Page 73 - NMHBA Spring 2020

A MOMENT IN TIME
New Mexico Futurity while riding for Robert Ritchie with Token Gratuity and won some more Lineage, stakes and allowances races in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, including five in a row on Livermore Lady for Todd Antonuk.
Racing was great for awhile because “you
can travel anywhere and always make a living,” explained Kathy. Memories of riding on turf were her best because “it was like somebody turned off the sound and there was silent running, the rider and horse were as one, gliding along the track with the others,” she continued.
That majestic beauty of the large athletic animals inspired her to paint. She did a portrait of her mount at the time – StufNGus, and
his owners immediately bought it. From there demand for her work took a leap. As she became more experienced, Kathy was commissioned to do specific portraits for Dr. Marvin Bowman and his wife Charlene for some of their World Champion Class Appaloosas, among others.
Kathy has worked in oils, pencil and pastel, however prefers the pastels because they offer the most pure clean colors. Her use of color is subtle yet intense and layers upon layers compliment the carefully laid muscular conformation of the subject. Delicate lines often depict a whispy mane and tail cutting through the air.
After obtaining her degree in AdvertisingvDesign/Illustration, Kathy worked in the field in positions, including Graphic Artist and Assistant Art Director for Farnam Companies in their in-house agency in Arizona, and later worked for US West advertising. Eventually, it was time to return to her dream.
Kathy came back to the University of New Mexico to pursue her Fine Arts Degree and obtain her teaching licensure, graduating this Spring, about the same time two of her foals are due. The master of color and texture plans to share her talent by teaching illustration, design and computer graphics at the Art Center in Albuquerque. She does, however, intend to hold on to her disciplined regimen of illustrating
her main love as one part of keeping a family tradition, offering “horse moments” captured and framed for horse lovers everywhere. Her work covers all aspects of people interacting with horses, whether it be western, racing or scenic. Her sister Ruth, who is a saddle maker, now sells her work in her shop.
On a typical day, Kathy gets up at five a.m. and takes her cup of coffee to her studio where with a fresh mind she sifts through photos, researches and does some rough studies. She prepares her paper’s surface so that it takes the pastels and colored pencil perfectly. Then it’s outside to feed with her husband Terry at seven, and back in the studio for a few strokes of color to pieces already in progress. Back outside at nine to break and exercise until lunchtime. More studio time in the afternoon and then feeding at four. Her goal is to spend eight hours a day with her craft, however teaching will soon dictate her schedule.
Horses have ultimately been Kathy’s best subject to translate onto paper because of her love for the animal, and it shows in her work. “Horses seemed balanced,” she says. Being a Libra, Kathy likes that. “They seem to reach out when they move. The graceful lines flow from
every part of their body, gradually carrying your eye throughout the entire piece,” she adds.
Kathy’s relationship with horses is natural and real. She sometimes thinks it’s easier to
get along with horses. They show all of their emotions in their eyes and their body language.
Her pencil and pastel work has been displayed at the New Mexico State Fair earning an Honorable Mention ribbon in 2001. She entered and won first and third in the Silver Stampede Rodeo Art Show in Elko, Nevada. Her next private showing was at Running Horse Farm’s open house on January 20, 2002.
Out of eight siblings in the family, only Kathy and her sister are involved in horse related businesses. She therefore feels honored to keep her family tradition alive by being hands-on with her training, breeding, and breaking of two- year-olds on her farm. Alive in her heart is her passion for horses, captured, created and framed in her works of art.
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