Thursday, May 7, 2015

Last Portrait of Turk

Turk, the gentle giant of a draft horse, died this week. I painted one last portrait of him and made a video tribute (Link to YouTube).



He had been losing weight, even on a special rich diet, and one rear leg was so lame that he was almost unable to get up from the ground. He was around 28-30 years old.

Portrait of the Belgian draft horse Turk, gouache, 5 x 8 inches.
I stood by his stall and painted him in gouache. The challenge was that he didn't hold still, and even faced the wrong way most of the time.

Paintings of Turk
Clockwise from upper left: Brush pen and watercolor pencils; Oil on panel; Watercolor and gouache; and Casein.

at

14 comments:

  1. KM RyanMay 7, 2015 at 11:04 AM

    What a beautiful tribute to a gentle giant.

    ReplyDelete
  2. jimserrettstudioMay 7, 2015 at 11:14 AM

    What a magnificent creature.
    Very sweet tribute.

    ReplyDelete
  3. kev ferraraMay 7, 2015 at 11:24 AM

    Very sad news. A gentle titan.

    ReplyDelete
  4. yvonneMay 7, 2015 at 11:28 AM

    Lovely tribute to a hard working generous animal. It is so hard to lose them but not all horses, unfortunately, experience the love and kindness Turk did. RIP Turk.

    ReplyDelete
  5. TerryMay 7, 2015 at 12:59 PM

    What a long and productive life he had, and so many admirers. Thanks for this lovely tribute.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tom HartMay 7, 2015 at 1:22 PM

    I don't care if this is reduncant, I have to add my tribute to Turk, noble steed. Thanks for sharing the news with us, James, and for your lovely paintings of him. Please let his family know how many of us appreciated him from afar.

    ReplyDelete
  7. HNKMay 7, 2015 at 1:27 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Nancy AllenMay 7, 2015 at 4:51 PM

    Lovely and sad at the same time. A wonderful tribute. I lost one of my gentle giants not too long ago, and know about the grand heart that Turk must have had. Thanks for the video!

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousMay 7, 2015 at 7:53 PM

    I concur with others here. Thank you for your tribute towards this wonderful horse.

    If you do see the family, tell them how much they are respected for giving such a long life to one of God's beautiful creatures. It is a loving thing they did.

    Rest in peace, friend Turk. May your spirit rise and run free in the rolling hills of the ever after.

    ReplyDelete
  10. elginMay 7, 2015 at 9:49 PM

    Many animals become as close as family and their loss is like the loss of a family member. My deepest condolences.

    ReplyDelete
  11. K_tigressMay 7, 2015 at 10:59 PM

    Not every horse is that lucky to have a privileged life. Let alone our own pets/friends. Its great he had a good life and was well loved. And will always be loved.
    Happy trails Turk.

    ReplyDelete
  12. UnknownMay 8, 2015 at 8:33 AM

    Wonderful tribute to a magnificent horse.

    ReplyDelete
  13. LoriArtMay 8, 2015 at 10:05 AM

    My condolences to all who knew and loved Turk. Your portrait is a wonderful tribute.. I'm sure the special relationship you shared will bring fond memories in time.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Neil WhitingMay 9, 2015 at 7:43 AM

    That was special
    Thank you

    ReplyDelete

Due to a high level of spam we must moderate comments. Please identify yourself by name or social media handle so we know you're not a 'bot.'