MERMAIDS SPLASH FREELY
This Saturday will be a art show including a saddle painted by Amber Blackwood and Shannon Carney for an auction supporting a mental health charity called The Equine Journey. See all the saddles painted in person this Saturday May 15, 2021 10am - 4pm at FENCE's, 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon, NC 28782. Or visit the Online auction on Mon May 17th - 19th. (here is the link to the ONLINE AUTION details).
And for More about this saddle, enjoy this story about the saddle artists below!
This dynamic duo combines the talents of two creative women who met because of cancer but who became friends because of a connection of the heart! They met through Wind River 3 years ago, and this saddle project has brought them both so many healing and giddy moments, all while Amber is in chemotherapy treatments.
They worked on the saddle together, first on the design at Amber’s home in Kings Mountain, and then painting it at Shannon’s home in Green Creek, NC where they were inspired by the lush colors of spring in the foothills.
Amber is a retired art teacher and also has been a guest art teacher with Wind River’s survivors. Her creativity is endless! With a BS in Art Therapy and a dance minor, more recently Amber has been playing with less traditional art mediums such as alcohol inks and acrylic paint pouring; but will always return to drawing, collage painting and jewelry making. “My belief is that everyone can benefit from the Arts. (Visual, performance, culinary, etc.) It is in artistic pursuits that we can find our true selves.”
Shannon came to art later in life but has had a crazy bend for being creative in most of her endeavors. A survivor herself, Shannon shares, “I love to paint from an intuitive place, guided not by a design but by how the painting unfolds layer by layer. Life is similar it is truly a journey of the mind and heart.”
Amber is known to her family and friends as the last remaining unicorn. Shannon is known for her sparkle, like that of a colorful mermaid. Hence the inspiration for our painting and title!