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FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES OCTOBER 2013 65

66 SIDELINES OCTOBER 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE

eArtist ProfileLila Blakeslee

Vero Beach, Florida Type of artist: Fine Art Painter, Design Artist for AWST International - Website: www.gallery14verobeach.com/

Lila Blakeslee has a true passion for the equestrian sport – having competed professionally in hunters, jumpers and eventing. This background greatly impacts Lila’s artwork as she has a genuine understanding of her subjects and equestrian clients. Today, she enjoys creating fine art masterpieces with various mediums from acrylics to mixed media. In addition, her “Lila Collection” designs are translated into home décor, apparel, handbags and miscellaneous equestrian motif items found in specialty boutiques and tack shops across the country.

Lila in front of “Stallion Fire” – a 48 x 48 painting collaged with a horse’s mane. Photo by Barbara du Pont

“Indigo and Margie Engle” – a 36 x 48 painting, courtesy of Bob and Shay Griese.

“Next Generation” – a 20 x 24 painting depicting Hayden Walsh and Devon Kahle, courtesy of John and Reve Walsh.

How would you describe your artistic style?I am a very literal artist. It is easy for me to portray the horse accurately.

Then, I create a more powerful interpretation with use of color and definition. My horses take on a surreal look, which focuses on their beauty, power and emotion. Creativity is key to growth as an artist. I don’t just paint what I see, I want you to feel it.

What was it like when an Olympic rider purchased one of your paintings?

Several years ago, Anne Kursinski saw one of my paintings and recognized herself on Eros. I had painted it simply because I loved to watch Anne and Eros compete, so for her to see it, love it and buy it instilled a confidence to continue to capture “moments in time.” Over the years, many riders and owners discovered my paintings in much the same way.

If you had to pick your favorite painting, what would it be? I have several paintings that I have kept over the years. They represent

turning points in my life. “Stallion Fire” is one of them. I decided to paint something way outside my traditional equestrian scenes and came up with this bold, powerful, in your face painting. One night when it was almost completed, I woke up and thought, add real pieces of the horse’s mane! Bringing the DNA into the painting was an emotional, exciting discovery. Now, many of my portraits of horses also contain their DNA.

“Ali” – a 24 x 30 painting, courtesy of Rory Mueller.


Duke behind the lens.All images Copyright Duke Beardsley

and the Duke Beardsley Studio

eArtist ProfileDuke Beardsley

Denver, ColoradoType of Artist: painter - website: dukebeardsleystudio.com

Duke Beardsley would like to avoid being pigeonholed in terms of what kind or school of painter he is. Some say he is a pop impressionist, others call him an Artist of the New West. He emphasizes that it doesn’t particularly concern or interest him where he falls into the lexicon of American painters. What he is, essentially, is an amazing figurative painter whose work sizzles with color and energy, often with themes that include cowboys, cattle and horses. Duke thinks outside the box, outside the frame and his art reflects the way he reinvents his vision.

“Autumn Call” – 52 x 52 Oil.

“Fresh Horses” – 60 x 48 Oil.

Was your career path influenced by your family being ranchers?

I spent a lot of weekends and summers working cattle, but I didn’t necessarily want to be a rancher. I started drawing very young, got a degree in art history at Middlebury College (Vermont) and visited museums in Boston and New York where the pop art scene blew me away. I ended up in Southern California – I was trying to go to medical school, but that didn’t work out. A friend said, “You have to see the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.” I got hit by lightning when I walked in the door – that’s when I knew I had to paint. When a gallery in Denver gave me my first show, it wasn’t long before other galleries came looking and I was on my way.

How did you get sizzling colors into your paintings of cowboys and cattle?

Andy Warhol and all the top artists from the heyday of the pop movement influenced me with their saturated palettes. Another big influence was Richard Diebenkorn, from California. So many people influenced me. I really liked Frederick Remington and Charles Russell when I was growing up. When I was in the East I was turned on by a lot of what I saw, but I got liberated in California. So many of the California painters, like Ray Turner, are not afraid to push their colors.

What are your goals?I’ve been in the game for 15 years and I hear artists

say that they don’t bother about the business of making art – that’s BS! If you’re going to make a living painting, then you have to consider marketing and what will get people to want to be around your art. I pay my mortgage and the shoes on my kids’ feet by painting. You have to come up with something people like, because if they don’t like it, you don’t eat. I want to make good art that is recognized as mine. The icing on the cake is the recognition, the awards, the accolades and collections, but the goal is to keep painting, to pay my mortgage and stay afloat, and to keep painting.

“Rooster Moon” – 56 x 42 Oil.

“Chapareras” – 30 x 48 Oil.


“Moonlight at Chincoteague” – 12” x 18” Gallery Mount and 16 x 24 Canvas

eArtist ProfileDebby Thomas

Manakin Sabot, VirginiaType of Artist: Photographer and Artist - Website: www.AnimalArtAndPhotography.com

After working as a trainer and instructor for 30 years, Debby Thomas now connects people with the animal world through her photographs and artwork, including oils, acrylics and pencil. Her colored pencil and pencil work have been featured in the book Strokes of Genius: the Best of Drawing, on the cover of The Chronicle of the Horse and in the American Academy of Equine Artists shows. In addition, her photographs have been published in books, calendars and magazines. She has also received numerous awards for her photography in juried competitions.

“Getting Centered” – 15”x 22 Photograph

“Contemplation” – 12 x 18 Photograph on Canvas or Infused into Metal Photos by Debby Thomas

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?My friend Wilma Bradner encouraged me to put my work

“out there,” resulting in a special win and a second career [as an artist] after the horse business.

What is the most important piece you have ever created?There are actually several answers to this. In the traditional

artwork I’d say it was my first colored pencil painting, “Forever Young.” I was starting out and was surprised at how well it was received. It gave me the confidence to continue and started my career as an artist. As a photographer, it would be possibly my “Lady in Red.” This style, with the darkened background, has become one of my signature styles.

What’s the hardest thing about creating art?Knowing when to stop. I always want to keep making it better! (laughs)

“Adrenaline” – 8 x 20 Photograph


Joyce HallPhoto by Daniel Kuhn.

eArtist ProfileJoyce Hall

Huger, South Carolina Type of artist: Painter - Website: www.thestudiosc.com

Joyce Hall grew up in Maryland where she rode and taught riding and art. After a career of teaching college equestrian programs, Joyce has now settled down and devotes her time to pursuing art. She also continues her passion for teaching by hosting workshops at her studio.

“Starting Gate” – 24 x 18 Painting All photos courtesy of Joyce Hall, unless noted

“In the Wings” – 24 x 18 Painting

How would you describe your style?Because I am a teacher and I want my

students to experiment and grow, I’m constantly introducing them to different approaches, styles, brush strokes and new ways to see. Sometimes I’ll demonstrate a horse with small crosshatching strokes and sometimes with broad impressionistic flat brush strokes. This spills over into my work and hopefully results in my paintings evolving. Having said that, the core of my style remains to be what I would describe as painterly realism - accurate yet loose.

What do you enjoy most about hosting a workshop?

When working in the field, it’s really exciting to see students accomplish things they didn’t think they could do, like painting a moving horse from life. What I enjoy most about teaching workshops is the opportunity to work with artists for several days with no interruptions or outside distractions. New skills are developed and the comradeship forms lasting friendships.

What has been your greatest challenge? The most difficult thing for me is to paint a

posed animal that is not relating to other animals or people. The most challenging commission I ever had was a six-foot portrait of a horse and all I had to work from was a 4 x 6 photo that was faded and distorted. I am often asked to paint animals who have passed away and, in spite of the fact that their owners loved them dearly, nobody ever took a decent photo. I have to draw on my experience to paint a horse with his ears up in his summer coat from a blurry photo of a horse with his ears back in his winter coat. In the end, the bigger the challenge the greater the satisfaction when the owner literally bursts into tears of joy at the presentation of the painting.

“Because I’m Worth It” – 24 x 36 Painting“Bonding” – 24 x 18 Painting.


Visitors can enjoy a getaway at Marie-Christine’s castle in France, the Chateau de Parthey.

eArtist ProfileMarie-Christine Maitre de Tarragon

Tryon, North CarolinaType of artist: Sculptor and Painter - Website: www.mc-artandhorses.com

Born in Burgundy, France, Marie-Christine Maitre de Tarragon has art in her blood. Her great grandfather, grandmother and uncle all studied art and she followed in their footsteps while growing up in the family’s castle, the Chateau de Parthey in France. Marie-Christine also comes from a family of “horse people” and when she moved to America she trained and rode steeplechasers and racing Quarter Horses. Today, she continues her passion with horses by training reining horses and creating beautiful equine sculptures and paintings.

Marie-Christine in her studio, with a bronze she is working on and a painting of her castle in the background. Photo by Trinity Allan

“Bucephalus” – Bronze sculpture.

What is your castle in France, the Chateau de Parthey, like?The castle has been in my family since 1385 and it’s a historical

monument. I have spent many years working on restoring it. I now split my time between the Chateau de Parthey and my horse farm near Tryon, North Carolina.

Can others visit the castle?Through the Parthey Foundation, we offer guests the chance to enjoy

a cultural experience at our castle, near the mediaeval village of Dole. Participants stay in the chateau and enjoy being immersed in the history and culture of our deep family roots. It is a wonderful place to come to paint, enjoy art and food. We try and make it an experience that you won’t get anywhere else.

What inspires you in your equine sculptures?I want to convey the power and grace of horses who have enriched

civilization from battlefield to conquests and discoveries. Horses always add elegance and brilliance to the great moments in history. They are the ones who truly give us our nobility titles.

“Portrait of Tennessee” – Bronze sculpture.

“A Heart of Gold” – Bronze sculpture.


eArt

An oil portrait entitled “Snowman and Harry” is now part of the permanent collection of the International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park. The painting by Joan Porter Jannaman, of Lakehill Studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee, was presented to the Museum in July during a ceremony preceding the start of the Rood and Riddle $50,000 Grand Prix.

In the rarefied world of 1950s show jumping, Snowman and Harry de Leyer were the longest of long shots and their wins became the stuff of legend. The former plow horse bought by Harry for $80 off a truck bound for the slaughterhouse would rise to the top of the show jumping world, winning the 1958 horse show Triple Crown — the American Horse Shows Association Horse of the Year, Professional Horseman’s Association Champion and Champion of Madison Square Garden’s Diamond Jubilee. In 2011, their story became the subject of Elizabeth Letts’ #1 New York Times bestseller, The Eighty-Dollar Champion.

“It’s been an honor to have even a small part of celebrating the story of Snowman and Harry,” said Joan, who made certain to ask Harry for his input once the portrait was well underway. “It brought tears to my eyes,” Harry told Joan. “You got the slope of his shoulder that made him such a good jumper. And his eyes, they are perfect – the soft eyes that I first noticed about him. It is exactly Snowman.”

Snowman Jumps Into The International Museum of the Horse

Joan’s artwork has been published in numerous magazines and publications including Sidelines, The Chronicle of the Horse, Horses in Art, Polo Players Edition and Steeplechase Times. Most recently her paintings have been chosen to show in the American Academy of Equine Art’s Fall Open Juried Show and the Best and the Brightest Show in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Limited edition giclee prints of “Snowman and Harry” are available for purchase at www.lakehillstudio.com with 100% of the proceeds being donated to support the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation and The Kentucky Equine Humane Center.

For more information, contact Joan Jannaman: [email protected] or www.lakehillstudio.com


eArtist ProfileMary SandBucks County, Pennsylvania

Type of artist: Sculptor and painter - Website: www.marysand.com

Born to European immigrants, Mary Sand spent much of her childhood in Darmstadt, Germany where she learned to ride and found artistic inspiration in their life-size equestrian statues. Upon returning to the states, Mary continued her passion for riding, but swapped her passion for art for a career in satellite communications – only to eventually return to art. Today, she is a full-time sculptor and has her own private barn. Among a long list of accomplishments is her creation of the Hickstead statue at Spruce Meadows. Mary attributes much of her success to her good friend Ursula von der Leyen. Ursula has greatly impacted Mary’s riding and Mary says that without her encouragement, she would have never have begun to create the sculptures she is known for today.

Mary and her horse, Ami, at her home. Photo by Thomas Sand

Mary’s studio – a work of art itself! Photo by Mary Sand

Mary’s statue honoring Hickstead (1996 – 2011). This photo was taken at Spruce Meadows Master’s Tournament, following his tribute.

Photo by Ashley Rohmer

What is the greatest challenge about creating sculptures?Usually it’s the timeline – especially for commissioned work. The

customer usually wants the sculpture for a specific event. Each new sculpture is so different and requires time to put together reference material, take measurements, study the reference photographs and create the model in clay. Whenever possible, I work with the horse in front of me when the sculpture is nearly completed and this makes a big difference in refining the characteristics of the horse.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?To go for it! Shortly after picking up that first bag of water-based

clay, a friend of mine was taking a pottery class at the Palo Alto Cultural Center and encouraged me to take the class. The instructor, Norma Lyon, had experience with creating bronze sculpture, so I called and asked if I could attend the class, but instead of working on pottery, I would bring a horse head that I was working on and pick her brain while the others in class were working on pottery. Norma introduced me to plasteline, an oil based clay, talked to me about the bronze casting process and started me on my way.

What are you currently working on?It’s an exciting time. I’m now working on three commissions.

Sabrina Hellman, owner of Woodstock, commissioned me to create a sculpture of “Woody” jumping over a fence with trainer Hope Glynn on board, to serve as the Performance Hunters trophy for the USEF with two more editions being cast for her family. The second commission is for Victoria Klein of Portola Valley, California. Her horse Griffin is an eventer and is extremely athletic, muscular and expressive. He’s also very affectionate, but we decided on a sculpture concept to reflect his athleticism, with him launching off of his hind legs. From Canada, Marisia Campbell’s husband commissioned me, as a gift for Marisia, to create a sculpture of her dressage horse Welte. From the beginning, Marisia didn’t want him performing a dressage movement, instead she wanted to capture his relaxed, calm nature so he is standing in a relaxed manner, with his right hind resting. This will create a beautiful and soft image of her horse in bronze.


eArt & Photography

Through the


Camera LensBy Dani Moritz

Nicknamed the “Graveyard of the Atlantic,” Sable Island is most well known for the number of wooden ships its dense fog and frequent storms have claimed long ago. But, centuries worth of shipwrecked vessels upon its surrounding shores are not the only thing this island is famous for.

On this Canadian island, you will also find upward of 400 wild horses – which are believed to be descendants from the horses that came to the island with settlers in the mid-1700s. What you won’t find are very many people. With less than a half-dozen permanent residents, few visitors are allowed to step foot on the island.

Debra Garside, of Water Valley, Alberta, is one visitor who has been allowed to frequent Sable Island – and through her visits she has managed to capture the spirit of the wild horses through the lens of her camera.

This is a first hand account by Debra of a day photographing Sable Island and the horses who roam its lands. Debra’s words describing her adventure are in italics.

An Early StartDebra’s day begins early – as she prepares for her journey. The island is

not easy to photograph. The dense fog, the troublesome terrain, the constant threat of the howling wind all could be detrimental. Yet, Debra must always make the best of what Mother Nature hands her.

My alarm goes off at 4:00 a.m. I crawl out of my sleeping bag and peer out of the second story window of the Canadian Coast Guard staff house. The yard lights glow diffusely through the dense fog and everything is covered with heavy dew – another typical early morning on Sable Island.

I wonder what this must have been like for the early mariners, with no modern navigational equipment. Over 300 ships were wrecked on this island and many lives and much cargo were lost. The station, where I am based, was part of a facility that was established on this remote island back in 1801 to help save crew and cargo of the many ill-fated ships. The island was dubbed “Graveyard of the Atlantic” and even to this day the turbulent weather in this area strikes fear into the hearts of sailors. Remnants of the renowned Andrea Gail (“The Perfect Storm”) touched these shores not so long ago.

I sleepily descend the stairs, enter the austere kitchen and begin preparing breakfast. I want to be well fuelled for what I expect to be another strenuous day of hiking the sand dunes and heathlands. I had prepared lunch and my camera gear the night before, so that my morning departure from base would be swift. While the weather did not appear favourable for photography, experience reminds me that this can change at any moment, especially on Sable Island where the easterly winds are unrelenting.

Her Journey BeginsIt is not terribly long before Debra’s subjects appear. With a wide range of

genetic origins, several types of horses can be spotted. Debra says some resemble Arabian breeding, others of old European bloodstock and some resemble Thoroughbreds. However, all the horses appear to be bays, browns, palominos, chestnuts and blacks – as horses of color were bred out long ago

Continued on page 80

A first person account of photographing the mysterious Graveyard of the Atlantic

These are the photos of the four stallions Debra photographed that morning.

All photos by Debra Garside


as they were considered inferior by the island’s early settlers. On this day, Debra was fortunate to find four of these beautiful stallions.

I pull on my waist waders and river walkers (water-proof pants and hiking boots), don a rainproof jacket and hoist my 35-pound camera backpack up onto my shoulders. I have my 70-200mm lens and Nikon D3s ready in hand, as horses can appear over a sand dune at any moment. Sunrise has been muted by the persistent fog, but optimistically, I head out across the wooden walkway of the compound, past the meteorological equipment and out towards the west gate. I then follow a horse trail that leads me past the station’s wind turbines, close to where the Artic Terns have begun their seasonal nesting. As soon as the Terns are aware of my presence the sky above me fills with squawking, aggressive birds, determined to send me away. I hurry my way across the heathlands as quickly as possible to avoid attack. Once out of bombing range, I relax my pace a little and start to focus on the world around me.

I pass by a freshwater pond full of blooming water lilies and surrounded by iris, pearly everlasting and beautiful grass-pink orchids. I feel slightly guilty about not taking the time to photograph these little Sable Island gems, but I must stay on task. I have come here for my third expedition, now a seasoned Sable Island visitor, with high expectations of the type of wild horse imagery I wish to capture, and every moment from dawn until dusk must be used productively. At a cost of $300 per day for accommodation in the staff house and a $13,000 charter flight to get to the island, this is serious business.

Less than one mile from base, I come across a group of four bachelor stallions. I am thrilled, as the young bachelors are often the most active and interactive of the social groups. Two blacks, a bay and a chestnut – they were making their way along the dunes near the south shore. Keeping a discreet distance, I followed along in the fog waiting for an opportunity.

The boys stopped for a moment at the site of an old wooden crate and each took turns scratching against it. There are no trees on the island (save for one stunted old pine), so items to scratch upon are highly regarded. This did not hold their interest long, however, and they headed over the next dune and down onto the south beach. Again I continued my pursuit, staying just far enough away so as not to influence their behaviour.

The Perfect ShotAs Debra’s journey continued, the perfect moment arose. In that

moment, she was able to capture what she had been searching for – the untamed spirit of the Sable Island horse.

Beachcombing on Sable Island is an adventure in itself. Sitting at the convergence of three major currents, including the Gulfstream, the island’s tideline collects all manors of sea-borne debris, both natural and man-made. One of these treasures (at least by equine standards), is the peat encrusted rhizomes (roots) that break off in chunks and are taken out to sea and then eventually brought back by the tide. These salt-soaked clumps are left strewn upon the beaches and are a natural mineral lick for the horses.

The bachelors quickly spotted one of these treats and trotted anxiously over to it, and began voraciously licking the salt with great enjoyment. The sun was just starting to burn off some of the fog and a little warmth pushed away the morning chills. But, this peaceful moment did not last long. One small treasure shared by four young stallions was just not going to work. Soon they started nipping at each other trying to establish a pecking order. This in turn escalated into a foray of serious knee-biting and evasive action, and soon the two most dominant stallions began spinning their way along the shoreline in mock battle.

This was the opportunity I had been waiting for. Shooting hand-held, I ran parallel along the base of the dunes, doing my best to keep up with the action. The fog co-operated for once, and rolled back out to sea, allowing a beautiful diffuse light to


envelope the scene. I ran, paused and took shots and then ran some more, my adrenaline level kicking into high gear. The horses reared up, striking with their front feet, and barred their teeth in display of dominance. They carried their performance down the beach until a large group of grey seals, hauled out on the beach, blocked their path and the action ceased.

Almost instantly, calm was restored, and the four bachelors walked away in single file, towards the inland ponds for a drink. I suddenly realized what an amazing opportunity had just been bestowed upon me. My hands started to shake, partly from the exhaustion of running heavily laden in deep sand, and partly from excitement. An element of fear crept in as well. It had all happened so quickly that I had not had the time to adjust my camera settings while on the run. I always start out with my camera set on aperture priority, and a fairly forgiving ISO (digital equivalent of film speed), but running and shooting hand-held is always a roll of the dice, and I was not sure if I had made quality shots.

I sat down on a piece of driftwood, poured myself a cup of tea from my thermos, and with unsteady hands began to scroll through the images on my LCD screen. Yes, I had done it! The images were sharp and the beautiful pastel tones of the morning light were there. I knew right then that this would be a pivotal moment in my career as a nature photographer.

Adventuring on a remote island surrounded by a herd of majestic, wild horses is something most of us only experience in our dreams. But, through the images that Debra has captured, we, too, can relish in such an adventure.

Sidelines Magazine hopes you have enjoyed Debra’s story and images and we hope that, perhaps, her tale will inspire your own adventure. For more information about Debra and Sable Island, visit her website at www.sableislandhorses.ca.


In honor of our art issue, Sidelines Magazine and Shapley’s teamed up to provide a contest in which we could celebrate our horses’ version of art – muddy, messy body art! The Dirty Horse & Pony contest was a great hit – with amazing photos of horses covered from ear to hoof in mud! So much mud, in fact, we confused some of the horses for hippos! On these pages you will find our winner, three runner-ups and several honorable mentions – a great group of muddy equines! Thanks to Shapley’s Superior Equine Grooming Products for sponsoring the contest and providing our winners with grooming products to help their horses become clean and shiny again.

Muddy, Messy Horse “Art”eDirty Horse & Pony Contest

Winner – Julie Sankar, from Baton Rouge, LouisianaJulie says this was her filly Tanit’s first turn out after she came off the track. “She was perfectly happy jumping the puddle until a bad influence showed her how to wallow,” said Julie. “Three baths later, it was still in her ears.” By sheer popularity of this entry, it was a shoe-in to win! In a matter of hours, this photo went viral – with more than 100 shares and nearly 400 “likes” on Facebook! Continued on page 84


Runner up – Patricia Reece, from Lignum, VirginiaIs this a chocolate horse? Nope! This is Patricia’s horse Black Tie Boogies. This was his first time being turned out after being on the track for several years. “He had never gotten to play in the mud, but boy did he enjoy the mud,” said Patricia. “It took an hour to clean this OTTB!”

Runner up – Barrie Walker, from Summerville, North CarolinaSome horses just love the mud – and this is the case for Barrie’s horse, Dezil. Barrie adopted Dezil from CANTER and found out just how much he loves the mud after a move to South Carolina due to a military transfer. “I never had the opportunity to see my horse around a mud hole until we moved here,” she said. “It rains, he finds a puddle, he digs a hole big enough for him and then… PLOP. Down he goes in the ooey gooey mud.”

Runner up – Nancy Richards, from Riverside, New JerseyNancy says, “My OTTB gelding Theposse’safterme knows how to stay cool (and dirty!) in the hot summer days!” We would say so! Sidelines Magazine thinks loving the dirt and mud is something many Thoroughbreds can relate to!



Honorable Mention - Cayley Griesdale, of Tottenham, Ontario Sometimes horses just want to be dirty! “My horse won this round,” said Cayley. “I’d like him to have a little credit for his efforts.” We hope he’s happy he earned his spot in Sidelines Magazine!

Honorable Mention – Maggi Savo, from Liberty Hill, TexasAfter seeing all these entries, it’s easy to conclude that horses just love the mud, including Maggi’s mare Diva. She said, “Diva, a grey mare, loves a good roll in the mud. If she only found bath time as enjoyable!”

Honorable Mention – Alexa Murray of Crystal Lake, IllinoisThis is Alexa’s gelding, Vinnie. “My handsome man Vinnie decided after a real bath that he wanted a mud bath as well,” she said. Funny how horses like to do that!

Honorable Mention – Kristin Soler, from Stevensburg, VirginiaHumans may not be fans of mud baths, but horses sure do love them. “This is Jacobean, our off-the-track-Thorough-pig, wallowing in the mud on a hot day,” said Kristin. “After wiggling and really rolling in the mud, he gave us a most innocent ‘what?’ face.”

Honorable Mention – Crystal Logan, from Atwater, OhioKids aren’t the only ones who are fans of puddles! Horses like them, too, including Louie who has a special place in his heart for muddy pools. “This is Louie at about two,” Crystal said. “He has always loved the mud and to this day (he is now nine), if there is a puddle, he is in it!”


eArt

By Alexa Cheater

Linda Luster has devoted her life to combining her two greatest passions – horses and painting. A talented artist and avid eques-trian, her love of horses is evident in the emotional depth of her paintings, which capture the spirit of each subject.

Born with a true gift, Linda, of Rocky Ridge, Maryland, spent much of her youth learning her craft from renowned artist Jack Clifton, and eventually went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and printmaking from the University of North Carolina and a degree in commercial photography from Cape Fear Technical Institute.

She later worked for the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources in the archaeology and historic preservation branch as a photographer and the North Carolina Museum of History as an exhibit designer. Her career in equestrian art had its early be-ginnings during that time, but was soon put on hold when Linda decided to take an extended hiatus from her painting to focus on her other passion – riding.

Growing up in a military family, Linda started taking riding les-sons on army bases at a young age and competed successfully in hunters and eventing before developing a love of dressage.

During her break from painting, she pursued a career as a dres-sage trainer. She worked for Willowlake Farms in Mount Airy, Maryland before opening her own facility, Good Will Farm, in Rocky Ridge, Maryland. She earned her silver medal from the USDF and has trained both horses and riders to the FEI level.

Painting the Spirit of the Horse

Sixteen years after putting down her paintbrush, Linda and her husband, Doug, restored an old home and built a barn, as well as a studio, where she rekindled her love of art and struck a bal-ance between her two passions. She spent seven years devoting her time to both dressage and painting before retiring from riding. Linda now paints full-time, focusing on commissioned portraits and gallery pieces at her studio in Maryland.

“I’ve always been an artist and I’ve always loved horses, so it was a natural fit,” she explained. “Returning to painting was part of my metamorphosis and allowed me a way to stay with the horses while moving away from having them as my career.”

Her artwork can be seen at horse shows across the Eastern United States and has repeatedly graced the cover of the Chron-icle of the Horse. It has also appeared as part of the promotional materials for a number of prominent horse shows. This year, she did the cover artwork for the Vermont Summer Festival souvenir program. Her beautiful rendering of a horse and rider overlooking the Vermont Summer Festival’s show grounds in East Dorset evokes a fairy tale setting that has attracted rave reviews.

“I just fell in love with the show grounds,” said Linda, of her inspiration for the piece. “The way it’s set down in the valley, with the trees and landscaping; it’s beautiful. It’s like this secret little place that people go to and they can’t help but fall in love with it. That’s the feeling I tried to capture in the painting.”

Linda’s detailed painting is easily recognizable to the thousands of competitors who enjoy those breathtaking mountain views firsthand during the course of the competition, which celebrated a historic 20 years in the Manchester, Vermont region in 2013.

For more information on Linda’s paintings, please visit www.lindalusterstudio.com.

About the writer: Alexa Cheater is an avid horse lover who spends an inordinate amount of time at the barn for someone who doesn’t own a horse. When she’s not enjoying the company of her favorite four-legged friends, she’s writing about them as Communications Specialist for Starting Gate Communications, Inc., a full-service public relations agency specializing in equestrian sport. www.startinggate.ca

Linda Luster’s beautiful depiction of the Vermont Summer Fes-tival in East Dorset, Vermont graced the cover of the competi-tion’s official 2013 souvenir program as well as the annual show poster.

Equestrian artist Linda Luster.


By Susan Becker

It is an obvious fact that life is better from the back of a horse. Yet, here is the story of how my horse, Double Scotch, taught me that life can be just as sweet in front of an easel creating horse portraits as it is in the saddle.

The Horse Life It wasn’t until my 30th birthday that I was able to make my

dreams of owning a horse come true with my first horse, Double Scotch. So many years of longing and finally there he was on the other end of the reins. With great enthusiasm but zero experience, I studied every horse book in the library, begging the librarian to order more. My first naive but exciting purchase of bucket, brush and hoof pick turned out to be but grains of sand in the vast ocean of saddles, truck/trailer, mountains of tack and so on.

I’ve always been a hard worker, but this horse taught me to try even harder. Because of him, I began to study and observe other riders in great detail, take notes after each clinic and class, ask questions, repeat the dressage test until it was smooth and walk the cross-county course twice. This diligence and close attention to detail of what I loved would later influence my ability to create equine art.

Scotch was my mentor as he encouraged this passion to become a reality. My physical and emotional strength grew. Perhaps I was imagining how full early life could have been, had there been horses in my youth. Now as an adult, I was able to submerge myself in this deep desire, limited only by my job and the need to eat and sleep.

I entered other athletic events because I wanted more stamina and strength to ride better. Over four years of entering the adult

Paintings of Intense and Intimate Moments

A Look at My Life in the World of Horses and Equine Art

eMy Story

“My Story” is a first person account of life in the equestrian world. Would you like to write your story for Sidelines Magazine? To be considered, send a brief description of your story to [email protected].


“First Spring Grass,” oil on canvas 60 x 20All photos courtesy of Susan Becker


division of the local Pony Club Tetrathlon, I actually learned to swim, run and shoot in addition to galloping the cross-country course. From there, I completed triathlons, 100-mile century bicycle rides and even a marathon because riding Scotch encouraged my physical endeavors.

We competed in local horse trials and won the 1980 Mountain States Combined Training Association Championship in our division.

A New Passion Emerges In 2003, I began to study art. Never having even doodled, much less picked up

a paintbrush, on a lark I joined a friend for a six-week drawing class. Enjoying this, I signed up for another and so on. Painting landscapes, still life and abstracts was entertaining for a while, but it was my first effort at painting a horse portrait that changed my life.

As soon as I drew in and painted the eyes of Scotch, my entire canvas came alive with his energy and spirit so that he was right there, nuzzling me and pushing the paint brush this way and that! We communed over color and shape, edges and lines, while recalling our best of times (and oh, there were many).

Since then, all I want to paint are horses (although dogs, cats and the occasional goat have showed up, too). I feel the presence of each animal on my canvas so strongly that I fall in love with every furry soul I paint.

Portraying Equine Personalities Now I delight in creating intimate, intense horse portraiture for the public that interprets a unique sense of dignity and personality -

be it joy, desire or even sorrow, so that each equine individual can be celebrated and cherished, both in the moment and for life. My imagery celebrates their special presence, their inner spark that connects to ours. I hope my art brings joy to animal lovers, raises funds for animal advocacy and inspires others to learn about and protect our precious friends.

Portraying these personalities is a passion for me, a deep kind of intimacy. What emerges from my canvases are vibrant interpretations and translations in oil, designed to touch a person’s heart. These paintings are windows into the furriest souls as I see them – tangible, yet magical salutes to the horse and human emotional connection.

Through the use of intense oil color, unusual texture (often with a palette knife) and a slight sense of motion, an individual essence and sense of spirit is developed. The eyes are created first so that right from the start there is another being here to celebrate and play

with me, quite a personal and sensual experience. It feels as if I come to know each individual intimately, bonding in the hours we spend together in creative process.

It is Double Scotch I thank and honor for showing me the way. No matter what stage of life, a cherished animal companion in a custom oil painting or pencil drawing is an elegant keepsake of your life together. Later, it can be a meaningful and even therapeutic way in which to remember and memorialize your treasured friend.

Visit beckerpaints.com for more information about commissioning a portrait.

About the writer: Susan Becker lives in Golden, Colorado and when she isn’t painting or riding, you can find her hiking. She earned graduate degrees from the University of Colorado in Boulder and

then managed the Boettcher Mansion Historic Event Site on Lookout Mountain for 25 years. Today, Susan donates profits from sales and commissions of her artwork to animal advocacy, care and rescue. She is a hospice volunteer. Susan grew up in San Antonio, Texas, taught high school in Anchorage, Alaska and served as a Vista Volunteer. Her paintings have been exhibited in Golden, Colorado at the Foothills Art Center, Mt. Vernon Country Club and Miner’s Alley Playhouse. Exhibits in Lakewood, Colorado include Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Lakewood Arts Council, Red Rocks Community College, Lakewood Cultural Center, Cat Care Society and Whole Foods Colfax. Center for the Arts in Evergreen, Colorado has also exhibited her work. Over 150 commissioned paintings are in private collections throughout the country. She can be reached through www.BeckerPaints.com.

Susan and Double Scotch at Strang Ranch Horse Trials in Carbondale, Colorado in 1980.

“Double Scotch,” an 11 x 14 oil painting.

“So Give Me the Carrot Already,” an 11 x 14 oil painting.

Susan and Geppetto, a Thoroughbred she rides along the Rocky Mountain trails.



and landed on the brilliant idea of creating Fergus in 2000. She didn’t want to limit her character to one breed or discipline, so she created a horse not tied to anything specific.

Of course, creating Fergus was a process. Jean explained that she began with his skeleton, which closely resembles a real horse. Then, she added the more fictional, creative element Fergus is famous for – his unhorse-like, larger-than-life eyes.

“It’s amazing how just a few lines can change the expression in those big eyes,” she said. “In the evolution of that, I’ve got an almost correct horse

Fergus’ creator Jean Abernethy takes her big-eyed cartoon creation for a trail ride – and it looks like he is about to teach his fellow equines how to spook, a very Fergus thing to do! Photo by Tammy Donaldson

By Dani Moritz

He’s a long-faced, googley-eyed, completely goofy horse and that’s exactly what people love about him. If you’re not familiar with this beloved equine character, we would like to introduce you to Fergus – the horse who has the whole world laughing.

Fergus can best be described as your typical strong-willed horse – in comic form that is. He’s not so interested in prettying up and isn’t afraid to do what he wants in any given situation – whether that’s eating through fences or spooking at nothing. Really, he’s great at doing all those silly things that make equestrians laugh (and sometimes suffer!), which is exactly why he is such a great hit with his fans.

But, Fergus doesn’t do it all on his own. Behind this class act is a great illustrator – Jean Abernethy.

Jean has been creating equine comics since 1981

eArt

The Horse Who Has the Whole World Laughing


with this ridiculous face.” This near lifelike horse is perfect for

Jean’s goal – which is to appeal to all equestrians. And that is something she has definitely accomplished. While Fergus does occasionally have jokes that are discipline-specific (like his personal definitions for hunters and jumpers), so many of Fergus’ comics appeal to all horse enthusiasts.

Jean explains, “Fergus can pretty much do anything.” We should add that he can also make almost everyone laugh!

And what Fergus can’t do, his friends can. Jean created several other horses to complement the Fergus comic strips, including the pony matriarch named Grace, naïve Appaloosa foal named Ditto and many others.

The key to Fergus and his friends’ success is simple – they are 100 percent horse, not humans in animal suits. While some animal cartoon characters behave like humans, Fergus doesn’t. He behaves like a horse. And in doing so, reminds us how human we are.

Jean describes Fergus as the exact opposite of other elegant and noble equine heroes of our culture. He’s a bit scrawny, a little scraggly and happy that way. Human logic doesn’t make much sense to him.

“When you get a horse all spiffed up for a show, you care how they look, but they don’t care how they look,” she explains. “They don’t care if their mane is brushed or braided. They’ll go out and roll in the dirt because it feels good. Like real horses, that’s just

how Fergus is.”This true-to-life humor has led

Fergus on an incredible path. Along the way, he has appeared in several periodicals such as Horse & Pony News, Blaze Magazine, Horse Canada, Horse Sport, Today’s Horse, Monty Roberts’ Join-Up Journal and The Ocala Star Banner – and now he has made his mark on Sidelines.

He also has his own coloring book, My Friend Fergus, which was written and illustrated by his creator, Jean.

Today, Fergus has more than 63,000 Facebook fans with daily interaction. “It’s incredibly gratifying to get messages from all over the world. With some of them I have to hit the translation link to understand their comments.”

Jean explains, “What people seem to love most about Fergus is that they can really connect with him because he reminds them of their own horses. A lot of comments come in across Facebook like “Fergus reminds me of my horse!’ You couldn’t pay me a higher compliment.”

For more information about Fergus and his creator, Jean, visit http://www.fergusthehorse.com.

About the writer: Dani Moritz is a graduate of William Woods University with majors in Equine General Studies and Communications and is currently pursuing a Master’s In Strategic Leadership at Stephens College. She is very happy to be a staff writer and distribution manager for Sidelines Magazine and the proud owner of a beautiful Paint/Arabian mare named September. She is also the 2012 American Horse Publications Student Award winner.

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