| The Stories behind the Painted Ponies - 7th Series Figurines |
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In Greek mythology, Pegasus is regarded as the horse of the Muses, and has always been at the service of poets. And so the story is told of a handsome youth who jumped on the back of a horse that unfolded the splendor of a mighty set of wings and soared towards the heavens... where he can still be seen as the star constellation, Pegasus. Santa Fe sculptor Star Liana York created the original, crystal-eyed interpretation of the legendary flying steed to benefit a therapeutic horseback riding program. |
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To Native Americans, a fetish is any object that possesses
"spirit power." They believe that when the object is
treated with respect, the spirit that resides within can bring
its owner good luck, good health and a harmonious life. With
this in mind, Oregon painter Lynn Bean created an extraordinary
"fetish pony" on which the spirit images of different
horses seem to emerge from inside a sandstone carving of a host
horse, who wears a "power pack" of feathers, beads
and shells on its back. |
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Fetish Pony - resin. Measures 6" high To Native Americans, a fetish is any object that possesses
"spirit power." They believe that when the object is
treated with respect, the spirit that resides within can bring
its owner good luck, good health and a harmonious life. With
this in mind, Oregon painter Lynn Bean created an extraordinary
"fetish pony" on which the spirit images of different
horses seem to emerge from inside a sandstone carving of a host
horse, who wears a "power pack" of feathers, beads
and shells on its back. |
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"Woodland Hunter came to me through research and study
of the northern plains tribes," says Kevin Kilhoffer, a
native of western Oklahoma who studies, draws and paints the
American West. "I found records of a Franciscan missionary
stationed at a fur trade fort dating back to 1836, and in his
notes he described a Teton Sioux warrior who rode into the fort
wearing a magnificent war shirt adorned with scalps and wonderful
art work decorating his horse." Incorporating markings that
tell of deeds, wisdom, wealth and bravery, and outfitting his
Pony with a shield, weapons, saddle and bags for transporting
food, Kevin has created an astounding and historically accurate
tribute to that Plains Indian warrior. |
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In certain Plains Indian tribes there were a special tribal
figure that spoke to and for the horses. He was believed to possess
supernatural powers, and called "The Magician." As
rendered by Taos artist Andersen Kee, who was born on the Navajo
Reservation and whose mother was a weaver and father a silversmith,
the "Magician" is releasing a herd of multi-colored
spirit Ponies from the inside of his elk skin robe, and then
gathering them on the backside. |
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"As an artist, I have always had this vision of different
cultures around the world coming together sharing their beliefs,
customs, blending as one on this small planet we call Mother
Earth," says Frank Salcido, a Navajo from the Standing House
Clan, living in Portland, Oregon. With both sides of his Pony's
face represented by Aztec and Mayan warriors, adorned with tribal
figures from an Australian Aborigine to an African Masai woman,
Frank has fulfilled his artisic mission of using positive themes
to contemporarily showcase traditional lifestyles. |
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In celebration of the way Painted Ponies have become the perfect
gift for holidays, birthdays and anniversaries, we asked Misty,
an artist from Columbus, Ohio who is a member of League of Animal
Artists, to create a Pony that would be appropriate for every
gift-giving occasion. Standing on a beautifully wrapped purple
package, dressed with cakes, party hats, streamers, balloons
and presents, and wearing a candy-colored halter, "Gift
Horse" is a virtual Painted Pony party that is as much fun
as it is innovative. |
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He came of age in the '50s, when hotrods and drag racing were
"cool," when flames and checkered flags were stock
images in car magazines. Years later, after three-decades teaching
art and coaching basketball and winning an award as the New Mexico
Art Educator of the year in 1988, Rich would draw on those times,
those memories, when he was encouraged to paint a Pony by a stock
car racing fan. |
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