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Some of my Early Art
Many people ask me how I started as an artist and what made me pick horses as a subject.. I will try to answer these questions here.
HOW DID YOU BECOME AN ARTIST?
Like most people my age, my life has been a long complicated journey of trying this or that, falling and getting back up. Even though it is a hard life, in many ways, being an artist is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling things I have done in my life.
I have been involved in many creative things before this. I have dabbled in photography, the film industry, taken film, scriptwriting and acting classes. I've worked for the Pasadena Playhouse and was a volunteer for the Sundance Institute for several years. I attended film premiers, music award shows and had meetings with Hallmark Hall of Fame Producers and mega star regarding my film project idea. I had excitement and lots of opportunities but something always stopped me from really "going for it."
Through all the twists and turns in my life the one constant thing I always went back to was my love of horses. I didn't go to college because I had just gotten my first horse and didn't want to sell him. When I started to take photos it was because of horses. When I lived in CA and got involved with Sundance I decided to find a film project to work on. My goal was to submit it to Sundance. That week there was an article in the newspaper about the Colorado Wild Horse Inmate Program. I hopped a plane and rented a video camera and headed to Colorado to research and film the inmates and horses. When I decided to become a full time artist my work naturally gravitated to horses.
Since childhood the horse has always been an important part of my imaginary &/or real life. I watched My Friend Flicka, Fury, National Velvet, the Lone Ranger, and Bonanza on TV. Playing "Cowboys & Indians" was one of my favorite things to do.
I got my wish and my first horse when I was a senior in High School. The problem was even though I loved horses, rode horses on summer vacations and took some riding lessons I really knew nothing about owning one. I learned through experience. I moved on to a Mare in foal wanting to achieve another goal of having my own "Fury". Again, reality is different than a fantasy. I sold my colt when he was 8 years old and moved to California.
I found, in the beginning as well as today, that my art is a combination of natural instinct and letting my imagination go. The historical part (symbols & meanings) come from doing the research. Each new horse, &/or design, I create, brings more experience, knowledge, and insight.
In the beginning I created my art from sticks I picked up from the beach or hikes. I used the scrapes of leather, I got from a clothes designer client, to cover paper mache boxes or do wall hanging. (see photos on right)
No mater what I created my art always seemed to be horse &/or Native American related. Again, two things that not only interested me but came naturally to me.
Age 5
vacation our west
How did the "hand-sculpted clay horses" come ?
When I still lived in California I had seen these paper mache horses at an art supply store. I quickly snatched one up, took it home painted and decorated it. It was something new and fun to do. Unfortunately they stopped making the same quality of horses soon after I started so I had to find another way to express myself and my love of horses.
In 1997 I moved from So California to Pagosa Springs, Co to begin my career as an artist. It was also a step towards living out my childhood dream of living on a ranch and having a herd of horses in my backyard.
Well....I never got my ranch or my herd of "real" horses but this is where my hand-sculpted clay horses were born. I realized quite later that in a way part of my dream did come true. I had a lot of horses just a different kind than I thought I would have. I call them easy keepers.
Two ceramic artists were instrumental in my early years as an artist. Liz Patterson of New Mexico and Alana Koch who lived in Pagosa.
1st horse made 1998
he exploded in kiln so I glued him back together
Alana I met through the Pagosa Art Center. Alana and her husband had a beautiful home outside of Pagosa and both were ceramic artists. They had a wonderful work space for creating art, glazing and firing. It was Alana that taught me about glazing and kiln firing.
Although I never set out to to do "Spiritual Art" the creative process seems to bring spiritual insight. Creating has always been a very healing experience for me. I learn about myself from the art I produce. The personalities of each horse brings me joy. Sometimes the color combinations are a surprise to me but then I will look up the meanings and it all makes sense.
It is a nice feeling when people come into my booth and say my art makes them happy and follow up with "I want one of everything".
I thank all of you that have been collecting my horses for a long time and those of you that are new to my collection of work. I appreciate all of your support. -denise
HOW DID YOU BECOME AN ARTIST?
Like most people my age, my life has been a long complicated journey of trying this or that, falling and getting back up. Even though it is a hard life, in many ways, being an artist is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling things I have done in my life.
I have been involved in many creative things before this. I have dabbled in photography, the film industry, taken film, scriptwriting and acting classes. I've worked for the Pasadena Playhouse and was a volunteer for the Sundance Institute for several years. I attended film premiers, music award shows and had meetings with Hallmark Hall of Fame Producers and mega star regarding my film project idea. I had excitement and lots of opportunities but something always stopped me from really "going for it."
Mustangs from the Colorado Wild Horse Inmate Program
For more information about this film project click here
Through all the twists and turns in my life the one constant thing I always went back to was my love of horses. I didn't go to college because I had just gotten my first horse and didn't want to sell him. When I started to take photos it was because of horses. When I lived in CA and got involved with Sundance I decided to find a film project to work on. My goal was to submit it to Sundance. That week there was an article in the newspaper about the Colorado Wild Horse Inmate Program. I hopped a plane and rented a video camera and headed to Colorado to research and film the inmates and horses. When I decided to become a full time artist my work naturally gravitated to horses.
Since childhood the horse has always been an important part of my imaginary &/or real life. I watched My Friend Flicka, Fury, National Velvet, the Lone Ranger, and Bonanza on TV. Playing "Cowboys & Indians" was one of my favorite things to do.
I got my wish and my first horse when I was a senior in High School. The problem was even though I loved horses, rode horses on summer vacations and took some riding lessons I really knew nothing about owning one. I learned through experience. I moved on to a Mare in foal wanting to achieve another goal of having my own "Fury". Again, reality is different than a fantasy. I sold my colt when he was 8 years old and moved to California.
I found, in the beginning as well as today, that my art is a combination of natural instinct and letting my imagination go. The historical part (symbols & meanings) come from doing the research. Each new horse, &/or design, I create, brings more experience, knowledge, and insight.
In the beginning I created my art from sticks I picked up from the beach or hikes. I used the scrapes of leather, I got from a clothes designer client, to cover paper mache boxes or do wall hanging. (see photos on right)
No mater what I created my art always seemed to be horse &/or Native American related. Again, two things that not only interested me but came naturally to me.
Age 5
vacation our west
How did the "hand-sculpted clay horses" come ?
When I still lived in California I had seen these paper mache horses at an art supply store. I quickly snatched one up, took it home painted and decorated it. It was something new and fun to do. Unfortunately they stopped making the same quality of horses soon after I started so I had to find another way to express myself and my love of horses.
In 1997 I moved from So California to Pagosa Springs, Co to begin my career as an artist. It was also a step towards living out my childhood dream of living on a ranch and having a herd of horses in my backyard.
Well....I never got my ranch or my herd of "real" horses but this is where my hand-sculpted clay horses were born. I realized quite later that in a way part of my dream did come true. I had a lot of horses just a different kind than I thought I would have. I call them easy keepers.
Two ceramic artists were instrumental in my early years as an artist. Liz Patterson of New Mexico and Alana Koch who lived in Pagosa.
Liz Patterson is the artist who said "why don't you try
making horses out of clay, you can't make them as big but you could do it?"
Liz had a great deal of experience as a ceramic artist and made these fabulous clay bears. http://www.spiritinartgallery.com/spirit-Liz.html#
I took her advise and so began the journey into
the world of clay, glazes, kilns and learning patience. Liz had a great deal of experience as a ceramic artist and made these fabulous clay bears. http://www.spiritinartgallery.com/spirit-Liz.html#
1st horse made 1998
he exploded in kiln so I glued him back together
Alana I met through the Pagosa Art Center. Alana and her husband had a beautiful home outside of Pagosa and both were ceramic artists. They had a wonderful work space for creating art, glazing and firing. It was Alana that taught me about glazing and kiln firing.
Although I never set out to to do "Spiritual Art" the creative process seems to bring spiritual insight. Creating has always been a very healing experience for me. I learn about myself from the art I produce. The personalities of each horse brings me joy. Sometimes the color combinations are a surprise to me but then I will look up the meanings and it all makes sense.
It is a nice feeling when people come into my booth and say my art makes them happy and follow up with "I want one of everything".
I thank all of you that have been collecting my horses for a long time and those of you that are new to my collection of work. I appreciate all of your support. -denise
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