Long Time Gone

It's been a long while since I've posted.  Illness robbed my energy and kept me out of the studio for many months last year, and posting to my blog slid down the list of importance.

Overcoming the little and not-so-little adversities in life takes perseverance and patience, I've found.
I'm back in my studio now, painting, drawing, sketching. Renewed vitality, interest and energy has me at my easel looking closely at birds, again.  Incredible creatures with above-average intelligence, they inspire me with their beauty and abilities we somehow overlook or fail to notice.  Ravens, especially, the smartest of all flying creatures, those wolves of the air, inspire me to paint their individual characters.

We have two ravens who live in our area, or, rather, we live in theirs.  My husband has lately taken to befriending them with eggs and other offerings, placed on a nearby post, in order to tease them into letting him take pictures of them.  It's sort of a trade; we give them treats, they let us take their picture.  They always take the goodies, and sometimes even caw their "thanks". But only occasionally do they let us take their picture. They seem to "know" the camera is there, even hidden in a blind, even set on "automatic" with no human present.  They have incredible eyesight.  Bernd Heinrich says they can see for a distance of two miles, accurately!  Hard for some to believe, but they also seem to possess a "second sight"of sorts, a telepathy that Rupert Sheldrake describes in his many intriguing books like "Dogs Who Know When Their Owners are Coming Home", and "The Sense of Being Stared At" along with "The New Science of Life"  that corresponds with his theory of morphic resonance.  Fascinating stuff! And makes perfect sense to those of us who know that life is more than the material.

I'm also painting cranes.  Sandhill cranes who winter at the  Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge in Socorro, NM have been the focus of our many trips down there in the fall.  I'm developing two paintings right now, and I'll post the sketches, preliminary drawings and underpaintings that I've done so far, so you can see what actually goes into producing an oil painting (in part, to answer the oft asked question, "How long did it take you to paint that?").  And I just this day received notice that two of my crane paintings were accepted into the national juried show, "Encantada", sponsored by the Rio Grande Art Association.  It will be July 10-26 at the Fine Arts Bldg at the EXPO New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Here are the two finished crane paintings that will be in the show:

Lone Crane Still Water, 14" x 14" Oil on Canvas, Framed, $650. copyright 2015 K Widger

Evening Preen, 14" x 14" Oil on Canvas, Framed, $650. copyright 2015 K Widger

Remembering Mati and Max

Recently I learned of the passing of these two lovely souls.  

This is what I wrote about Mati back in 2009 when I first painted her portrait:  "Don't let the grey muzzle fool you, this girl is still very much young at heart. You can see her playful spirit in her eyes, in her countenance and posture. Mati, short for Matilda, is named for the character in the Roald Dahl short story. She was the one left out, from whom not much was expected. That sort of explains Mati's start in life, as well. She was the little shy one, last of her litter, the unchosen. But someone wanted her, very much. And saw the potential in those beautiful eyes. She's now ten years into her life with her special people, who very much love and adore this young lady."

Max was father to our Hunter, and his death from cancer is sad and tragic, a reflection of the illnesses caused by our modern life that we share with our dogs.  But Max, too, had a grand life on a large ranch, running free, pursuing dog interests to his heart's content, expressing all the "dogness" he possessed.  Couldn't ask for more!  

 Here's some of what I wrote about Max back in 2010 after I finished his portrait: "His call name is "Max". His immediate ancestors hail from Germany, where the German Shepherd Dog originated and is still bred best. He lives on a ranch in the stunning southwestern region of NM, near the town of Magdalena, just west of Socorro. His kingdom consists of vast acreage to oversee, beautiful vistas to admire, and a pack of seven, including sons and daughters from his mate, Catey.

He is Hunter's father, and it's quite obvious that my wonderful young "acorn" didn't fall far from this strong and magnificent 'tree.' "

I was privileged to meet both of these dogs in person, and I offer now my condolences to their people, who loved them and now mourn their passing.  It's hard to lose a dog you love, sometimes harder than losing people we care about.  I've been there before myself, and I know the heart ache that can last for months, and even years.  After I lost Mychal, too soon, too tragically, I spent three years in deep mourning, yearning for reassurance that he lived on in Spirit.

As a Christian I found that assurance in God's Word.  Particularly, in several books written by Christians who had experienced the same loss, had the same question, and turned to the Creator for answers.  

"Do Dogs Go To Heaven?" by M. Jean Holmes (available on Amazon) is one book among many that I highly recommend for anyone needing assurance that animals, all living beings, do indeed posses a spirit and a soul, and that spirit returns upon death to the God who created it.  Our beloved dogs and pets, indeed all animals, do go to heaven!  Are you going to meet them there?  I hope so! Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  

Katy Widger Shares Her Passion For Painting Her Furry Friends

Athena

"Cody's Girl, Athena", 18" x 24" Oil on Canvas, copyright 2014 Katy Widger

I knew Athena, but only as a casual acquaintance. 

Her boy, Cody, had long since grown up and gone on his way.  She had the air of someone waiting patiently for her master to return.  Her mission in life had been to protect and to serve, and she performed her duty as a true servant, longing for his occasional return, calmly transferring her loyalties and service to the remaining family members.

She lived with my dear friend, Deb, on a ranch in central New Mexico.  Deb is an artist and she gathered together her artist friends on a regular basis.  Athena was always there, an imposing presence, alert but not intrusive to all the conversation and activities nearby.  Sort of like one of those body 

guards or SS men who are present but blend into the background and keep constant watch over 

everything happening that might in some way impact their charge.  

Athena was large, big-boned, with a  golden ruff you wanted to bury your face into.  She was elegant, classy, aloof, well-trained, polite and deeply loved.  And you knew that she knew that if necessary, she could take you down.  I spoke to her  respectfully every time I saw her, but only after many visits did she ever acknowledge me, and I felt honored for the nod.  

It was a privilege to paint her, and I am thankful for the opportunity.  Her amazing, powerful 

presence filled my studio as she came to life on the canvas, and more than once my eyes filled with tears, remembering.

Still Water

"Still Water" 18" x 24" Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas copyright 2014 K Widger

Another painting from autumn days spent at Bosque del Apache.  It's a two hour drive from our home, so we usually drive over in the afternoon to see the birds coming into the refuge from areas near by where they feast on corn and grain fields grown especially for them. Once in a while we try and make it for the sunrise fly-out, which is spectacular, with thousands of birds taking flight simultaneously.

This scene was early in the fall, at sunset. There were other cranes in the immediate vicinity, but this crane stood alone in his own private flooded field, watched only by us and a golden eagle resting nearby.  I re-arranged elements from the original photo to create a more pleasing composition, moving the horizon line, pushing the trees into the background and bringing the crane forward, which necessitated re-arranging all the reflections, as well. 

If interested in purchase, please contact me directly.
SOLD  Thank you so much!

Flight of Icharus

Flight of Icarus 14" x 14" Oil on Gallery-wrapped Canvas

The Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge in Socorro, New Mexico is home to thousands of Sandhill Cranes and other water birds that overwinter there, flying down from their northern breeding grounds to the corn fields and waterways near the Rio Grande. Thousands of birds gather, and the joyful cacophony can be almost deafening at times, but as you watch and wait, the family groups begin to emerge. These three were probably mom, dad and youngster, flying off into the sunset to roost, after enjoying another day of their winter vacation.
The painting is available at The Watermelon Gallery in Cedar Crest, New Mexico. Tell Terry you saw it on my blog.

Interviewed by Katherine Carver, Dog Photographer

Katy at the ABQ Zoo in February 2014

Recently I was interviewed by Animal Photographer Katherine Carver for inclusion in her Blog, Biscuits Space.

Here's a link to her blog and the interview:  http://biscuitsspace.com/2014/03/11/interview-with-katy-widger-painter/

 

I think she did a great job with the format.  It was actually enlightening for me to answer her questions, thinking about the "why I do this,  and how I got here" aspect of my art.  

Thank you, Katherine, for the opportunity to share my art and my story with your readers!