Horse Journey into Cards
One of many times horses led the way into new chapters of life-
Galloping in serene spaces of winter snow was an experience I deeply wished other people could feel. For many of us who spent time riding in winter, snow and sky were brought to another level on the back of a horse. Now that I look into these memories, I wonder if the height of the horse brings us that much closer to heaven.
When I was young, I exercised lesson horses. Classes were cancelled on days when there was snowstorms, and the horses needed to be ridden. The closed stable was a paradise in this quiet. I never rode a horse that didn’t have extra energy in the snow. I didn’t know how this weather felt for them, but they seemed happy on these days. They certainly had extra energy and playfulness. As for me, I loved the beauty of cool air and white sky drifting down to the earth in light, crystal touches. The earth itself stretched out beneath a heavy, down comforter of snow. Hoofbeats of the horses were softened by this padding, and rides on snow days were like riding on velvet. I often rode bareback or with a saddle pad. Sound was softened as well, and the horse and I were in a bubble, where we only heard muffled hoofbeats and warm air puffing from the nose of my equine friend.
I had to say goodbye to these experiences as I went on to college, but after a long break from riding, I had my first opportunity to ride in a city park. Fortunately, this stable let me ride the day after a snowstorm. It was an amazing ride on a Victorian style 19th century bridle path, complete with gothic revival overpasses, lake views, and stretches in dense woods. We rode through empty fields, where sunlight danced around the white surfaces and made sparks of prisms that shimmered like diamonds. Acres of snow on these billowing fields held the color of the electric blue of the sky. This was the special azure color that appears in the clear air after a storm. It was another way the sky touches the earth. On the back of a horse, it felt like the sun and sky poured through us, and the white expanse around us were rolling clouds.
The thought of sharing this experience with others meant painting memory and finding balance of colors and images. This became my first designed holiday card. The reproduction meant that painted memories of brilliant, clean spaces and horses would reach beyond the one canvas to many more people. A painting transforms into something else in a card, as it is set in designed color and text. It becomes a two dimensional package of seasonal joy wrapped in fine art and design.
It was so enjoyable to share an experience with an individual animal, that I made more cards from fine art paintings of animals I’ve known. Last year, I began a series with paintings of my cardinal neighbors. This year, I am also working with paintings of doves, because images of these birds have serene qualities that are a welcome vision after such a difficult year.
