During a roadtrip jaunt to Bend, OR in the height of the pandemic, I passed through the tiny town of Dorris on the border of California and Oregon. It just so happened there was a WSIRA (Western States Indian Rodeo Association) Youth Rodeo final in Dorris that morning, and the locals appeared none too worried about cancelling over a lil' bit o' COVID.
As we drove past, I murmered to Robyn...."should I stop to grab some reference photos?" Her succinct reply, "you know you're going to so why even ask?". I nuzzled my Prius between a few of the F-150s in the parking lot, grabbed my camera, and ran around the horse trailers like a madman snagging photos, liberally applying the "ask forgiveness not permission" rule of photography. I rounded the perimeter of the arena and there, about 100 yards across the range, I saw that beautiful Palomino mare all gussied up in her Sunday best - saddle blankets, lasso, all set for the competition. I knew I had my next painting before I even took my lens cap off.
Since I found this subject on a day in Dorris, the painting is quite literally "Dorris Day". Since this Palomino also happens to be a beautiful blond mare, it was all too perfect to take it one step further to the late actress, Doris Day. As for the spelling, I would've hated to have people tell me I misspelled Doris (not knowing the town of "Dorris"), so I left the spelling as an ode to the actress, and the town meaning would be a little nugget only to those in the know.
