I have been drawing and doodling horses for as long as I can remember
The magical world of childhood – I remember it vividly. The creation gene runs strong in my family, as well as the love of horses. My grandfather was a real horse lover and always appreciated my horsey drawings and doodles. He was also a gambler, so as you can imagine he went to horse races every chance he got. My dad was a very creative guy, he made things that would have your head spinning. Naturally, I began making things too. Horses, horses and more horses…I would make them out of sand at the beach, paint them on rocks and make them out of Play-doh. I created saddles and bridles for my growing collection of breyer horses. Three dimensional objects and miniature painting are my favorite art forms.
Someday soon, I will dig out a few very old pictures of my first clay horses and post them here, along with my first antler pendants. That will be fun to see again.
My artwork journey, in short
While very basic at the time, the college classes that I attended did help me along my art journey. I learned a lot from them and use the techniques in my artwork to this day.
If there is a pen or pencil within reach, I still have a tendency to draw on anything and everything…boxes, boards, packaging, 2×4’s,-whatever happens to be nearby. Sometimes, this gets me into trouble with my husband, but over the years he has become accustomed to my doodling. Sometimes those doodles actually end up as some kind of finished product.
Michigan Living
I have lived in Michigan all of my life. I am originally from Northern Lower Michigan. I now live in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. Lake Huron is within walking distance. Ships travelling the Great Lakes come through daily, blowing their low, eerie horns and announcing their presence to all. These ships are massive – they will take your breath away with their sheer size. The woods that I am so fortunate to also be surrounded by, is full of wildlife. We have black bear, whitetail deer, wolf, fox, coyote, lynx and of course your squirrels, raccoons and smaller critters.
When the weather changes here, it changes fast. Once those temps start going down, that’s it. You open the door and just like that, your nose hairs freeze as snow hits you in the face. I take advantage of the summer and fall seasons to get as much preparation for my artwork done outdoors as possible. The prep is generally dirty, dusty, messy and lengthy – too much for being out in the cold (a little chill is okay, but -10 degrees and blowing snow is a little much). This is why you will see my newer work released either in the summer, or later in the year.
October and November
What is so significant about October and November you ask? Well, here in Michigan, October 1 is when bow hunting season starts – and you will find me in my bow stand. November 15-30 is rifle season (however at my age, I am not to fond of the temperatures). I personally find bow hunting more rewarding that rifle hunting, but I enjoy both. Even if I do not get a deer, I love to sit in the woods and take in nature. This brings me to a common question – are the antlers I use sheds?
I use both antler sheds and also antler taken from legally harvested deer. The reasons I will use the antler from a legally harvested deer:
- A) No part of an animal should be wasted,
- B) They will end up somewhere – better a beautiful pendant adorned with artwork than a Fido’s doggie chew
- C) The deer is already dead -the antlers, more times than not, will waste away in the corners of someone’s garage or shed (especially the smaller racks) – because they are not big enough for ‘wall hangers’… but to me, they are ALL trophies – Every. Single. One.
So there you have it, why I am not against using antlers from legally harvested deer. By the way, I am always looking. If you have antlers and would like to make some trade, please email me. I am interested in sheds or legally harvested antlers only. Whitetail deer, Mule deer and Blacktail. Sika and Red deer also welcome. Elk and caribou are not good for pendants due to their pitting qualities, but I can put them to use in other areas. Moose is too large for pendants but always neat for other things.
If you have any questions please use the form below and email me. I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Email: pavilionpony@hotmail.com