CoTH’s very own Dressage Art took first place in the USDF 2007 Adult Art Contest. You can see the painting on page 24 of the March issue of Connections.
Hey, I just saw that too.
Dressage Art, what a great painting! Congratulations!!!
Super! Congrats and all that jazz. :):):):):):)
Ah, thank you so much for noticing (where is the blushing icon) it’s also on the cover of the USDF 2008 Directory - you can see it there in a larger format.
It is a very special painting to my heart, here is a story behind it:
The championships in California are held in N. CA one year and S. CA another year. South part of CA is very far from me, so I don’t even try to go there. So in 2007 the championships were planned to be in my North part at “Woodside Horse Park”. I scribed there and showed there several times, and loved it! So I was really looking forward to it and our 2nd level was going quite strong with up to 68% in scores. Unfortunately, my mare became not sound in early 2007, was diagnosed with a mild navicular and had to have 6 months off mostly walking. I was disappointed that we will not be able to make the championships, so I decided to paint them instead. I had some photos from Woodside that I took: http://www.dressageart.com/usdflprogram/dressage_arena6.jpg so based on those photos, I painted this painting: http://www.dressageart.com/images/woodside_working_trot_original.jpg
The rider I made up completely from my head. The horse I saw back in 2004 and took a photo of him/her - have no idea who that horse is - I just liked him/her so much that I snapped a photo of him at one of the N. California shows.
While I was painting it, I thought of all the hard work that we put in to dressage and how incredibly difficult and humbling that journey is, yet dressage riders are able keep their bright dream alive. Afterwards I saw a call for entries from USDF and I sent it in - I was moved to tears when USDF choose my “championship” painting “Woodside Working Trot” to be a grand prize winner. USDF also asked me to send them a framed print to hand at the USDF hall of fame gallery in Kentucky - it’s getting framed now.
Now the story continues… instead of showing at the CA championships, I scribed there for 3 days - you probably remember COTH posts about pouring rein and flooded stalls, and in reality arenas looked like this: http://www.dressageart.com/usdflprogram/dressage_arena12.jpg
At the end, I’m very happy that instead of showing at the CA Championships, my mare’s lameness triggered me to paint this paining that really made my 2007 dressage year very special to remember.
Since I paint in the version of neo-realism style, I try to put little something realistic, but unusual in every painting that I do. “Woodside Working Trot” is not an exception. Even it was printed on the USDF 2008 Directory cover and distributed to thousands of USDF members, only 3 people noticed something “strange” in the painting and emailed/called/talked to me about that.
Every time, I give away ten 10”x8” signed and matted prints of my new paintings. This time, 7 are still up for grabs to anybody who can notice something “unusual” in “Woodside Working Trot” painting. Good luck and PM me with your finding - do not give it away, so others can play as well.
Beautiful painting.Congratulations!!!
I loved that painting! It’s great!
YAY! I guessed it, and get print #4! :yes: 
I remember when it was announced, and look forward to seeing the print in the magazine instead of just online! It’s such a lovely painting, and I think it really expresses the bond between the horse and rider. They just seem so focused on each other.
I’m getting a print, too, since I figured it out.
I really love the winter pirouette painting.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
[QUOTE=Whisper;3041965]
I’m getting a print, too, since I figured it out. :D[/QUOTE] print #5 out out 10 prints that I’m giving away! Still 5 of them left for grabs!
Congrats! It’s a beautiful painting and I would love to have one! Is the rider any one in particular? Woodside sure can be pretty when it isn’t raining! 
Send you a PM about my guess and hope I win!
Dressage Art just let me know that I’m the winner of #8. Thank you so much.
two more to go
Wheee!!! I won, too - winner #9!!! This from the person who never wins anything like this! doing the cabbage patch in my office chair
Whooohooo, congrats!! Beautiful painting!
WINNER!
I am winner #10! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Whoops - late to the party!!! But I was lucky Number Seven!
WOW – all 10 signed and matted 8x10 prints worth $29.00 that I give away for my new painting are fast gone! Congratulations to all of winners! You will get your prints with in a week by Prioraty Mail.
However, I also got a handful of PMs from COTHers who are painfully close to guessing it and I wouldn’t want to disappoint them if they will guess it right on their second/third/fourth try. So I’ll give away another 10 smaller prints: 5x7 matted, signed that are worth $15.00.
Good luck!
Woo Hoo!!! I’m lucky winner #1 of a 5x7 print. I’d have gotten it sooner if I’d had a better monitor. My work one is for crap. Yay!!
