Mini-Monday

As some of you know, I have become enthralled with the hobby of making Miniatures. Long ago, (but as an adult) I was given a doll house kit and my Father was supposed to make it for me so I could start a miniature collection. No one ever convinced him that he was supposed to do this, and years later, I finally decided to give it a go by myself. This is what the pieces looked like when I took them out of the intimidatingly big box. I should have started taking photos at that point, but I never imagined that I would get very far, so I didn't.
What you are looking at in the photo is the upper floor and part of the roof. They are the only parts left undecorated. I thought that on Mondays - Mini-Mondays - I would show you bit by bit, how the house is coming along, both the construction, and the all too often destruction. There's a lot of that.
I gave my house a name - The Laurels, after my Grandmother's family home back in Ireland. It was meant to be a rather large, three part ranch house, but I am transforming it into a modern day house that was built in the Tudor times and decorated in various eras after that. In the history that I have made up for the house, Queen Elizabeth the First gave the house and land to one of her knights as a reward for his loyalty and bravery. Yes, I get really invovled with my fantasies! :-0
So I invite you to come along on Mondays and watch as I bring The Laurels to life.

HORSE!!!

The Canadian Museum of Civilization has a wonderful exhibit on now about THE HORSE. Naturally we went as soon as were able. This exhibit opens with the tiny, dog-sized creature that eventually became the large, noble horse. As we stepped into further the hall, there was a wonderful diorama of three stages of the horse's development. Did you know that they were once leaf browsers and had longer necks and short teeth? When they moved to a plains environment, their necks grew a little shorter and their teeth elongated to cope with the coarse grass. Short teeth would have worn out fast on the grasses they now ate. The whole "horse experience" was heightened by the sound of whinnies and hoofbeats all around you.
The Horse subject is so vast that it is only natural that not everything could possibly be covered. What was done, was presented with respect and a depth of knowledge, and although we were somewhat disappointed that there wasn't more of the exhibit, we thoroughly enjoyed what there was. At the very end, like a breath of West wind, the wonderful band of Joe Fafard horses (metal sculpture) galloped across the end of the hall, colourfully lit so that the herd doubled in size against the backdrop. Great stuff!!
Naturally, I now feel the need to return to horses for a couple of paintings before I get back to my dog art. This little 5 x 7 coloured pencil Friesian is called EVENING STAR. I love to do the Baroque horses in a fantasy medieval setting. It is available matted, for $98.00, shipping and tax included. Inquiries may come to me at anderson.animalart@sympatico.ca