Sunday, May 05, 2013

Derby Pining

This is the time of year that I really miss the track life. I don't miss the grind: the seven day work week, getting up way, way before sun up and the constant physical demands of very hard work on a human body. But man, do I miss the horses.
Moi on the shank, Bay Meadows
I hold my stories sacred...and I have lots of them. Spending twenty-five plus years in the microcosm of this community yielded a perspective of life in extreme. Now that I view this milieu from the outside I honor the membership I once held. My participation is from an artist's viewpoint and I'm okay with that as I was privy to this demanding lifestyle for over half my days.

Ponying at Bay Meadows, 1993

But I still miss the horses. Their beauty humbles me. The chiseled, cocked heads, the streamlined movement and poetry of an innate intelligence. Like a ticking time bomb, their power and danger vibrates perilously, barely contained, seeking release. Exhilarating and terrible combine to create a thrill undefinable.
Running a nervous filly, Golden Gate Fields
There are several directions I can go with this. Oh yes, I have an opinion about every facet, nook and cranny of this game. As I grow older, I prefer to simplify and be grateful for my time spent in this exclusive club. Aging often makes one yearn for the past, a past not applicable to present conditions. So I'll stay here and paint.
Michael & I in the paddock, somewhere on the California Fair Circuit. Great times.

But man I miss the horses.
Sharon

3 comments:

Unknown said...

What a wonderful explanation of your personal journey to arrive where you are and why you paint horses and the sport of racing with such an intimate knowledge and eloquence.

Unknown said...

What a wonderful explanation of your personal journey to arrive where you are and why you paint horses and the sport of racing with such an intimate knowledge and eloquence.

Unknown said...

What a wonderful explanation of your personal journey to arrive where you are and why you paint horses and the sport of racing with such an intimate knowledge and eloquence.