Imagine~
I have a pony brought to life with painted light and color. I have many horses and ponies, many....dogs, cats, and wildlife. When I want a certain horse or other animal, I paint him or her! Living Art~It's an animal parade here.
Recently the above painting presented itself from an obscure box....I hadn't even remembered him! I estimate he was painted about 1954. As yet he doesn't even have a name. He is a pastel painting (colored chalk for artists). He is done free hand from imagination. I was involved in self study of the horse and its muscular structure plus shading needed to give him a 3-D effect in under jaw and ears. Here I was experimenting with the bones in the face and muscles in the shoulder structure. I had Breyer plastic models of horses and dogs, my teachers. I had a white cat named Silver Shadow, hands on training and communication with a furry one.
My childhood art teacher was a noted award winning portrait painter of people. She taught me how to blend the pastel chalks on a painting with my hands! It is a sculptured experience to touch paper with hands and pastels. I note my imaginary horse's mane looks "real and windblown" foreshadowing future animal paintings. My Dad framed the picture, my first color work in a frame.
I noticed my horse's simple yet powerful painted design includes an unplanned energetic aura out around the him, still present in my current animal art. "Then and Now" I favor the head and shoulders close up portrait lens effect.
I will name my horse painting Imagine.
Power of the Horse
Awestruck
A few weeks ago I lingered in our local public library to look at the used books for sale. Why? I always bypass the colorful books on the table waiting for adoption. A fetching title caught my eye....** Sleep Ponies. When I was very young, I imagined a white horse galloping along a sandy beach by the ocean. This calming vision helped me to relax and slip into gentle sleep. This book's story was the same! Sleep Ponies helped the child to feel deep peace and love. What a great book! I sat down and read Sleep Ponies then marveled at the illustrations. I placed the book back on the table and turned to leave.
Wait! On my way out, another pony book grabbed me! ***My Pony nudged me to open it because the painting on the book cover showed a dapple grey pony, one of my favorite equine colors. A little girl was hugging her pony. The story unfolds a young schoolgirl who would rather draw horses than do homework. You said it! I broke into a sweat as I sat down to read. The imaginary pony was named, wait for it, Silver. She was dapple gray with white mane and tail.
***" When I draw her it seems as if she comes alive."
My Silver was a male pony , all white with a very long tail. He was my favorite pony at the Highland Park Zoo pony rides for children. I loved riding Silver through the pine trees on the soft trail led by the helper. I loved the feel of the black leather bridal, reigns, and saddle to contrast with Silver's snowy coat. I was one with the pony~I was the pony.
Illustrations in My Pony show model plastic horses on the dining room table! Just like mine! I still have them. The little girl asks repeatedly for a real pony or horse. I remember begging my parents for a Merry-Go-Round horse for the living room! Just like me, the child's framed paintings of animals dot the walls. Colored mason jars rest on her drawing table! Help Me God~ Exactly the Same! When Silver enters the artist's room, parts of the pony are semi transparent, a vision of light appearing between worlds and dimensions.
*** "When my drawing of Silver is finished, I turn out the light."
Hands Down~I bought the book!
Dream Big~Dream Bigger
Key Word Blog Search Horse
Related Posts:
* Homecoming and Thin Ice, the Story of Black Wolf
Running with Horses, "When other girls were playing with Barbies, I was a horse."
Free as the Wind
Deer Dreamer
Out of Box Experience, unpacking Collie Paintings
* Black Wolf Sports an Aura
Resources:
Children's Books for kids of all ages
*** My Pony by Susan Jeffers, award winning author and illustrator, "an avid equestrian and horse owner." I am stunned speechless by this wonderful book for all horse lovers.
** Sleep Ponies written and illustrated by Gudrun Ongman, a series of beautiful books and illustrations, gentle quiet reflection.
Breyer Animal Creations, beautiful lifelike plastic sculptures, some by noted artists (portrait scuptures of horses), my teachers include many models of Horses, Collies and German shepherd dogs. It is fun to practice drawing from a model, notice how light plays over the muscular and tendon structures then changing the angle of the model for a different sketch approach.
Album of Horses, and other books written by Marguarite Henry and illustrated by Wesley Dennis. Wesley's art gives animals power, spirit, emotion and personality. I studied his illustrations by the hour. My Hero!
How to Draw and Paint Horses, self-teaching instruction by Walter Foster, many subjects
The Horse: Passion * Beauty* Splendor * Strength by Elaine Walker. A wonder of photographs and word images, for all horse enthusiasts. "Teams of horses thunder across the heavens, pulling the chariots of the sun and moon, dawn and night."
Lad A Dog, Gray Dawn and other dog books by Albert Payson Turhune author, journalist, mystic. The Collie enters my life.
Highland Park Zoo, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA feeding the whitetail deer was a special treat. I noticed their agile feet and delicate legs. I watched the silent deer walk over a soft carpet of pine needles. I was a deer!
Dahlis Roy: Visionary Artist, Author, and Tai Chi Instructor
Images:
My Horse~Imagine pastel painting by Dahlis
Horse Sculpture, part of Fountain of Horses, Scottsdale AZ USA, photo by Emilie
* Black Wolf named Courage, oil painting by Dahlis
