Art at the Draft Horse Classic

I just wanted to share this image with you from the Draft Horse Classic out at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley CA. Every year they have an art show while all the gentle giants strut their stuff. This is one of my submissions that I worked up recently.

It was at this event last year that I fell in love with the Friesian breed. I am not sure but I think this is a Percheron horse. Please correct me if I am wrong! I would love to go back and exhibit again this year but we have decided to stay in CO this year. Boo Hoo! I loved it there.

Well this blogger has had about enough writing for today. I was busy reactivating and communicating on my new windhorseOne Studios Facebook page and I am throwing in the towel!

Thanks for reading!
Susan
windhorseOne Studios
www.windhorseone.com

Touched By A Horse Workshop & Melisa Pearce

This weekend I participated in an Intuitive Awareness workshop at Melisa Pearce's Lil Bit North Ranch in Niwot Colorado. I recently met Melisa who founded Touched By A Horse; programs inspired by relationships with horses combined with her background in psychotherapy. The programs integrate time with horses and also deep personal exploration. Melisa is one of the ten authors in the Horse as Teacher book which is how we met. Check out her wonderful website at www.touchedbyahorse.com.

As we all know, horses are highly intuitive creatures and rely heavily on their senses for self preservation. While we humans have intuition, we rarely trust or listen to it! One of the fascinating aspects of this weekends workshop was being able to watch the horse/human dynamics and how the same horse related to different people. I will be returning later in the week to photograph a participants horse and also some of Melisa's amazing animals. She loves Paints and has a three time World champ. This woman is amazing and does it all!

Melisa also graciously allowed me to bring some of my work to show and sell to the participants. It gave people an opportunity to bring home a horse they identified with that would help them savor and warmly remember the event. Thank you Melisa for your generosity!

I felt the image above is a good representation for this blog. There is somewhat of a mystical and contemplative quality to it. After seeing so many women's hearts being "touched by a horse", who said horses aren't mystics!!!

Yours in the dance,
Susan
windhorseOne Studios
www.windhorseone.com

Medicine Horses; Equine Experiential Learning

I just finished a week long equine experiential learning program at Medicine Horse Program in Boulder Colorado. Their mission is to enhance the mental health and life skills of youth, adults, families, and groups through therapeutic interaction with horses.

The six day program (EFLC Level One training) was taught by Kathy Pike, founder of Coaching With Horses. She is an Epona certified instructor and also a career coach from Carbondale CO. Kathy is also a co-founder and one of the ten co-authors in my new book Horse as Teacher: The Path to Authenticity Through Horses.

All I can say is wow! The transformational power and magic of the horse to teach and heal is nothing short of amazing. One of the powerful tools I learned was how to use my senses like a horse. I left the workshop feeling as though new doors had been opened. One of my goals was to deepen my connection to horses and transfer it to my art. Lets see what happens!

Have a great weekend!
Susan
windhorseone Studios
www.windhorseone.com

Adventures of Zephyr and Kairos

I am thinking of branching "The Adventures of Zephyr and Kairos" to their own Blog but for now they will remain here. While I am relatively new to this whole social media thing (and it is a blast!) it still requires a fair amount of time and effort to set all these things up! And like most artists I would rather be creative than a techie. Most of my life has been in the tech industry and I thought I had left software (other than Photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver, and Painter) behind for ever! What a rude awakening! OK enough of the diversion.

Colorado weather can be really extreme but I wouldn't have it any other way. This day started out warm, and bright and sunny. There was a 50% chance of snow and it blew in with vengeance. Within minutes there was an inch and it stuck to everything. I love that the horses seem oblivious to it and while I walked around brushing myself, Kairos just watched with curiosity. Where was Zephyr? Zephyr is Greek for the gentle god of the west wind. Perhaps the weather was too much for gentle Zephyr...... Well, that isn't really true. Kairos is Mr. Curiosity and needs to be a part of everything and everyone. He just loves to inspect the camera, or anything else for that matter. I thought I was done for the year with snow and winter shots but ya never know which is why my camera is a constant travel companion. There is nothing more rewarding than watching and documenting these fine young windhorses grow up! I have to admit I found a Friesian/paint filly on the internet and I have not stopped thinking about her. I do not need another horse but boy would it make the adventure even more fun than it aready is!

Anyway, it wasn't long before all the horses were running around bucking and playing with each other. It also wasn't long before the sun came back out. I almost couldn't believe how quickly it blew in and out and Spring had returned in all her sunny glory!

Thanks for stopping bye,
Susan
www.windhoresOne Studios
www.windhorseone.com

Appaloosa Portrait: Number Two

Here is my second appaloosa portrait using similar colors to the first. I am working with a bit of blue again and I think it has really enhanced the horse. I will probably do at least one more.

This picture was taken last year at a roundup in Craig Colorado. Every year the Sombrero ranch brings the horses in from their winter wonderland to prepare them to go back to work. The horses are leased out to various dude ranches and outfitters until their season is over. It is truly an amazing site to witness! There is dust flying and horses whinnying and there are about 100 photographers who go to take pictures. The horses just run by and around us and I know that I was so in the moment that I could have been bumped and trampled at any time!

There is something about running horses that mesmerizes people. I think it is because there is such a feeling of freedom and power that accompanies a running horse. We can hear the hooves pounding and the wind on our face even if we have never ridden before. Many people who buy my art do not have horses yet they are so captivated by the archetypal energy associated with the horse.

Tonight I am going downtown to Denver for the First Friday opening. I haven't done that for a while so I am really looking forward to it!

Have a super weekend!
Susan
windhorseOne Studios
www.windhorseone.com