Horse Island

Before I talk about horses, let me announce this:

Rae Chalmers, author of the OXBOW ISLAND GANG series, is hosting a Book Launch on Sunday, June 6 from 12:30 – 3:30 at the Island Lobster Company on Peaks Island! Mark your calendars: join us for food, fun, and games on the lower-level deck to celebrate Rae’s great books.

Folks may think of lobsters when they think of Maine, but here on Peaks, there’s plenty of horses, too. It’s a little known fact that my first published book for children (2005) was MADDIE’S MAGICAL RIDE by another island author, Jeanann Alves, owner and operator of Horse Island Camp.

The story features Dumpling and Merry Legs, but I learned all about Jeanie’s band of horses during the process of illustrating the book. I’ve always been drawn to horses for their beauty, but remain a little intimidated by them. I’ve drawn many of them over the years.

So when Anna Lender, art director at Cricket Magazine, called me with an assignment about horse therapy, I said YESSSS.

Author Amy Hempe’s piece, Valor for Valor, features an eighth grader, Gabriela, who is troubled at home and school, but feels a connection to Valor, a retired racing horse who’s “been through a lot.” The first step was getting some authentic references, and whenever I can find primary sources, I’m happy. I contacted an island neighbor, Marina Penalver, about shooting some photos in the horse barn on Peaks Island, a building I’ve long admired but have never been inside.

I sent rough pencil sketches after taking photos and gathering other references. The challenge was fitting a decent composition into the vertical half page layout.

Once my round of quick sketches was approved (plus I needed to do a few revisions also) I worked on the finals which were drawn with pastel on brown sanded paper.

These were done back in October for the February 2021 issue. I loved how Anna complemented my palette with her colors in the page design.

Here’s how I used this photo reference for the setting of the second illustration.

This illustration proved to be the most challenging, capturing that tension of girls’ dynamics in school, at their lockers bruising for a fight. I had to do many, many sketches for some reason, the subtle expressions, age, dress, and composition all factors at play.

In the last illustration, I included Marina, posing as the perceptive Josie, director of the polo program who can see Gabriela’s struggles with anger. She’s heard that Gabriela walked away from the fight at school, and rewards her behavior with a chance to play polo at last, showing she’s ready for horsemanship and the team.

You can see here what I left in and left out of my illustration.

Many thanks to Marina for her help! I had taken this photo years ago, when she offered her horse, Dutch, as the steed for a wedding celebration on Peaks.

This drawing is my appreciation, titled Dutch Treat.

Horses abound on this island that’s only a mile long by a mile and a half wide. I encounter them nearly every day, somewhere!

And all year long! Here they go past my studio window in late February. I always have my camera handy.

It’s a delight whenever I see Jeanie with her festive horses. She’s worked hard to give riders unforgettable experiences.

Thanks to Cricket and all the animals that make our world go round!