New paintings have arrived, but not without a story involving my muse, DaVinci.
DaVinci is my gelding recovering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I’m not certain if he’ll ever fully recover, but the journey continues to amaze, like today for example, where I think he read my mind and painted what he saw!
I was handing paint laden brushes to him while he painted on a watercolor board with colors that reminded me of him. He’s a bay sabino pinto, which means he has three colors. His mane and tail are black, his legs, mid-line, blaze and chin are white, set on a golden, coppery bay coat.
As he was adding strokes it looked like he was painting a corral full of pintos and palominos and I knew immediately I had to title the painting just that, Pintos and Palominos. (I usually don’t name the paintings until I’ve had a chance to bring them in the house and reflect.)
Here’s a look at Pintos and Palominos. There even appears to be a dark bay face with white forelock and mane in the upper center left, perhaps an entire body in the lighter colored strokes. But wait, there’s more….
As we created the very next painting, I handed DaVinci a bristle brush with the lovely golden ochre color and he enthusiastically made his mark. I then handed him his favorite sponge brush heavily covered with dark brown paint. I think he likes the sponge brushes because they ‘bounce’ upon hitting the canvas and he usually bounces the brush several times in a row. Today was no different, he seemed thrilled to wield his bouncy brush and when I paused to look at the painting, it took my breath away; and then I burst out laughing. Can you see why?
I see an unmistakable profile of a palomino.
Reminiscent of the old Reeses Peanut Butter Cups commercials “You got chocolate in my Peanut Peanut Butter!” DaVinci’s enthusiastic application of brown paint splattered a rather well formed “eye” on a yellow ochre stroke, creating a rather vivid palomino horse head.
This begs the question. Was DaVinci reading my mind? Was I so focused on palominos that he created one? Were we both whirling around in a vortex of deliberate creation that my thoughts manifested really fast and in the shape of a palomino?
Either way, I consider this a fascinating coincidence. I’m thinking the next time I contemplate lottery numbers, I’m going to stand by DaVinci!
Enjoy the new paintings!
Cheryl
I Feel Good, My Horse Feels Good 
I can’t help feeling that horses can tune into our thoughts much more readily than we’re aware of. I always wonder if we’re so distracted with words and verbal stuff it kind of dulls our ability to tune in like they can.
I think they are amazing, it’s wonderful to give the horses that self expression. You have inspired me to have a go painting with Star this summer 🙂
BTW if the thought thing works with lottery numbers please let me know!
I will totally keep you posted about the lottery numbers!
I’ve been watching my horses and dogs very closely regarding just how much they tune in, or very possibly read my mind. I was in the kitchen and I broadcast as loudly as I could with my thoughts to my dogs, “Who wants a piece of cheese?”. The cheese was already cut on the cutting board and had been there long enough so I didn’t want to eat it, so there was no sound or crinkly wrappers to cue a Pavlovian response. I was actually focusing on one dog in particular, however, within seconds, the dog that loves cheese the most, my roly poly Chihuahua, came waddling at high speed into the kitchen-as if I had called her.
I have another dog, that if I simply think about sitting in a particular chair, she beats me to it. She totally goes in the direction of my focus.
The amazing thing, is that my horses, display this same ability, especially with painting. When I first started teaching them to paint, there were so many steps that they ‘just did’ that I was not aware that I was teaching. And maybe I wasn’t. Maybe they just read my mind.
In the meantime, I put together the steps I thought were relevant to teaching them to paint in this free tutorial: Teach Your Horse to Paint:
Click to access TeachYourHorseToPaint.pdf
Now, here’s the fascinating part for me. If I truly sent my dog a thought, “Come get cheese” and she heard me, what if our animals are sending us thoughts? What came first, my idea to give her cheese, or did she send me the thought first, “Cheese Please!”
I keep thinking we’re all entering such an exciting time with our four legged friends. I do think, the first step is by allowing them to express as you’ve said. When we allow them to express, it doesn’t mean we’re being permissive or letting them walk all over us, I think it means we’re honoring there being-ness and listening and they in turn do the same for us. Such cool stuff!
I absolutely can’t wait to see what happens when you, (incredible artist) and your mare begin to collaborate. Please keep us posted!!
Cheryl