January Updates

Not a tremendous amount to report.  Things haven't progressed much in the Lab or Studio as I have been working on my Sewing Dungeon.  Cutting fabric gives me plenty of time to think about things I want to do in the Lab and the Studio when I do get the opportunity to start reworking those rooms.

Some ideas I am looking at are:

1. Improving the lighting in both rooms.
2. Exploring and developing storage solutions for paint, lumber, paint, equipment, tools, bodies...
3. Reviewing, updating and finding solutions for various media: primarily books and patterns.
4. Combing through and making some tough decisions regarding my collections.
5. Organising my show string/props to make getting ready for and going to a show easier.
6. Maximising space and minimising waste!

Right now both rooms are started, but are still lacking in purpose and focus.  I know change is needed to get the creativity flowing again.  My space is great but I need to make some improvments.  Organising and purging will be helpful.  Focusing my energies will help too.  I know I am pulled in far too many different directions with showing and collecting.  It will do me and my showing experience a lot of good to rein in my varied interests.

2013 is a new year full of new opportunities!

Peach Out, Apricots.
heart, Morg

Seeing the South End of 2012

Today hearlds the end of 2012. 

The Mayans Oreo Calendar did little more than amuse those of us who are still here after the end of the world. 

I, for one, will be happy to bid adieu to 2012 and welcome what may come in 2013. 

Some plans include more and more frequent blog entries about horses and things going on in the world of Brindle Horse Productions.  Maybe actually feeling the nudge of my creative muse and an urge to get back into the lab and start creating. 

No matter what, 2013 is going to be a better year full of opportunities and hope.

Peach Out Apricots!
Morg

What's In a Name?

I've been accused of many things, but one thing I have never been accused of is giving my horses boring names. 

When I choose a name for a horse I look for a name that stands out.  Anything and everything can serve to appeal.  Many registered breeds have naming rules or regulations.  Friesians for instance have a letter assigned to a particular year.  Some organisations such as the Jockey Club state very clearly that you cannot use names that are obscene, suggestive or otherwise notorious.  Fortunately most breed registries are a little more lenient with their naming practices, often giving a limited number of letters or no use of numbers.

Very good.   Challenge accepted.

Once at the Wolf Bros Show in Omaha back in 1999, I was asked by a Jessica R. to name her horse. The conversation went something like this:
     "I need name for a horse.  "
     "What breed?"
     "Stock Horse."
     "Any restrictions?"
     "No.  Quick the class is going to close."
     "Write this down.  Bar.  King.  Spyder.  Yeah, S-P-Y-D-E-R, like the car."
     "Okay, thanks."

When the horse won his class the name was announced and there were titters of laughter throughout the venue.  I nursed that bruise on my arm for a couple weeks, but it was well worth it.  ;)

Another infamously named animal who was also at this show, was my mule, Effie.  I bought Effie from Nikki Byler then of Good Shepherd Studios back in the mid to late 90s.  We had met at Thea R.'s basement swapmeet.  I saw the remade mule and my first thought became her name.  I bought the eyesore beauty and promptly started showing her.  When she won the longear class at her first show the room was suddenly silent as the announcer said her name:  GS Fqinugli.  Yes, just like it sounds.  You could have heard a pin drop, then the titter of laughter began again.  Thereafter she was called, "Morgan's Mule," or "Morgan's Ass," depending on who was calling the results.  Effie has long since retired and her daughter, Sofa King Ugli, has not quite made it out of the lab...but one day she will make her glorious debut to an unsuspecting audience.

Not all my horse's names are in questionable taste.  Some are sentimental like, "Annie's Song," an Amber Champagne half arab daughter out of Carra McClelland's late Arab mare, Wildwind Arianna. Or "Lady Sings the Blues," a black gaited mule out of Melissa Addison's late Walker mare, "Aspen's Majestic Lady."  And of course all the model offspring of my own late mare, Brenda. 

Everyone loves a sequel. Here are a few of the offspring from Chicken Ripple, not all are owned by myself, although I did play a large part in naming them.
"Brenda's One Batty Chicken"
"Chicken Continental II"
"Chicken ala King"
"Chknsht"
"El Pollo Loco"
"Orgasmic Chicken"
"Tastes Like Chicken"

Television programs have given me wonderful names!
Tales of the Gold Monkey:
"High Stakes Lady" a DW HR Mule
"Matilda" and "Corky" both DW HR Donkeys
X-Files:
"Talitha Cumi" - a Fjord mare CM
"Herrenvolk" - another Fjord CM
"Irresistable" - a Friesian OF

Movies too!
Bad Boys:
"Skattadash" is a play on words from a line from the movie (the scene where they are in the club) as well as a nod to the late Karen Grimm of Black Horse Ranch and the marvelous custom glazes she had created over the years.

Sometimes the materials themselves offer up an excellent opportunity for a name.  For instance my Cheval Friesian.  He is made from a material called faience which is like china, but fires at a different temperature. And with the naming rules for Friesians, his name came about quite naturally.

Other sources for names just sort of fortuitously occur:
"Whyteonrice," a Stone TB with the typically runtogetherlettersofthename often seen in Jockey Club registered horses.  "Crane Neuton," a Stone Arabian so named for the commode in my parent's basement no reflection on the horse, just a cool name from a strange source.  Others come by their names because they sound cool, or look cool when spelled different.  Take "Tu" for instance, he is my Eberl Akhal painted by the late K. McKensie.  He is the second of this model I have owned and when I saw him the words, "Et tu Brute," sprung instantly to mind.

Since I've worked on the phones in various capacities over these many years I've run into some pretty strange names.  Some are just cool and I want to use them for horses' names.  "Lippitt Amaury Profit" is one such example.  The Lippitt part is obvious, he's the DW HR Lippitt Morgan Stallion.  Amaury was this guy's name I spoke to when I was working at Gateway.  I thought it looked cool and slid off the tongue so beautifully.  The last part, Profit came from an odd source.  In the 90s there was a short lived series about a guy who spent his days as a corporate mogul, but his off time was spent in a cardboard box.  I figured my horse was going to be spending a great deal of his off time in a cardboard box...so...yeah.  You see the connection.

Other notable examples of names and sources:
5th of Kevin - The Grunt Brothers (MtV animated series from 90s)
Cinder Ella Stori - Caddyshack
Kthxbai - modern chat room talk
Chief Mojo Rising - The Doors
Damn I'm Smooth - Beavis and Butthead (episode Beard Boys)


The long and short of naming my horses comes entirely from having a odd sense of humour and not being afraid to push the envelope once in a while...

Peach Out, Apricots!

Hypno Toad - All Hail The Hypno Toad



FRS Reckless Dan, Quarter Horse Stallion, my inspiration



  Hypno Toad started life as Carol William's Valor released from Rio Rondo,  Originally prepped and painted to resemble a Puchilingui offspring by Nikki Byler.  When I saw the horse, I could see the striped beast within and had to release the monster!

After some serious negotiations I convinced Nikki to grudgingly sell me this horse, with the full and disclosed knowledge that I had plans to repaint him.  To ease the pain of a "destroyed" paint job I agreed to save his eyes and feet.  Yes, I could have ordered a blank from Rio Rondo, but truth be known, I was completely taken in by the super penetrating eyes that Nikki had painted on this guy.  I can and do paint blue eyes, and I dare say I am good at it, but something about these particular eyes that had me at first blush.  It should be noted that Nikki did a super fabulous job on his feet as well, so I saw no need to reinvent the wheel on this horse and kept the lovely feet that were already painted. 

Moments after getting him out of the box and unmummified I was on him with the sandpaper and set about waxing off his eyes and putting plastic wrap and foil on his feet with a secure wrap of blue painters tape before I started with the primer prep.  I primed him back to white and while it pained me to wait for the primer to dry I left him for an entire week before I started working on his new coat.

Slowly building up with pastels of pinkish, sienna, dark brown, black, I set about layering the details of the areas of thin hair and his undercarriage.  As anyone who has worked on Valor knows that he's got quite a bit of equipment under there.  Additionally I worked to develop his snoot with the same colours, layer by layer to give that illusion of a soft grey-black muzzle.  The eyes were carefully worked with living black and pastels to achieve the right skin tones. To create the striped coat I used several shades of cool and warm grey pencils from my Prismacolour selection.  Q-tips, pencil, fingers, water, and spit all went into the process of blending and striping trying to capture the essence of the South Dakota born FRS Reckless Dan. 

Many hours were spent in The Lab slowly developing the depth and tone of grey and stripes on this great beast.  Between finish coats and time allowed to dry I tried to think of what to name him.  He wasn't really a candidate to be an offspring of my primary brindle stud, Chicken Ripple, so he would not be able to carry on the chicken tradition.  He would need to have a special name. 



Hypno Toad

Once he was completed and the wax peeled off his eyes and the foil and tape removed from his feet he had the finishing touches put here and there and viola!  Done!  I snapped a quick pic with my cell phone on the back porch in poor light, but it was enough to give a visual sketch and I unleased the beast upon a select but unsuspecting group of friends...  Nikki approved of the new and improved paint job, even commenting that he was amazing looking.  My friend and firm sounding board, Carra McClelland, was the person who gave me the idea for his name.  "Those eyes.  Can't. Look. Away."  Both of us being Futurama fans, it was then he was dubbed, "Hypno Toad."

The Toad made his debut in Brookings at Hitchin' Post Live in 2008 showing in halter and workmanship.  He showed to an impressive 6th place under the late Kathy McKenzie in his first show in a HUGE class of breathtaking stallions.  He has shown successfully in performance, halter, and workmanship. In 2010 he even earned a Top 10 in AR/OS Workmanship!

Those eyes...Can't. Look. Away.

 

  

Chknsht - Action Jackass for the ages

My fascination with brindles knows no bounds and long ears and exotics are another of my passions.  When I found this guy, Kings Mountain Tommy on J. Sharon Batteatte's site: http://www.brindlehorses.com/brindlehos/index.htm I was sold.  Yup, reel me in.  This guy is too cool for skool!  Gotta have me an ass like that!  I thought long and hard about who this guy would be and knew I had to have Chicken Ripple as his sire.  I'd come up with a dam and a body later. 

I kept my eyes open, scoping the long eared fare that was available on the resin market and while I had at that time a few in my possession, I wasn't satisified that I had the right animal for my guy.  I knew I wanted someone more along the stock type rather than the saddle type mule.  By the grace of all that which is good the opportunity presented itself in the form of an offering for sale one Herden ShaZaam unpainted, unprepped and at a price I couldn't refuse!  I jumped at the opportunity to purchase this guy - thanks again, Jean!  He was the ass I was waiting for.  As soon as I got him I knew who he was going to be, it was just a matter of time to get him painted. 

Chknsht, the long-eared son of Chicken Ripple, did not start life as a half-assed remake but came right off the slab in full glory.  My new Action Jackass made his halter debut at Nebraska Model Horse Expo in 2011 under Carra McClelland.  When announcing his division championship he was dubbed, in a quick coinage of his name, "Chicken Stuff" due to the presence of younger children in the show hall.  He is still referred to by this name when in polite company. 

Breakaway Calf Roping



Having been bitten hard by the performance bug, I worked hard to outfit my striped ass in the proper equipment and with as nice of props as I could make or afford to purchase.  He made his performance debut also in 2011 at American Heartland Live under Deb Omel in the Custom/AR performance division.  While he did not fare as well as I had hoped - he was against some seriously stiff competition - I did enjoy showing my ass off and learning a great deal about how to improve my performance entries. 

All in all, Chknsht has earned his stripes and is now my primary Western Performance beast.  He is joining the ranks of my striped performance tour de force:  Brenda, Ripple, Toad, Banty, Tasty.  With our token Appy; Cinder. 



Chicken Ripple (the Greater) - A Diamond In the Rough

Pocos Scooter Bar

In my early communications with J. Sharon Batteate, the foremost authority on brindled horses, she informed me about this stallion called Pocos Scooter Bar.  I had just sent her a picture of my first remade model horse I had created from an image of her mare Brenda Batty Atty.  She wrote back and sent me an image of this guy and a little pedigree information.  According to her notes he never reproduced his colour and was gelded. 


The horse I had created was Chicken Ripple.  He was to be the first of many brindles in my quest to not only make a splash in the hobby, but to champion that which I knew if I created and believed in hard enough it would exist.

Chicken Ripple's name came from the last line of the Neil Diamond song, "Porcupine Pie," from the 1972 album, Moods (http://www.amazon.com/Moods-Neil-Diamond/dp/B000002PBI) details for those interested in my creative process - or who want to hear part of the song.  When I was little, I loved Neil Diamond.  I still enjoy his music.  The name Chicken Ripple just seemed to fit the little horse I was creating.  Sometimes things just fall into place.

Chicken Ripple (the original) was an old plastic (cellulose acetate) SM G1 Quarter Horse Stallion from the Maureen Love/Breyer Animal Creations mash up back in the 1970s.  I had had this body for quite some time and armed with my first issues of The Hobby Horse News and the Model Horse Gazette I was ready to start doing business!  I was given a dremel as a gift and I ordered the pre-requisite brick of Carbone's Epoxy, and I was off and cutting. 

Chicken Ripple (I)

Rehairing was a big thing at that time and I tried my hand at the braided doll hair and failed miserably.  Still, it was a good exercise.  My painting was pathetic at best as I had only my school acrylics - having not yet discovered the airbrush - but yet I plowed along. 
 
Chicken Ripple (the original) was no beauty, but I did take him to my first live show in Sioux Falls, SD hosted by long time model horse enthusiast, Thea Ryan, if memory serves me correctly it was Siouxland Live.  Deb Carlson, another long time model horse enthusiast was judging the Novice performance classes.  Some kind soul loaned me some tack so I could show Ripple in performance against Rita Menard.  Oh those were the days!  My first show and Ripple ended up with a Champion in Western, a Reserve in English and an Overall Reserve in Novice Performance.  Not bad for a crappy little remake by a total n00b.

Chicken Ripple (II)

Still not satisfied with my creation, I tried to remake my remake.  I took off the hair I was never satisfied with and added a sculpted mane and tail and a new paint job.  I was never really satisfied with this version either, but I have left him as is.  At this point I was more interested in developing his pedigree than his flagging show career.  



*****************************************************************************
Fast forward to 2010 and the rebirth of a former champion.  Chicken Ripple (the Greater) was reborn.  Some years before I had obtained a Black Horse Ranch Hunter with the intention of making it into a show horse.  The first step was to resculpt the braided mane to one that was loose for a Quarter Horse look and g'nads.  This gender neutral body was going to be a big bad boy!  That done, the body sat dormant for years before I was suddenly bitten by the bug to recreate Chicken Ripple. The usual prepping:  priming, sanding, priming, sanding, priming, sanding until I was ready to start with the paint job.  In the subsequent two decades since Ripple's initial creation I had not only learned more about painting - airbrushing to be specific, pasteling, coloured pencil and most importantly: understanding the pattern of brindle.  In addition I learned more about the genetic mechanism of dun factor and how that can play into patterns of brindle. 

Chicken Ripple (III)

When the time came to finally get down to brass tacks and make some decisions on Ripple's final look I decided I wanted to capture Pocos Scooter Bar in all his unusual glory, from his brownish grulla coat to the weird slipped sock on his right hind leg - with a twist.  Chicken Ripple (the Greater) had to have blue eyes...he insisted.  I love blue eyes, I love to look at them, I love to paint them, I love blue eyes on horses, dogs, men... <wink wink>  So we were off and running.

I started with a light mauvey tan for a base coat with layers of rose in the thin skin areas, I slowly built up the grulla coat with layers of "living black" which is a custom mix of Ceramcoat Dark Chocolate and Licorice in equal parts.  A little mauve or light tan will lighten this to a lovely soft greyish grulla colour.   I continued to block in different areas according to the Colour Formula Guide from Rio Rondo's Carol Williams until I had him just the way I wanted, then came the prismacolour pencils and I started the dun factor brindling and other primitive markings including those on the legs and face.  The leg barring, face, mane and tail as well as his undercarriage were all augmented with "living black" to build up the skin/hair colour to the right depth of darkness.

aka Chicken Ripple "the Greater"

Many layers of paint, pastel, pencil, sealer later the finished horse came to life.  He is not an exact portrait, but he is a lovingly replicated homage to a horse that without which I would have never considered thinking outside the box.  Chicken Ripple is the father of a line of brindled offspring who are scattered to all the winds.  His daughter Tastes Like Chicken (featured in another post) is still a part of my showstring and is a recent recreation herself.

Years of change, developing skills and a final satisfaction with my work, Chicken Ripple is finally come into his own and is here to stay.  Short of touch ups in the years to come from a career as a show horse, I can say that I am pleased with my first creation and NOW he is a keeper.

Peach Out Apricots.

Morg

The Original BrindleLady: Brenda Batty Atty



My muse appeared in the form of a 1x2" black and white image in the 1990 October issue of Western Horseman.  Remember back in the day when there used to be pages and pages of common and obscure breed/type registries?  This entry was for the International Striped Horse Association and the image was of Brenda Batty Atty in the now world famous image of her standing by the palms in Stockton, California.  At that time she was owned by J. Sharon Batteate.



The image of Brenda struck a chord in my creative mind.  I was in college for the second time and studying Art so I was ripe for inspiration.  I had just been reacquainted with the model horse hobby after a long hiatus - something with which many of us are familiar who been collecting for a long time.  The concept of hobby rags was new to me as was the idea of customising, model horse showing, photo showing, pedigree assignment, model horse racing...oh my!.  I soon got a subscription to Hobby Horse News, Model Horse Gazette, and a renewal to Just About Horses!  A monster had been created.  I was suddenly plunged headlong into the new to me world of model horses and all the wild and wonderful things involved. 



My first feeble attempts to capture the brindled beauty who stole my heart yielded a couple halting starts one of whiche was Chicken Ripple - A Diamond in the Rough. My first remaking was a redo of the SM G1 QH Stallion into a brindled quarter horse.  My view was "create it and it will come," which has proven out time and again!  It was with this horse that I got into photo showing, model horse showing, buying and selling, remaking, resin casting, and many of the odd and wonderful facets that goes with our hobby - including meeting and making many wonderful friends.

Brenda Batty Atty-model of brindled goodness

My portrait of Brenda was made from the Carol William's Matriarch released by Rio Rondo.  I added a little epoxy to her nose to give her that distinctive Walker head and a longer mane to take away that stock horsey look.  I started with an airbrush base of yellow bay, then built up the shadow and pangare' again with airbrush before I started the brindling process with coloured pencil.  Slowly building up the striping and detailing with pencil and pastel until I achieved her image.  I never could quite capture that mischievous sparkle in her eye or the way that she carried herself that made me know I was the love of her life. 


As it is, sometimes you have to lose to win.  I lost someone I loved, but her gift allowed me to bring into my life the mare of my dreams.  In 2003, I was able to bring Brenda into my life for the rest of hers. 

Brenda was my muse.  She was the reason Brindle Horse Productions came to be.  She left an indelible print on my heart and for her I will always be grateful.   She touched a part of my soul that I will carry with me forever.  Her kind, gentle and sweet nature helped to rebuild my trust in horses and even though I made every stupid mistake a horsey n00b could make, Brenda forgave me and loved me anyway.  She was the best horsey friend I could ever have been lucky enough to have known.  I miss her every day.



Brenda in 2004

 

Brenda crossed the Rainbow Bridge after a sudden bout of colic took her life 17 July 2007.