Painting in studio (working from photos taken at Fairmount Park in Collinsville, IL on April 10, 2007)

SUMMARY OF PLACE:: It was a wonderful day at racetrack--despite the weather. A massive and extended cold front had just pushed across most of the country, forcing us to dig out our coats and hats again. Fortunately, however, the racetrack carried on as usual. Certainly, the sounds were all there: the familiar bugle cry announcing the impending starts, the starting gate crashing open, the hooves meeting turf, and the unabashed excitement in the voice of the race announcer with the call.
INSPIRATION:: I was impressed with the sound, drama, and magnificence of horse racing. It seemed a minor miracle that a man (and a small one at that) could stay atop these animals as they raced. For this painting, I wanted to capture the thunder of hooves, the speed and strength of the horses, and the large mass of horse and humanity barreling down the track. The source photographs were taken on a cloudy, windy, and cold day. I, instead, painted sunny spring weather to communicate the magnificence of racing.