Western Art Show: Artist Talk

Center for the Arts, Evergreen CO

The opening of the Center for the Arts juried Western Art Show last Friday had a fairly full house. This was their first exhibition devoted entirely to artwork that is representative of western culture and heritage, sponsored by Southwest Art Magazine. It featured a combination of cowboy themed art, Native American portraits, Native American still life, western wildlife art, and western landscapes. This exhibition will coincide with the Evergreen Rodeo, which is June 19 th-21 st. It was fun to have a rep. from SW Art mag. there however they don't acknowledge photographers!

I have to share something fun with you but you must promise to keep a secret..... the image I have hanging there right now of the two horses playing are actually dressage horses and not western horses. It must have been the appie with the blanket!

Well today was fun. I returned to the gallery to give a brown bag lunch talk with two of the other artists. At first I wasn't sure what I was going to talk about since I really don't consider myself a western artist but an artist from the west. Once I started talking about my mustang work the rest was history and time flew by. I just love meeting other artists and hearing about their process and just plain sharing with other people in general!

Spirit of the Horse: spiritus Three

Gosh lots happened when I was away! When it rains it pours. This image has been very well received by the juried art world and I wanted to take a moment and talk a bit about it. It is an archival pigment ink print on artist's watercolor paper in an edition of only 35 (called spiritus Three) and it is from my Spiritus series. To read more about this series please visit my website at www.windhorseone.com!

It is one of three entries I submitted to a "Spirit of the Horse" juried competition and art show currently showing at PS Zask Art Gallery in Rancho Palos Verde CA. Please stop by and see it if you are in the area. I mentioned in an earlier blog that they accepted all three entries which absolutely thrilled me! While I was away I received notification that it had won first place. They also used it on their website (www.pszaskgallery.com/CURRENT_SHOW.html) and for the brochure. Woo hoo - I love it when somebody loves the work. For me it is not about selling the work but the spirit of being able to share it!

I also love fund raisers and this is a benefit for the Return to Freedom wild horse sanctuary (www.returntofreedom.org) and the Portuguese Bend Pony Club. As you know am a supporter of RTF so this was a perfect venue to appreciate my work! The Portuguese Bend Pony Club, located in Rancho Palos Verde, is dedicated to educating local youths on horse care management and equine sports.

This piece also was accepted and sold last year in a prestigious "All Things Horses" juried photography show at the Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins Colorado. There were thousands of entries and only 60 photographs were chosen for the exhibit.

AND....I just received notification that this piece was accepted into the Center for the Arts Evergreen's Western Art Show (all mediums). While I consider myself more of a contemporary artist I decided to enter for giggles. You just never know and voila!

In any event....I never know what I am going to enter and often while my heart may want to enter something that speaks to me more, I often make a decision based on the juror and of course the topic. My decision to return to this piece was purely based on how quickly they needed the piece and my current inventory. Not to mention I do like it but it has already done well and I like to share other work. Lets just say living in the mountains does not lend itself to visiting my printer and then the framer very easily!

I hope this babbling has not seemed too self-serving and the point of it is because I am a supporter of Return to Freedom I would like to offer this fine print to the community and I am fully prepared to donate 25% from the sale to Return to Freedom. Additionally I will include free shipping and a box of 6 of my new note cards which includes this piece and has a value of $20. Is that a deal or what??!!

The details are:
Size: 11.5" x 20"
Price: $350


The print comes museum mounted on archival foam core and can be shipped in one week after receipt of the order. For your convenience I have created a secure PayPal button. I also take all forms of credit cards, please contact me at susan@windhorseone.com if you would like to use your plastic.

As a service this print is also offered flush mounted on sleek aluminum (I love this presentation!) and floats off of the wall. It is also offered with frames used for canvas art so that the print is not covered with glass - this also floats freely off of the wall. Please contact me for more info on this.

Thanks in advance!
Susan
windhorseOne Studios
www.windhorseone.com