National
The Trail of Painted Ponies Announces a National Art Competition Designed to Revitalize A Uniquely American Art Form
By
Jul 19, 2005, 15:47

In an effort to give today's artists the opportunity to rediscover a uniquely American art form, The Trail of Painted Ponies is sponsoring "The Native Art of Horse Painting," a national art competition. Contemporary Native artists, as well as non-native artists, are invited to submit designs that express the unique history, experience and traditions of Native Americans on the form of a horse, as Native warriors once did.

Ten winners will be selected by a panel of judges that include the Founder of The Trail of Painted Ponies and the Editor of Southwest Art Magazine. Judging will be based on creativity, originality and the inspired use of a horse sculpture as a "canvas." The Top Ten artists will each be sent a 2-foot by 2-1/2 foot marble-cast horse sculpture, and given three months to paint their Pony. Upon successful completion of their design they will receive a $1,500 honorarium and various marketing benefits, including a promotional page on The Trail of Painted Ponies award-winning website, and a page in the book, "The Native Art of Horse Painting," that will be published in conjunction with the competition.

People across America will then be invited to vote online for the People's Choice Pony, which will be crafted into a miniature figurine, and the artist will receive a free advertisement in Southwest Art magazine. Following a gallery unveiling in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the summer of 2006, the winning entries will travel on a national tour, to be exhibited at select locations around America.

"The Native American practice of painting one's horse with dramatic colors and symbols in preparation for ceremonial events or forays into enemy territory was an art form unto itself," says Rod Barker, Founder and President of The Trail of Painted Ponies. "We expect this competition to generate a distinctive body of thought-provoking artworks that will serve as a fresh, exciting and engaging way to learn about the art and culture of Native America."

Deadline for submissions is December 1st, 2005, and winners will be announced on January 2nd, 2006. An application for the competition, accompanied by an outline of the horse for design purposes, is available on www.trailofpaintedponies.com or by calling 480-459-5700.

More information is available at:

The Trail of Painted Ponies
15679 North 83rd Way, Suite 4
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Phone: 480-459-5700
E-mail: trailmaster@trailofpaintedponies.com

About The Trail of Painted Ponies:

The Trail of Painted Ponies began in Santa Fe in 2001 as a public art exhibition that invited the very best artists in the Southwest to imaginatively transform life-size horses into original works of art. The stunning results enchanted thousands of people and at auction generate close to 1 million dollars for philanthropic organizations. Since that time The Trail of Painted Ponies has put on special art exhibitions around the country, and produced a collectors edition of Painted Pony reproductions, inspired by the original works of art, that are one of today's most popular collectibles.




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