The idea for this painting started with a carousel horse.
Carousel horses are carefully made and beautifully decorated, but they don’t get to choose where they go. They travel around the same circle, moving up and down while carrying others.
That idea felt familiar to me.
Sometimes we become so used to our roles and routines that we don’t realize they are holding us in place. We may even be reaching for a brass ring, only to find that the prize gives us another ride around the same circle.
In this painting, the horse has come alive. She breaks the pole that held her and jumps forward. She doesn’t know exactly where she is going, but she knows she can’t stay where she was.
The title, The Ring Could Not Hold Her, came from the brass rings once used on carousels. Riders would reach for a ring as the carousel went around. Catching the brass ring was a prize, but it often meant winning another ride.
I liked the idea that this horse no longer wants another turn. She is leaving the ring behind.
This painting is about recognizing what has been holding you back and finding the courage to move forward. You may not know exactly what comes next, but you can still take that first step with hope.
The Ring Could Not Hold Her is an original mixed-media painting on watercolor paper. The painted area measures 19.5 by 27 inches.
Sometimes we become so used to our roles and routines that we don’t realize how much they are holding us in place. We may even be working toward a brass ring, only to find that the prize gives us another ride around the same circle.
In this painting, the horse has come alive. She breaks the pole that held her and jumps forward. She doesn’t know exactly where she is going, but she knows she can’t stay where she was.
The title, The Ring Could Not Hold Her, came from the brass rings once used on carousels. Riders would reach for one as the carousel went around. Winning the brass ring was considered a prize, but it usually meant getting another ride.
I liked the idea that this horse no longer wants another turn. She is leaving the ring behind.