Earth Aria

Based on my grandmother's prized Paso Fino mare, Aria. Aria has an independent, intelligent personality as the lead mare of our small horse herd. She tolerates humans, hates dogs, and loves food. Once, she ate a ham sandwich out of my grandmother's hand while she was turned away talking on a trail ride! Aria is the horse I've ridden most in my life, and I remember laying against her warm, low back as a child in the dimly lit afternoon barn, listening to her chew grain and swish her tail. 

An "aria" is a beautiful song, often sung as a solo piece in an opera, a name meant to complement the musicality of the Paso Fino's distinctive four-beat gait. When a Paso Fino is shown in a ring, they gait over a "sounding board" of slightly raised wooden platforms laid down to hear the clarity and rhythm of a Paso's step. Pasos are known for their rapid footfalls, yet provide a smooth ride which makes them ideal for children and the elderly. They are said to possess "brio" which is an energetic willingness to work. Often when one rides a Paso, you'll need a collection of the reins to hold the horse back rather than spurring forward. 

Aria, now at age 30 and still as brilliant as a shining copper penny, possesses the brio, intelligence, and gentle quality Pasos are beloved for. My grandmother bought her as a three-year old, from a trainer that quickly wanted her back! That seller was out of luck as the two have been together ever since, beating stallions in the show ring and showcasing classic Paso Fino beauty as an ambassador of the breed. 

I chose to place the Earth inside Aria's belly, because beauty and song is the unifying force of our world, speaking a universal language. The medicine wheel is placed around the earth, signifying each person's journey from innocence and physicality, to wisdom and spirit and back again. The wheel symbolizes 4 nations, 4 directions, and one Earth. Aria is strong enough to carry that message with her. 

The red cardinal represents that what has passed on is still with us, especially loved ones and ancestors. Many people regard the cardinal as a deceased loved one coming back to check on them, and I find myself thinking this way after losing my grandfather. The cardinal shows that an act of love or beauty is never in vain and never lost. When you love someone, that love does not leave this world, even if your body has stopped moving. Aria's body is shown in perpetual motion, perfect beat and harmony, to further demonstrate that love always goes on. 

Aria passed at the age of 31 on Friday, February 21st. My grandmother wasn’t well enough to go sit by her side, so I watched over Aria’s passing in her stead. 

Bring this message to your home by purchasing this 24'36" print on archival giclee paper. 

Original painting is acrylic and watercolor on canvas.