Delicate Beginnings IV – Accidentally Discovered and Finally Finished

    Black ink drawing of a foal head, looking to the right, on a richly textured light green background
    Delicate Beginnings IV – pen and ink on mixed media background, 5″ x 5″

    A few years ago, I created a series of foal drawings for the Art for the Heart Gala at The Arts Center in Corvallis. One piece didn’t make it because I didn’t have enough time to meet the deadline, and since then I completely forgot about it.

    Last year, as I was packing and sorting everything for the move to the new place, it briefly reminded about itself, but so much was happening at once that only now I finally had time to finish it. Just in time for the upcoming “Annual Color Show: Green” show at the Keizer Art Association!

    This little foal is looking for a loving home. The rest of the series has been sold, but reproductions are available:

    Art for the Heart 8×8 Gallery 2020

      Delicate Beginnings I, mixed media drawing by Yelena Shabrova
      Delicate Beginning I ~ mixed media, 5″ x 5″
      Delicate Beginnings II, mixed media drawing by Yelena Shabrova
      Delicate Beginning II ~ mixed media, 5″ x 5″
      Delicate Beginnings III, mixed media drawing by Yelena Shabrova
      Delicate Beginning III ~ mixed media, 5″ x 5″

      Dropped my contribution to the Art Gallery for Art for the Heart that benefits Center for the Arts in Corvallis. I am not sure if the show will be an actual physical one or online only like many others. I haven’t been to the place since way before the pandemic, and it was so nice to walk in and enjoy the current show and new things in their gift shop. It was almost normal. Almost.

      Three 5” x 5” drawings make the “Delicate Beginnings” little series. It would be four, but the forth one became a casualty of forgetting to cover the ink drawing with final fixative before attempting to mount it on top of the tissue paper with pastels and powdered bone. It will require heavy touch-up and maybe adding some color to the foal. I am not sure about color yet, but it’s a possibility. Maybe all four would benefit from some color.

      More details about the show: https://theartscenter.net/call-for-artists-8×8-art-gallery-for-art-for-the-heart/

      Updated September 25th, 2020

      The Art for the Heart 8×8 Gallery is going up in the Corrine Woodman Gallery tomorrow.

      The show will be up from September 26th till October 8th, 2020.
      The current hours of The Arts Center are Thursday – Saturday, 12 pm – 5 pm.

      Masks and Social Distancing Required

      Virtual Reception
      The 8×8 Gallery reception will be held on October 1, 2020 at 6 pm online. It will be the first chance to purchase any artwork in this gallery.
      Register for Art for the Heart by clicking here. Registration is free. Also visit The Arts Center’s Facebook page by clicking here for more info.

      Newborn (foal head in colored pencil, 11″ x 14″)

        Updated: September 12, 2014

        Newborn won the Best Realism Award at the Fall Festival Art Show

        Updated: August 29, 2014

        And it’s done! I don’t think there is anything to add to it, but if I were to do this piece all over again I would approach it completely differently. It was a nice detour from fully realistic colors and a few purely technique-related things I usually use.

        Yelena Shabrova ~ Newborn ~ Derwent colored pencil on Bienfang watercolor paper, 11" x 14", horse portrait
        Newborn ~ Derwent colored pencil on Bienfang watercolor paper, 11″ x 14″

        The original ($980.00), greeting cards, and prints are available in my online shop as a part of the “Colored Pencil” collection.

        Updated: June 2, 2014

        He looks more like a living creature now and almost ready for darks to be added. The white stripe will need some gentle work first.

        Yelena Shabrova ~ Newborn, drawing of a foal head in progress ~ Derwent colored pencils on Bienfang watercolor paper, 11" x 14"

        Updated: April 21, 2014

        Well, it’s been a while since I started this portrait, several different small projects got in the way, but finally I am back to the little foal.

        In the end, he won’t be nearly as colorful as right now (or at least I hope for that), but it will be interesting to see what bright violet and yellows will be able to add to regular coat colors.

        Yelena Shabrova - Newborn, drawing of a foal head in progress - Derwent colored pencils on Bienfang watercolor paper, 11" x 14"

        Original post: Jan 18, 2014

        I think it’s been a terrible while since I drew a horse that fits on piece of paper bigger that 4″ x 6″. Time to change that, so here’s the beginning of a very young foal’s head. Because for some reason I chose rough Bienfang watercolor paper, it may take a while to build up colors in this one. And it’s not just rough, it’s somewhat slippery too. But we will see. So far it was mostly working on the background to get a better feel of the paper that is new to me before adding much detail to the foal.

        Newborn, drawing in progress - Derwent colored pencils on Bienfang watercolor paper, 11" x 14"