about the artist Cindy Walker
Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass,
it's about learning to dance in the rain.
Artist Statement
"Each of my artistic creations is like a child to me. I first conceive an idea for a piece, then carry its potential in my heart until eventually I give it life. In a way that makes anyone who owns one of my creations like family. That is a nice feeling - the more I create the bigger my family grows. I hope you enjoy my work. I believe if you search long enough, and if you are lucky enough, you will find something you love to do and maybe even learn to do it well."
Cindy Walker
About Me
It's complicated.
"I never set out to be an artist... it's just something that I am...
like being a woman.... like being alive...
and it's very hard for me to push and promote and sell my thoughts and dreams to a world that doesn't understand."
I work in many different mediums. I Paint in watercolors and acrylics. I create beaded jewelry and horse tack, I make needle felted soft sculpture animals from wool, I often dabble in photography and digital art, and I love to bake and cook.
My artwork is on display in private collections, museums and galleries throughout the US and Europe. My work has been featured in magazine articles and it has won competitions. I have taught classes in beading and authored an article on how to make Native American model horse regalia.
So just how did I become an artist?
For me it was the horse... My father was at the horse races the day I was born and wanted to name me after the winning horse - "Bardstown"! Luckily my mother 'over-rode' that choice, but it would have been fitting because even as a child I was in love with everything about horses. For as long as I can remember I have been passionate about horses - some would call it more of an obsession. I spent every waking moment as a child drawing horses, reading about horses and playing with my toy horses. I quickly acquired a collection of books and pictures of horses.
Of course I got my first horse at an early age - a spring horse named "Pal". He was my favorite toy until I had far outgrown him and worn him completely out and my mother gave him to the neighbor's children. All of my favorite toys were horses and I still have this little purple corduroy pony that was bought for me at a local farmer's market in Canada where my family spent the summers when I was a child.
I had saddle seat riding lessons for several years when I was a child in Florida. My instructor was a tiny old man, Harold Leonard, who had polio as a child which left him in leg braces. He showed American Saddlebreds, Hackneys and Tennessee Walking horses and he taught me so much about horses and riding. Of course the fundamentals like having a good seat, light hands, keeping my heels down head up and always looking between the horses ears, and also, that you are a much greater person when you are on a horse.
We moved to Georgia and my first real horse (of my own) came into my life when I was 14. "Sugar" was a dark bay, raw boned green-broke Arabian x Quarter Horse mare who was anything but sweet. She did the "airs above the ground" like a Lipizzaner. Sugar would do the courbette, capriole, levade, and side pass - all with nothing but a halter. I didn't teach her how to do any of this, they were just bad habits she had and, being a "wild child" myself, I enjoyed her antics and eventually she taught me which commands made her do which move all on her own. I learned a lot from her.
Since then I have had the pleasure of having a few other great horses in my life as friends and companions, Buster- my first school horse, Rascal (my appy that I always regretted selling), Becky (whom anyone could ride), the "Bay Mare" and an old paint horse "BJ" (who were just on loan) that taught my kids how to ride and taught me to team rope. Of course there were many more horses that touched my life because I was a horse trainer for several years.
When I studied art in college and they told me that I could not be a "real artist" if I only painted horses... I didn't understand.... but, maybe they were right, but anyway here I am... and sometimes I still paint horses... So That's how I became an artist... for the love of horses.
contact me with any questions or comments or if you would like more information about my work.
One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying.
And now do you still want to know more about me?
So Why "Ghost Horse" Studios?
Model horse artists all have "Studio Names" even if their 'studio' is a kitchen table or, like mine, is just a folding TV table in front of the futon. So since horses have always been a major part of my life and my favorite breed of horses are the beautifully spotted Appaloosas. A "Ghost Horse" is an Appaloosa "few spot" which is mostly white and does not have very many spots, however, these horses always produce colorful or "loud" foals with brightly spotted coats. You never know what color or pattern you will get when you cross with a Ghost Horse... I am like that ~ not very 'loud' myself, but my creations are always varied and colorful. So the name "Ghost Horse Studios" just seemed a natural choice for my model costuming work.So many beautiful beads- but so little time in a lifetime to bead with them! I am a confirmed beadaholic. I have been making Native American Indian style beading for about 30 years now, but I am not a Native American - I just love to bead! The person who taught me how to bead was a neighbor who beaded her own horse tack and hat bands. I later traveled extensively throughout Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Utah, and Idaho attending pow-wows and historic re-enactments where I picked up little bits and pieces of beading advice from many Native Americans and many other craftspeople from around the world. While the main body of my beadwork is still Native American Inspired, I am now designing some great new European and Medieval inspired beadwork patterns with dragons, roses, crosses, celtic knotwork and Medieval and Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance designs that I can't wait to make up into something unique and beautiful just for you, your dog or your horse!want to see more of my Custom Beadwork ?
"The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it." Pearl Buck
and then there is the needle felting...
I am completely self taught in needle felting. I first saw someone doing needle felting at a local craft show and I thought "WOW! Now how cool is that?" - "I want to learn that!" So I came home, got on-line, ordered a 'starter kit' with some wool and needles and found some simple instructions on-line and voila!
Of course my own Jack Russell Terrier "Imp" has been my inspiration to make Needle Felted Dogs and Pets - especially JRTs!
Now I make all kinds of animals, sheep, horses, goats, pigs, geese... and my little Needle Felted French Mice and my Needle Felted Sheep!
"Life is too short to waste even a moment living in a way that makes you unhappy.
Life is too short to put off living your dreams! Live, dream, discover, dance, sing, paint, sculpt,
hug your kids, call your mom, blow bubbles, go to Paris or fly a kite...
embrace the adventure of life and make it your own!"
Cindy Walker
Native American Miniature Doll and Horse Models
As a horse addicted child I collected china horses, plastic horses, Breyer model horses and the "Best of The West" horses made by Marx, as well as a huge box of little plastic Cowboys and Indians. But who wants plain old plastic ponies? Not me! So, since the simple monochromatic plastic horses were unrealistic and boring, I painted them to be pintos and appaloosas and I made special barns and corrals for them and made little saddles and bridles for them from yarn and string and any scraps of leather, fur or cloth I could find. I even used to pose my Marx and Breyer "toy" horses in scenes I made up and photograph them.
What is model horse 'costuming'? When I found out a few years ago that (adult) people actually have shows for model horses it amazed me, and since I didn't have any real horses anymore, it just seemed a natural thing for me to customize the model horses and I started to make the "costumes" for the performance classes. I went to a couple of shows and I just don't enjoy that aspect of it, so I don't show model horses myself.
I just like to make things... to create something beautiful - something that did not exist before - from a little bit of string and leather and beads.
It takes many long hours, often sore fingers, lots and lots of careful research and some pretty hard to find materials to create my model horse costumes, but it is worth it all when I get an e-mail from some happy model horse enthusiast who has won at yet another show with one of my creations on their prized horse.
My model horse regalia always placed in the top 10 at the Nationals and Breyerfest and my customers report so many wins at the local and regional model shows that I have lost track.
I don't make model horse tack anymore... not because I don't enjoy doing it, but I have moved on in my life and my concentration has shifted to other areas. I could be coaxed out of retirement if someone had a vision of something really special they wanted... write me and we'll talk about it...
Click to see my Native American Model Horse Tack
You can see more of my model horse costumes in my picasa web albums
Let us be grateful to people who make us happy;
they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
Marcel Proust
e-mail me with any questions or comments or if you would like more information about my work.
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Cindy Walker ~ Ghost Horse Studios /The Beaded Saddle 2010
