Art at the Bee's Knees in Morrisville, Vermont

My son, Dan Primmer, AKA Danny Prime, is currently exhibiting recent photographs at the Bee's Knees (802-888-7889) in Morrisville, Vt.  Bee's Knees is an awesome little cafe at 82 Lower Main Street in downtown Morrisville that specializes in homemade grub from local produce and provides a friendly meeting place to eat, drink and take in local talent.  "Stay as long as you like", the owner says.  Live music is played regularly and, of course, a variety of artists is always on display.

My husband and proud father of Dan stands by his portrait.

A Salute to Riada, a Very Creative Mare

Ancient nomads prized their Arabian mares over stallions or geldings because of their fierce bravery, extraordinary sensativity and willingness to protect their herd at all costs to themselves.  I have witnesses this over and over again in my 22 year old Spanish Arabian mare, Riada.  She is the lead mare ever watchful.  I have seen her in full airs above ground as she arches herself to prove to any unseen but detected threat that she will destroy it if it makes the wrong move.  Her herd is constantly attentive to her.  And she calls all the shots.  Roll here, graze here, come with me NOW!

Riada, born April 23,1988, came to us as a two year old and was a gift to me for my 40th birthday.  I had been away for the day and came home to find my husband and 5 year old son cleaning out the barn of our new village farm.  I'll never forget how pleased they both were with themselves when they announced that my birthday present would be arriving later that day.  She was a beautiful roan colored mare who would many years later be completely snow white.

I thought I knew how to ride, but I had never had an untrained horse before.  What I was about to find out was exactly how little I knew. She has been my longest living pet and mentor, all the while forgiving me as we learned together for the first time preliminary gaits, or in taking our first jumps, or in hitching up to a cart with her in harness and driving, or while she was covered by the first of several stallions and I stood at her head.

Riada (AHR 447076)

Her first born (June 4, 1993) was a colt, Moniet el Marut, better known as Marut.  Marut became my dressage mentor, carrying me through several years of quadrille team riding.  I would like to describe his breeding, but all of my papers were destroyed in our farm's fire.  I have yet to replace those documents.  I can only report that his sire was of Egyptian bloodlines.

Moniet el Marut (AHR 497538)

4 years old

Marut 5 years old

Marut and Me

having finished dressage training level

2001

Marut, Me and Jane Savoie

2002

Morningside Rasha was Riada's next creation, born on June 1, 1997, and sired by Temptation, a Crabbet Arabian stallion who no longer is alive.  She became the dearest companion of all.  For when it was time to start her under saddle in 2002 I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She had received 3 months of preliminary training from my coach, Judi Whipple, but was not ready to carry a rider competently.  Winters can be very long in Vermont.  During that winter in amongst chemotherapy and radiation I was able to board Rasha at an indoor riding facility not too far from my home.  It was there that she would permit me to cling to life as I struggled to ride, to not give up, and to not be disappointed.

Morningside Rasha (AHR 556963)

after first 3 months of training with Judi Whipple

2001

Then along came Werbellin, the Hanoverian stallion, who stole my heart and led Riada and Rasha down the star studded path to breeding fame. 

I was determined to see my breeding program expand, and before it could, my lovely ladies would need to be presented before seven judges at a Hanoverian Mare Inspection.  In addition to Hanoverians, the American Hanoverian Society allows the inspection of registered Thoroughbreds and Arabians.  Upon calling the owner of River House Hanoverians in Piermont NH (the closest inspection site to my Vermont farm) I was promptly discouraged from attempting to present Arabian mares being told that site unseen, they would never be accepted. 

The owner of Werbellin, Rachel Ehrlich, (Greengate Farm) was undaunted and assisted me by loaning me her presenter.  Instead, we travelled to a presentation in Rhode Island where we were not disappointed.  Although Riada failed by a fraction of a point to qualify, Rasha was one of two Arabian mares that year to be included in the society's pre-studbook. 

While Rasha failed to settle to Werbellin's artificial insemination, Riada didn't.  We anxiously awaited for the foal to arrive late spring 2004.  Oh, 2004.  My father passed away that April.  Riada's boy-foal, beautifully formed but so very big, was born dead on Memorial Day.  And on November 30 our farm burned to the ground.  Oh, 2004.

Life continues and on another Memorial Day in 2006, Riada could boast a grandson born to Morningside Rasha at our newly rebuilt farm following the great fire of 2004.  Because of the last disasterous attempt at breeding to what very well could have been too large of a stallion for Riada, I did not want to repeat  the experience when it was time to try to breed Rasha again.  Connie Walker came into our lives with her outstanding AngloArabian 100 mile endurance athlete VSF Otis +1 and helped create Morningside Amir.

Morningside Amir

1 month old

Amir with Grandmother Riada in center while

Mother Rasha and Uncle Marut look on

2 weeks old

Amir with Connie and Scot Walker

Riada ever watchful in the rear

4 mos. old

Amir meets Judi for the first time

2 years old

Amir looks for a treat from Kelly Foster

3 year old

Uncle Marut now 15 years old is Amir's Godfather

and is second in command

My Archival Artwork

On November 30, 2004, a fire started in our barn that eventually consumed it and the farmhouse that was attached, including my art studio that contained a lifetime of artwork.  Miraculously, no one was injured.   Equally miraculously, my step son was able to save images from a fire damaged pc hard drive.  My husband and I have rebuilt our farm, not on the same location.  Since the original farm had once before burned down on that spot and was rebuilt there in 1895, we thought it too unlucky to test fate a third time.  Therefore, we built up the hill with a tremendous view of Blue Mountain.

What follows are images of my artwork no longer in existence, but preserved on film downloaded into that poor surviving hard drive, reproduced here to begin a frame of reference.  I had been trained to teach art K-12, but became a potter and a painter, then a weaver.

 I had abandoned my art after the fire while in pursuit of basically rebuilding our lives until last year when I  purchased some brushes and oil paints to begin again by capturing a wintery Blue Mountain.

CERAMICS

"WARRING ANGELS" Oil on Canvas 7'x4'  1972

"MY SISTER DIANE"  Oil on Panel 10"x 16"  2001

"SPRING ORCHARD" Watercolor 2003

"Hibiscus Botanical" Watercolor  2002

Here I am in my studio just months before the fire took everything.  I particularly like this photo because it shows a watercolor portrait that I had done on an easel behind me.  I had been working on copying oil paintings from the Athenaeum's Gallery in St.Johnsbury, Vt.  by painting them in watercolor instead of oils.  I found transposing medium to be challenging and was happy with the results.  Alas, those paintings, too, are gone.

December 16, 2009 Graduation Dinner

At Johnson Vermont State College December Graduates Dinner, Danny Primmer with friends Walker and Steve.  Dan has a BA in Liberal Arts emphasizing in photography, creative writing and alternative medicine.  He displayed his photographs at the Lov'N Cup in Johnson during the months of December and January.

Music and munchies.  A good time was had by all!

Planning and Developing

There will be a solar eclipse in Capricorn on January 15, 2010. A good time for this artist to begin a blog project due to its trigger of her individual creative field of influence.

I invite anyone to comment on desired goals to be accomplished during the next six months, please write them down the day after the solar eclipse and share them here.