Lady, Annie and Jezebel

This watercolor/ink piece measures about 17.5 inches by 32 inches. It is rendered on Arches cold press watercolor paper. In the frame, it is about 2feet by 4 feet. It was so big, it hardly fit on my drafting table. It was done for Christmas, 2004.

It was commissioned by my customer "Linda," as a surprise Christmas gift for her husband.

The middle horse, Annie, had passed away just a few months previously, and Linda wanted me to paint all three of their horses together so they could be a herd again.

I was invited to meet Lady and Jezebel so I could take some photos and get an idea of their personalities. I took my friend Kathy with me to help.

Lady and Jezebel were sweet and inquisitive, and I could really see how much they loved Linda. They had a deep bond forged from trust and love.

Linda took us to Annie's grave in the back field.

It was so touching to see the grave they had built for their sweet Annie. It had birdbaths, windchimes, and fragrant flowers. It was lovingly tended with bright cedar mulch with not a weed in sight. A breeze came through and made the chimes jingle softly.

When Linda showed me the grave, I felt tears well up in my eyes. It was incredibly moving. This horse was obviously very loved, and very missed.

I took that feeling with me, and put it into this painting.

When I presented Linda with the final piece, the image you see here, she cried and hugged me. I found myself crying right along with her. I know what it is like to love and lose a beloved equine friend...It was a very emotional moment shared between artist and client.

Linda sent me a Christmas card this year, and she gave me an update on her equine family. Lady was getting a tooth pulled, Jezebel was getting to be a real sweetheart (she was a shy girl when I met her), and they still enjoy Annie through my "beautiful painting."

And, they are all together again.

My heart fills with joy every time I look at this image. Knowing that it brings so much happiness to my clients' lives makes me feel SO GOOD. That's the understatement of the year...