It's still feels new to me. This whole "art" thang. Although it's been more than a couple of years, each time I pick up my pencil, I feel like it's the first time. I get this feeling of overwhelm. And even a bit of anxiety. The overwhelm, I think, stems from all the many images running through my head. The anxiety, from a long-seeded (or is that "seated"?) belief in "perfection". It's dumb, I know. But there it is.
Lately, I've been scolding meself for avoiding the one "subject" that probably means the most to me: The Horse. I love them. All of them. And I miss being in their presence more than I miss any Human on the Planet. I miss how they smell and the sounds they make and their often comical behaviors and how they make me feel. Nothing makes me feel the way a horse does. Must be some kind of kindred thing. But whatever it is, I miss them and it annoys me that I've avoided drawing them.
Why?
Because they're a big, giant, challenge.
The details of The Horse are what make them so magnificent. AND so challenging. Miss the details, lose the horse. And I'm not just talking about art work. Horses are complex creatures with much to teach us. They are the epitome of purity. And truth. And trust. You simply can not fool a horse. Some people think you can beat them into submission. But the real deal is when you earn its trust. Only then will you reach communion. Only then will you know what it means to experience the magick of equine friendship.
If it sounds like some holy testimony, you're correct. I revere them more than any other creature. Mostly because I have experienced this communion I speak of.
I'm tellin' ya, there's nothing like it.
So, my aversion to drawing them may also stem from a deep desire to do them justice. I don't want to just draw a horse. I want to feel it. I want to honor it. I want to have the viewer experience the majesty of The Horse. And this, my friends, is no easy task.
Anywayz....
As you may have read (in "Gathering Storm"), I've been hunting for a painting that I gave away some five-plus years ago. During the course of this search, I also made up my mind that I WILL paint one of my own. It may not look exactly like the one I gave away, but I don't really want that. I want it to be my own. In order to do this, I must first get a feel for a horse in motion. It's one thing to see it with you own eyes, and feel it as you ride. It's an entirely different thing to put it on paper and have it come alive. Therein lies my challenge.
But, you know... a girl's gotta start somewhere.
{First sketch. August 22, 2017. It's all part of the process, yes?}
Lately, I've been scolding meself for avoiding the one "subject" that probably means the most to me: The Horse. I love them. All of them. And I miss being in their presence more than I miss any Human on the Planet. I miss how they smell and the sounds they make and their often comical behaviors and how they make me feel. Nothing makes me feel the way a horse does. Must be some kind of kindred thing. But whatever it is, I miss them and it annoys me that I've avoided drawing them.
Why?
Because they're a big, giant, challenge.
The details of The Horse are what make them so magnificent. AND so challenging. Miss the details, lose the horse. And I'm not just talking about art work. Horses are complex creatures with much to teach us. They are the epitome of purity. And truth. And trust. You simply can not fool a horse. Some people think you can beat them into submission. But the real deal is when you earn its trust. Only then will you reach communion. Only then will you know what it means to experience the magick of equine friendship.
If it sounds like some holy testimony, you're correct. I revere them more than any other creature. Mostly because I have experienced this communion I speak of.
I'm tellin' ya, there's nothing like it.
So, my aversion to drawing them may also stem from a deep desire to do them justice. I don't want to just draw a horse. I want to feel it. I want to honor it. I want to have the viewer experience the majesty of The Horse. And this, my friends, is no easy task.
Anywayz....
As you may have read (in "Gathering Storm"), I've been hunting for a painting that I gave away some five-plus years ago. During the course of this search, I also made up my mind that I WILL paint one of my own. It may not look exactly like the one I gave away, but I don't really want that. I want it to be my own. In order to do this, I must first get a feel for a horse in motion. It's one thing to see it with you own eyes, and feel it as you ride. It's an entirely different thing to put it on paper and have it come alive. Therein lies my challenge.
But, you know... a girl's gotta start somewhere.
{First sketch. August 22, 2017. It's all part of the process, yes?}
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