Painting design for auction

Brood Mares and Foals paintings

Brood Mares and Foals

The University of Kentucky's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) has noted an increase in the number of abortions reported in Kentucky's 2011 foal crop, especially those caused by nocardioform placentitis. The VDL, which reported 19 cases from July to Dec. 2010, saw 34 cases of abortion caused by nocardioform placentitis from Jan. 1 to Jan. 24.
"At the UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, every year we constantly monitor the equine abortion cases we receive to determine the causes and trends," said Neil Williams, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVP, associate director of the VDL. "We have cases of nocardioform placentitis every year (monitored by foal crop loses rather than calendar year). Some years it is more common. This year to date has had a moderate to large number of cases."
Williams added that while nocardioform placentitis is believed to be impacted by environmental factors, researchers have yet to pinpoint what those factors might be.
Nocardioform placentitis is a distinct form of placentitis (inflammation of the placenta) characterized by the area that is affected. Most placentitis cases are caused by an infection near the cervix, however nocardioform placentitis causes lesions at the top of the placenta rather than at the cervix of the placenta. The lesions often extend onto the area where the uterus joins the uterine horns. The affected area usually is large, but isolated. The surface of the placenta is covered with a thick, brown exudate (pus), which contains dead placental cells, white blood cells, and bacteria.
"Breeders should be monitoring for any abnormal discharges and mammary gland development in advance of the actual due date," Williams added. "Consultation with their veterinarian is advisable. The veterinarian can perform an examination including ultrasonography which can help establish a diagnosis of placentitis.
"While this is a fairly big year for nocardioform placentitis, it is nothing really out of the ordinary," he added. "The cases we are seeing and the bacteria we are culturing are consistent with our findings in prior years. Laura Kennedy, DVM, Dipl. ACVP, from our lab is doing extensive analysis of our abortion cases to get a better idea of what we are experiencing with this foal crop. We should have additional information in the near future."

source: http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=17704

Birds of America's paintings


Birds of America

Welcome
Birds of America is in the process of development. We will eventually provide a detailed description of all types of birds found in North America, to include pictures, photographs, etc.

Birds of America

Having been frequently asked, for several years past, by numerous friends of science, both in America and Europe, to present to them and to the public a work on the Ornithology of our country, similar to my large work, but of such dimensions, and at such price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library, and look upon it during his leisure hours as a pleasing companion - I have undertaken the task with the hope that those good friends and the public will receive the “Birds of America,” in their present miniature form, with that favour and kindness they have already evinced toward one who never can cease to admire and to study with zeal and the most heartfelt reverence, the wonderful productions of an Almighty Creator.
– "Introduction," Birds of America by J.J.Audubon, New York, Nov., 1839

American White Pelican.

If you tell someone that you are going to an Audubon meeting, or that you are a member of Audubon, they will probably conclude, correctly, that you are interested in birds.

Somewhere around the beginning of the twentieth century, many bird clubs began to reorganize themselves as Audubon societies. As bird clubs, the members (a majority were women) were primarily interested in watching birds. As Audubon societies, their interest expanded to protection and conservation issues as many birds were on a downward spiral from threats such as market hunters, sportsmen, and the “feather in the hat” millinery business.

They took the name of their societies from John James Audubon, c.1785-1851. Throughout the world, the name, Audubon, is associated inextricably with birds. Audubon was born in what is now Haiti, the acknowledged bastard of a well-to-do French merchant-slaver, Jean Audubon.” He was an artistic genius and a brilliant eccentric.

Vintage car

Vintage Car

Vintage Car - Vintage Cars for Weddings

When you see a vintage car, you always think of an era when life was somehow more glamorous and stylish. However, we can all get a piece of a bygone era by hiring a vintage car from a specialist hire firm.
There’s lots of reasons to hire a vintage car, maybe it’s for a wedding or an anniversary but there’s no doubt that riding in a vintage car will be a fantastic and memorable experience.

Finding somewhere to rent a vintage car

Finding somewhere to hire that special car can be a little difficult sometimes. It’s easy to find a limousine but to find a classic car is a little more difficult. The best place to start looking is on the internet and seeing what companies are close by. If you can’t find anywhere suitable, still give some of your local car hire firms a call because they might know of somewhere themselves.
Once you have found a vintage hire service, check and see what cars are avilable. For example it might be a Fiat 500 from 1963 or perhaps a 1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville for the retro look. For sheer glamour of a bygone era, take a look at a Buick Tourer D35 from 1917, there really are vintage cars for every type of wedding.
As well as cars traditional vintage wedding cars, you can also hire cars for your special days which have featured in your favourite movies. Perhaps you'd like to turn up at the church in Lady Penelope's Thunderbirds pink car, a Mr Bean Mini or Magnum PI Ferrari all available for hire.

Self drive or chauffeur for the vintage hire

Once you’ve got the perfect car you may have the choice to drive it yourself or have a chauffeur. Both options could work out expensive but will be a necessary part of the costs for the hire. If you opt to drive the vintage car yourself, check out your car insurance very carefully, you might not be covered which means using the hire firms insurance.

If the car is to be used for a wedding or other very special occasion, then what better way to enjoy the day than having a chauffeur. Having a chauffeur should be a part of the overall cost of the hire, but check first before signing any contracts.

Any extras

If you’ve decided to hire a vintage car for a surprise, you might want to think about perhaps having some champagne on ice all ready for you or if it’s for a wedding having the car decorated ready to take you to the church.
All these options are normally available from the hire firm and may they be able to offer you special deals for the extras.

Private adverts for classic cars

A lot of people buy run down cars and bring them back to their former glory which is an expensive business. You can often find private adverts for vintage car hire in your local press or classified adverts in online newspapers. This is a great way of reducing costs but be even more careful that insurance will cover you for the hire and that they will show up on the big day.
Deciding to rent a vintage car for your wedding day will add something special to the occasion, but perhaps choosing something else slightly different like a movie themed car will turn the day into a unique event.

Rent a Vintage Car - Vintage Cars for Weddings

Zhang Xiaogang

On December 8th, the Today Art Museum, Pace Beijing, and Martell will jointly present an exhibition of Zhang Xiaogang‘s recent works, 16:9, at the Today Art Museum.

We live in an era of electronic media. The title of the exhibition is derived from the 16:9 aspect ratio that has become recognized as the golden ratio in display. In his 2009 exhibition, The Records, at Pace Beijing, Zhang Xiaogang expanded his practice to include sculptures and installations. The new works in 16:9 with include painting, sculpture, and installation. They will continue to explore his reflections on history and memory and also introduce an increased response to the present.

Zhang Xiaogang develops his art by constant exploration of historical and memorial themes. There is a poetic sentiment in his artistic language. His work address issues of yearning and reflection as they intermingle in the reality of historical record and the sensibility of personal memory, enabling his art to exist in both the public and private space. The new works presented in 16:9 are a subversion of Zhang Xiaogang’s familiar artistic form and an extension of his emotion.

source: art museum

Lyndon B. Johnson

Yes, and how can these so-called Big men really get obsessed with something like this? God only knows. Maybe these things happen the way they happened to Lyndon Johnson, Our President. Mr. Johnson was campaigning with John Kennedy in 1960, and he had to look at Kennedy's clothes and then look at his own clothes, and then he must have said to himself, in his winning, pastoral way, Great Hairy Ned on the mountaintop, my clothes look like Iron Boy overalls. Yus, muh cluths look luk Irun Bouy uvverulls. Now this Kennedy, he had most of his clothes made by tailors in England. Anyway, however it came about, one day in December, 1960, after the election, if one need edit, Lyndon Johnson, the salt of the good earth of Austin, Texas, turned up on Savile Row in London, England, and walked into the firm of Carr, Son & Woor. He said he wanted six suits, and the instructions he gave were: "I want to look like a British diplomat." Lyndon Johnson! Like a British diplomat! You can look it up. Lyndon Johnson, President of the United States, Benefactor of the Po', Lion of NATO, Defender of the Faith of Our Fathers, Steward of Peace in Our Times, Falconer of Our Sly Asiatic Enemies, Leader of the Free World—is soft on real buttonholes!