Art Form, the Horse and Doris

You can spot some remarkable sights traveling through Central and Eastern Oregon.  One such sight is a creation of metal artistry that makes a person take a second look.  From a distance, this western scene looks real.  However, upon closer approach, you realize that these are horses, riders and dogs scaled to life-like size depicting a scene not uncommon in this ranch country.  These pieces of metal art are located 'galloping' on land adjacent to Highway 20 near Sisters, Oregon.  I am always amazed at the ingenuity and talent that can create diverse forms of art for others to enjoy. 

The below photo is the real deal.  When winter gives way to spring, it brings a sigh of relief to the rancher knowing that feeding season is just about over with and livestock can be turned out to graze.  The cycle then begins anew, working fields to grow hay for another winter's season supply.  I will say this for metal horses - they don't eat hay!  

The horse has been used in art form  to represent the mystical to the practical.  Drawings of horses as unicorns and winged pegasus have been used to spark imagination and fantasy.  The horse is an icon of civilization, with cave drawings from ancient days and leading to the present day when artwork has shown the horse in varied roles, which tell a story.
- agriculture... whether pulling a wagon or used as a mount for a rider   
- transportation... was the pulling power used in transit from buggies to wagons
- war...  a soldier with four legs used for military operations
- religion...  used in symbolism such as the four horsemen of the Apocalypse 
- exploration... forging a trail in the discovery of new lands
- competition...  from rodeo to polo and all the equine events in between
- therapy...  used to help the disabled, from physical to psychological

Art forms are expressed through mediums in metal, sculptures in bronze,  paintings in oil, watercolor, pencil, pastel, photography and media expression - all depicting the magnificent horse in heart, in obedience, in freedom and in power.

Doris, my mother-in-law, also had artistic ability and loved to draw horses and nature scenes in her younger days. She has left tangible evidence of her talent in pencil and pastel drawings.  In particular, Doris created an intimate remembrance in art form of a horse she loved.  She used her talent to draw out of this love, a pencil portrait of Mazie that is hanging in her room at Valley View.   Our Doris is now in hospice care and it is with nostalgia that I present to you this sketching that she did of her beloved horse. She is making that final ride out of this world and into her true heavenly home where she'll meet up with Mazie again.  The enlarged photos show the signed name of  'Mazie 1951' and her simple signature, the initials D.C.  - Doris Clark at the time of this drawing....

I have written about Doris in several other posts (links listed below) in case you haven't seen them and are interested in viewing:
http://www.turn-uppatch.blogspot.com/2015/03/sands-of-time-and-doris.html
http://www.turn-uppatch.blogspot.com/2013/09/rosie-riveter-and-doris.html 
http://www.turn-uppatch.blogspot.com/2014/04/valley-view-caregivers-baby-chicks.html

I hope you will join me at The Turn-Up Patch in two weeks, on Monday May 25.   
Until then, I leave you with a great quote by Edgar Degas - "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see."