38th Releases - Design Meanings and Style - 2016 Winter

Little BIg Horse Artist/ Sculptor: Kathleen Moody Tribute to the Norwegian Fjord Horse There's a good reason why the Norwegian Fjord Horse was the inspiration for the horse in the animated Disney hit, "Frozen." A reason beyond the way its expressive eyes, amiable nature, charming personality, and distinctive crescent-shaped mane made it an endearing character, as distinctive in appearance as a unicorn. Selectively bred by Vikings to be hard-working, dependable and "bomb proof", a Fjord was perfectly cast as a little horse with a big heart. .

Cloud Hunter Artist: Janee Hughes   A Tribute to the American Paint Horse…Typical of the speech of a cowboy, the ways of a bucking horse were referred to in colorfully descriptive terms. When a horse reared wildly and vaulted upwards, mane flying and hooves flailing as if it intended to go up and up into the sky, it was called a "cloud hunter." By making the horse a Paint whose spots take on the appearance of thunderclouds, the artist has added another layer of meaning to the old horseman's saying.

Guardian Angel Artist: Laurie Cook   Notes from the artist's journal: "When I think of angels I envision a quiet presence, a listener, a gentle soul who comforts me. I also imagine a powerful strength and unshakable courage that helps me fight my battles and carries me to safety. It occurs to me that a horse embodies these very same qualities and so I have created a 'Guardian Angel' who soars silently, conveying a message of joy, hope, faith, love and peace to the world as he fades in and out of the clouds."

War Eagle Artist: Kevin Kilhoffer   Native Americans felt a kinship with all animals, but held eagles, hawks, owls and other birds of prey in especially high esteem because their vision, swiftness and fearless courage typified the qualities a warrior needed to be successful. The golden eagle, often referred to by Plains Indians as the "war eagle" because of its willingness to go after game larger than itself - fox, coyote, sheep - was believed to be the most powerful of all creatures in the animal kingdom, which is why its feathers were incorporated into the headdresses and war bonnets worn by chiefs as they rode into battle.

Gift fromt the Sky Artist: Lynn Bean   Fallen feathers have often been perceived as gifts from the sky that arrive unexpectedly, but not without purpose. Often they are interpreted as reminders that angels are near… as signs from the universe representing freedom and flight… as souvenirs left behind after looking at things from a high perspective. With this in mind, the artist created a "Feather Pony" intended to be a gift with the power to help us "take wing" on the right path in life.

39th Release ~

Black Beauty Artist: Jesse Leach One of the mysterious facts about butterflies is that before they turn into adults with colorful wings, as a way of avoiding potential predators while they grow and develop, they must live for a period of time when they are young within a hard protective shell known as a chrysalis. With its depiction of gorgeous butterflies taking flight against a black background, "Black Beauty" celebrates the larger message that anyone can go through a great deal of darkness in their lives, yet emerge as something beautiful.

Egyptian Gold Artist: Fabienne Leydecker Gold was a symbol of power and immortality in Ancient Egypt, and as a decorative covering, gold leaf was believed to bring eternal life, the most famous example being the fabulous death mask of Tutankhamun. Working out of knowledge and love of Egyptian history, this Canadian artist has gilded a Painted Pony with the facsimile of gold leaf, and then decorated the form with symbols, images and hieroglyphics that tell the story of a battle won by a Pharaoh riding a horse-drawn chariot. The result is a Pony that preserves the richness and mystery of the many religious artifacts found in the tombs and pyramids of Ancient Egypt.

Turquoise Journey Artist: Devon Archer Writes Devon Archer, a Virginia horsewoman and artist extraordinaire, "'Turquoise Journey' was inspired by one of my Navajo turquoise bracelets. The way it came about is that I pictured a single large turquoise stone that has been carved into the shape of a Painted Pony, with an elaborate matrix pattern that looks like a herd of black horses cantering along matrix trails on a turquoise journey." Out of respect for the jewelry that inspired the design, she adorned the Pony with raised turquoise stones and banded it in silver, in honor of the elaborate silversmithing unique to traditional Navajo bracelets.

Sundown to Moonrise Artist: John Geryak Known for his highly personalized, contemporary interpretations of Nature, this former Creative Director with a New York Marketing agency turned fine arts painter has focused his artistic talent on the wondrous effects of a sundown and moonrise on a stand of saguaro cactus in an effort to "offer new dimensions in how we see our one-of-a-kind desert landscape."

Ride over to the other Painted Ponies|