"Run for the Roses" is inspired by the history of The Kentucky Derby. After doing a multitude of research, I sheepishly considered creating a painting that would capture the beauty and feel of the spectacle that is the Derby. Beautifully mastered by many painters before, I wanted to present a new take on the race. The choice to lay in my painting in a rich Old Holland Delft blue was purely accidental. At the onset I thought it might peek through as color was layered on top. The blue underpainting was so beautiful I could not cover it. I began to work the final layers of the painting with stiff old brushes, a palette knife and even my fingers. While much of the detailed underpainting is lost, what remains is a sense of movement. A keen eye can spot the towers of Churchill Downs, the thousands of viewers in the stands and the thundering hooves of the horses. The addition of crisp cold wax reads as the muddy track. These elements combine so that the viewer not only sees this painting, they hear it.