This oil painting was a Christmas surprise for my lovely daughter-in-law Melissa, who is greatly loved by our family, extended family and friends, and who has shared her passion for horses with us all.  Melissa has been riding ponies and horses all her life.  She has shown horses in regional and national competitions for many, many years, riding in the dressage style, and has won innumberable first prizes for the various horses she's owned and trained.  Bucky is getting older now, and Melissa asked if I could possibly do a portrait of him.  I worked from her selected photo, feverishly trying to make dear Bucky's awesomeness shine through.  I was able to capture a special light that expresses his great nobility.  Bucky now enjoys the company of three other horses and loves running free in the big pasture on a ridgetop farm not far from Madison, Wisconsin.