love of making things that’s passed on from one generation to another. What a gift!

Play with Me  15"x10"
by Nancy Pendleton

An Art Gene

Afternoon in Provence 36"x48"
 by Judy Feldman

I recently returned from a trip to New York City to attend the opening of a sculpture exhibit at the Affirmation Arts foundation. The show’s artist is my brother, Jeffrey Maron. His work is very different from mine, but I think we were both inspired by our mother.

Sculptures by Jeffrey Maron

At the reception dinner, I asked him if he thought there was an “art gene.”

Cleo on the Deck 40"x30"
by Judy Feldman

Sculpture by Jeffrey Maron

“Well, he said, we were both exposed to art at home, since Mom was an artist who taught classes in the house and exhibited her paintings there. Plus, she always took us to museums and encouraged our interest in art.”

Jeff became an artist long before I did, and our mother was always so proud of his work. (My father, a lawyer, struggled with his lack of a regular job!) When I started painting, I think all the information I had absorbed from my mother flooded my brain and propelled me to follow that artistic path.  I noticed that there is another artist at Wilde Meyer whose mother is a well-known artist. So, maybe there is an art gene!

Significance 40" x 60"
by Gregg Rochester

The Present 41" x 41"
by Jacqueline Rochester

My conversation with Gregg Rochester confirmed my theory. Gregg is a psychologist who became a professional artist. His mother, Jacqueline Rochester, painted until a year before she passed away, at 87. Her work continues to be shown by Wilde Meyer. Gregg told me that when he was 16, his mother took him and his brothers to Mexico for four months. “She painted, and I took up the craft of silversmith and learned to play the classical guitar,” he said. “That time spent in another culture really affected me.

My mother didn’t actively encourage us to be artists. Two of my three brothers are writers, and the third is an educator. I pursued a psychology career, and when I began painting, I was afraid to show my mother my work, thinking she would be critical. But, she was actually very supportive, and she pushed me to paint in a larger format.”

Gregg’s work focuses on the landscapes he has seen and loved. They are not a realistic rendition; rather a contemporary vision of his landscape memories. He says, “I seek to convey the eloquence and the art of the land and sky in my work, to bring a touch of it inside our living spaces so that it can remind us of our wholeness, to bring us back to what is right.”

Another Realm 46"x40" oil on canvas
by Gregg Rochester

In Gregg’s large painting entitled “Another Realm,” he interprets the rolling Wisconsin hills in his own fashion, portraying them graphically, with strong hues and interesting textures. “Another Life” is a more southwestern image, with desert plants in the foreground, the high color of the sun in the midline and the sunlit mountains in the background. (Although this painting is essentially divided into thirds, I think it’s very effective.)

Another Life 48" x 48"
by Gregg Rochester

“A Thousand Whispers” could be many different places, even one in your imagination. The path of colored stones leads us to an unknown destination; the viewer can feel the warmth of the sun on the flowered field and the sounds of whispering insects.

A Thousand Whispers 48" x 48"
by Gregg Rochester

So, can you be an artist, even though you don’t think you have the art gene? Of course! I believe that as long as you have the interest and willingness to pursue a passion, you’ll succeed. Gregg Rochester agrees, and says that anyone can make art at any age, as long as you find what you love and incorporate it into your art. We have so much beauty surrounding us in Arizona, it’s easy to be inspired.

Andrea Peterson at "Paint Out"

Shady Baby 14"x16" oil on canvas
by Andrea Peterson

In the style of an old Western shootout, Main Street will be closed to traffic for a “Paint Out” event on Saturday, November 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Thirty artists will use paints and brushes (instead of guns) to create a work of art. Andrea Peterson, a Wilde Meyer artist, will participate and represent the gallery.

"I’m so excited to participate in this awesome event, and I'm planning to start and complete a small burro piece with an abstract red background,” she said. Andrea has done several charming burro paintings, including “Shady Baby,” “Three’s a Charm and “Sunny Days,” so it will be interesting to see her complete a smaller one in such a short time.

Three's a Charm 20"x20" oil on canvas
Andrea Peterson

Sunny Days 30"x40" oil on canvas
Andrea Peterson

Right after Andrea and the other artists finish their pieces at noon, they will be auctioned off to the public. So come by and enjoy this fun event, which is part of Scottsdale’s “Fall for the Arts” weekend.

You can get more information by going to this facebook site created by Wilde Meyer:
http://www.facebook.com/events/187653641359390/ 

Correction: This event was originally listed as "Quick Draw". The event is now called "Paint Out".