Snow Day!

We got a heavy snow a couple days ago.  The sun is out bright and crisp and it is truly beautiful!  Just when I was thinking Ohio winters were not for me any longer!  :)

My Amish neighbor got out his team and plowed our shared lane.  He used what he called a 'boat' which is just a wooden frame pulled by the horses.  it actually did quite a good job but from what he said there's not much 'control'.  Especially when the horses were feelin' their oats and wanted to pick up a gallop!  I saw the 'boat' and it only had a seat .. or more like a step but no sides or anything to brace against.  My neighbor first stood but then did the other swipes down the lane sitting down.  I discreetly took these photos, taking care not to photograph his face so you can see the snow flying! 

To see equine art I welcome you to visit my new blog at http://www.suesteinerpetportraits.com/ 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/suesteiner/sets/72157623242674677/

Upcoming Events For 2010

We are in the planning stages of new events for 2010.  Stay tuned for more info.  New Demos beginning in the spring of '10

Farm Animal Murals- twin lambs

I was at Lehamn's this past week adding to the farm animal murals I've been doing there the last few years. Above you can see the beginning of a couple young lambs with the ewe and a friendly rooster.

Please visit the store or my web site to see more finished murals that I have done.  I can be commissioned to paint life sized horse or farm animal murals either an existing wall, canvas or on a specially treated board that is suitable to he installed outside. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Sue Steiner

equine and animal artist

Ohio Amish Country

Lehman's Local Artisan Festival July 2009

I love living in Kidron, in Ohio Amish Country.  It is like no place else.  I enjoy my Amish neighbors.  I share a lane with an Amish family so have lots of buggy and foot traffic on our little lane.  Since I am a horse person I often have conversations about horses with my neighbors.  Just the other day  I got to chit chat with Sam about horses.  I have an offspring of one of his horses so I was telling him how well my colt is doing.  Ricco is growing into a beautiful horse.  He is at that leggy, long necked stage and growing so fast its almost visible.  Thankfully he has the sweetest tempernment of any horse I've owned. 

We got on the subject of horse training and Sam was telling me he trained some half siblings to my colt but won't be taking green horses out on the road any longer after a scary near miss.  The roads are getting too busy and he commented that the people on the road honk their horns at frightened horses.  I think the downside to living in a community with lots of Amish is seeing horses on the road are common so its easy to assume the horses are very well conditioned to the traffic.  I could sympathize with Sam though knowing you have to start somewhere with a young horse.  I am always amazed at how well the horses do for the most part but I also keep in mind that a frightened horse is not thinking but reacting so a loud noise would heightened his fear.

Sam told me now instead of training young horses he is making halters as a sideline so if I ever need some to stop by.  I like to shop at these little Amish cottage businesses.  You get a glimpse into their lifestyle which is often fascinating to me.  I admit  I envy their way of life in some respects.  I am not sure though how an artist would fit in!  :)  Thankfully we can live side by side quite well.  I do know I have shown several Amish themed paintings to my neighbors and have enjoyed hearing their perspective and hearing the stories that come about from the scenes depicted in the paintings.   They seem to appreciate that what I do is 'freehand' (thats a term that often comes up meaning what I do is not traced or made by a machine) and that I do not make the painting specifically of them as an individual.  I paint it in an impressionistic style so the faces are not detailed and they become just part of the landscape-- just like the painting of the work horses on the banner of this page.

I will be working on more of this type of artwork in preparation for a couple more art events at Lehman's in Kidron.  It was decided the other day that we would do a couple more this fall and winter and have come up with the dates of Nov 7 and Dec 5th.  If you like more information you can e-mail me at artbysue@hotmail.com or visit http://www.lehmans.com/ to see their events calendar.  I have an ongoing project at Lehman's painting farm animal murals as painting demos and also help schedule other artists and crafters to do demos as well.  We've got a very nice selection of potters, fiber artists, wood carvers, wool rug hookers, oil painters to mention a few who come on a regular basis to do these demos.   So if you are planning a trip to Ohio Amish Country please check out the events calendar and mark your calendars!  We are heading into the most beautiful time of the year!

thanks for stopping by!
Sue Steiner
Kidron Artist

Back in the Buggy Barn...

I had a pretty productive day mural painting at Lehman's on Friday. I am almost finished with the rooster. The ewe was completed a few weeks ago. Now on the the barn cat and twin lambs.

If you are not familar with my murals this photo above is just one small section of a room full of life sized farm animals and horses! Its been an ongoing project and a complete joy to do. I love meeting the people who visit Kidron and enjoy chit chatting with them as I paint. The day I took the photo above I got to talk with some delightful kids and their parents about their farm animals, chickens and art projects. They told me about Elvis the duck who had some interesting mannerisms which got him his name.

Next time you are in Ohio Amish Country stop by Lehman's and see my farm animal murals. :)

to see more art by me visit http://www.suesteiner.com/ or stop by my studio at Second April Art Galerie in the arts district of Canton.

Farm Animal Murals

I specialize in painting life sized animals, in particular horses. I am beginning a couple projects of new outdoor murals that I will share here as 'work in progress' pics.

In the photos above I have some chicken oil paintings on my easle that I did recently. These will be in an art exhibit at Gallery 6000 in Canton, Ohio in a show titled 'Animal Instincts'. I plan on having some equine, dog and cat paintings represented there as well.

I also posted a photo taken in the Buggy Barn at Lehman's while I was setting up for the 2009 Lehman's Local Artisan Festival. I help schedule Ohio Arts and Crafts Guild members demos on an ongoing basis in the store thru out the year. We all get together for the art festival usually the second Sat. in July. Its been a great success and lots of fun for all involved.

If you are planning a trip to Ohio Amish Country please stop by Lehman's to check out the events calendar to see my murals and other arts and craft demos.

At this stage of the game my new murals are not much to look at. I am making one an adaptation of the donkey mural at Lehman's. Another will be a much loved family horse and the third is a strikingly beautiful black mustang! So I have my hands full for the time being. Stop back by to see the progress!

If you are in the Canton area stop by my studio White Horse Studio at 324 Cleveland Ave. NW in the downtown arts district.

Sue Steiner

equine an animal artist

pet portraits

life sized animal art