Acrylic on Canvas

I don't usually work on commission but recently created two original paintings for someone special who wanted them for her office. I documented each painting as it progressed from a pencil sketch to a finished painting.

The first painting is titled Showmanship, depicting equestrian competition at the World Show in Texas. This painting is 36x48.

The second painting is titled In-Hand-Trail, depicting equestrian competition with a mini-horse at the World Show in Oklahoma. This painting is 36x40.

Over the years, my painting evolved from realism to abstract expressionism, and I'm very happy throwing paint over large canvas, daring it to do something unexpected. But these paintings required me to turn back time and paint realistically again.

As a young girl, I painted exclusively with oil on canvas and honed my skills that way, all the way through college. Today when I paint, I frequently use acrylic on watercolor paper, and rarely use oil on canvas at all. But for these two paintings, I did something completely different and used acrylic on canvas which set me up for a new experience!

The transparency and fluidity of the paint contrasted with the defined lines in the compositions which is opposite how I usually paint. The process was challenging but the experience invaluable. I found myself relying on simplification of the composition as the challenges increased.

These two paintings were extremely mental, forcing me to draw on my decades of experience, while at the same time facing new questions about the qualities of acrylic paint. I was in a new frontier!

This is the value of art ... launching into the unknown. It's up to each artist to take the risks before them. There is nothing greater than learning your capabilities and trusting your judgment. This is something everyone can do if they are willing to try and work hard enough.

- Joy Calonico