'my kingdom for a horse'

horses are not related to design. not to most people anyway. to me, horses started my creative spark. they were the first thing i wanted to draw, the first thing i wanted to explore culturally - in books and magazines, movies and great artwork (whistlejacket!). for a design project in school, i used black beauty as a dialogue through which to discuss the horrors of animal abuse. horses had, and continue to have, cultural impact, which as a designer, is worth further study and inquiry. especially in america, horses are icons of many things - the west, cowboys, exploration, progress, racing, freedom, greatness. they are in our logos. we name cars after them. they have a presence in the design world.

i followed the story of barbaro. i was crushed by his loss. as an animal-lover i was devastated. as a designer, i wanted to know more about the why - why did so many people love him? here is the best article i found. it brings together many current topics and threads to explain why his impact on american culture is so powerful.

AMERICA'S PONY by Phoebe Kate Foster @ popmatters
read article HERE

current inspiration

I just wrapped up the Valentine's Day promotion for Whole Foods Market Southwest region. I can't spill the beans quite yet, but stay tuned to my portfolio and homepage for a sneak peek at the beginning of February. It came out rather gorgeous and vivid.

last night i created my early spring inspiration board:



i do one of these every season (every 2-3 months), and continually add to them throughout. these are the colors and feelings i hope to draw from in the next few months.