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The image above features Paint Horse figurines that have been crafted by The Trail of Painted Ponies.

If you were to pick one horse breed organization that you would expect The Trail of Painted Ponies to partner with on an art competition, it would probably be the American Paint Horse Association. It’s a natural fit. And we are pleased to announce that the time has finally come for us to work together. To celebrate its 50th Anniversary, the American Paint Horse Association and The Trail of Painted Ponies are conducting a talent search. We are issuing an invitation to artists, designers, creative people everywhere, inviting them to help us celebrate this illustrious and colorful breed.

As most of you know, we love stories - every Painted Pony figurine comes with a story - and the Paint Horse has a great story, with a long legacy.

It begins on the prairies of European pre-history with wild horse herds whose coat colors developed as a way of providing a horse with camouflage – the more closely it resembled the background where it lived, the less likelihood it had of being spotted by a predator. It continues in ancient Egypt, where pictures of spotted horses have been found on the walls of Pharaonic tombs. Legend has it Genghis Khan was partial to Paint ponies during his conquest of Asia. The Spanish were particularly fond of them and included horses with white stockings and white patches in the herds they brought to the New World. Native Americans favored them because they made dramatic backdrops for war paint. The distinctive markings also appealed to cowboys as a no-cost way of branding because no two patterns are exactly alike… to which The Trail of Painted Ponies is proudly adding a new chapter to the history of this magnificent breed, whose distinctive markings resemble splashes of color scattered across the horse’s body, similar to the way a painter would splash paint onto a canvas.

As an innovative way of honoring The American Paint Horse Association’s 50th anniversary, The Trail of Painted Ponies and the APHA are holding an international art competition titled, “Celebrating the Spirit of the American Paint Horse.” There are no submission fees, and there are cash prizes totaling over $1,000. There is also a good chance that the winning entries will be crafted into a Painted Pony figurine. So make a splash. To learn more, Click Here.

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Rod Barker, Founder/CEO, The Trail of Painted Ponies,
Karlynn Keyes, President, The Trail of Painted Ponies,
and Kathi Lentzsch, Chief Merchandising Officer at Enesco

Before The Trail of Painted Ponies, I had never been to a trade show, much less the mother of all trade shows, the Atlanta Gift Mart. The experience still overwhelms. Three multi-storied buildings. A maze of corridors lined with over a thousand showrooms and booths. New merchandise showcased everywhere you look. Home furnishings. Fashion jewelry. Apparel. Toys. Gourmet food items. Holiday products. Garden-related accessories. Artwork. Fine gifts and collectibles. A good or bad show can make or break a company. Last year a severe snow and ice-storm almost cancelled the January show. On top of a limp economy, it put a lot of people out of business. This year everyone was nervous with anticipation. Me too, even though the elevators and escalators were as packed with bustling buyers as department stores were on Black Friday.

When I hear people on TV talking about taking the public pulse, I think I know what they mean, although I’m not always sure how they do it. The way I do it is by talking and listening to the retailers who come into the Enesco showroom and browse The Trail of Painted Ponies display. Did they have a good last year? Are they optimistic about the future? Is their mood upbeat? Are they buying?

I’m here to report that if my experience this year is representative in any way, the sun is going to shine in 2012 - in general, and on The Trail of Painted Ponies. People were enthralled with the new Ponies. They were delighted with the Holiday 2012 figurines and ornaments – and the fact that we will be coming out, once again, with ornaments inspired by bestselling figurines, such as “Cowgirl Cadillac,” “King of Hearts,” “Earth Angels,“ and “War Cry.” The special Holiday centerpiece that was featured on the cover of Treasures Magazine last month, “Woodland Christmas,” was front and center on a riser, lighting up the eyes of everyone who passed by. Some retailers seemed to be seeing the Happy Trails Collection, the whimsical 4” Painted Ponies, for the first time, and were totally charmed.

This was also the occasion for introducing a new brand from The Trail called Horse Whispers, a beautiful collection of elegant figurines that celebrate the love affair between girls and horses. These are probably not the best of times to introduce a new collectible into the marketplace, unless it is something fresh that touches the heart and speaks to the soul. The reaction to Horse Whispers couldn’t have been better. My favorite response was stuttered by the owner of three Hallmark stores in the state of Washington: “Oh my gosh. I mean, really. There isn’t one I don’t like. I love them all.”
(Click Here to visit www.horsewhispers.com.)

Happy Trails,

Rod Barker

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Kim McElroy embellishing "A Gift from the Sea"

A number of years ago, we created the Official Autographed Edition. With each release, a limited number of first edition, low-numbered figurines were hand-signed and hand-numbered by the artist who created the original design, and offered to serious collectors who saw value in these enhancements. But it has been increasingly difficult to continue with an Official Autographed Edition of every Pony. Many artists are working professionals who travel quite a bit. Frequently it has been hard to coordinate shipping Ponies to the artists, then having them personally signed and returned in a timely manner to our Official Painted Ponies Store so they can be sent to collectors. Many new artists are also living outside the United States, which makes shipping the figurines very expensive.

For these reasons, beginning with the Winter 2012 Release, we will only offer Official Autographed Editions on a select basis. With the newest release, “A Gift from the Sea,” by the nationally renowned equestrian artist Kim McElroy, will be the only figurine offered as an Official Autographed Edition. To make this edition of one hundred even more distinctive, Kim is embellishing her signed and numbered Autographed Edition figurines, adding a sandy beach-like element to the front of the base in which hoof prints are embedded, along with a shell. (Click Here to view this stunning Pony.)

This does not mean that other artists will not be signing and/or embellishing their Ponies. Many of them will, although they will not be numbered editions and they will come with a “Certificate of Artistry” rather than an “Official Certificate of Authenticity,” which is reserved exclusively for figurines that come directly through The Trail. To help artists we are offering them the opportunity to sell these special Ponies on the Painted Ponies Gallery. (Click Here to see Lynn Bean’s “Spirit of Freedom.”) Artists may also be contacted personally, or when they exhibit at shows.

We are encouraging all Official Painted Ponies Artists to sign and embellish their Painted Ponies and feature them on the Painted Ponies Gallery. This continues to be a wonderful opportunity for both artists and collectors.

Happy Trails,

Rod Barker

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Happy New Year from The Trail of Painted Ponies! We would like to begin the New Year with an update regarding the Official Autographed Editions.

In the past, we offered all of the figurines in each release as an "Official Autographed Edition." This has become increasingly difficult with each release, since many artists are also working professionals who have very busy schedules and who travel quite a bit. Many new artists are also living outside of the United States, making this even more challenging.

For these reasons, The Trail of Painted Ponies will ONLY offer the Official Autographed Editions on a select basis from this point forward.

Artists will continue to sign and embellish their Painted Ponies and sell them through the Painted Ponies Gallery, or through art shows and exhibitions.

With the new Winter 2012 Ponies, "A Gift from the Sea," by acclaimed equestrian artist Kim McElroy, will be the only figurine offered as an "Official Autographed Edition." The other Painted Ponies in this collection may be purchased as signed or embellished figurines from the Painted Ponies Gallery.

This is an exceptional opportunity for collectors to continue to build value in their collections.

Happy New Year and Happy Trails!

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Those looking for a publication that provides accurate, reliable and up-to-date information about the collectible industry would be wise to check out a new magazine called TREASURES: Antiques to Modern Collecting. Relatively new on the scene, its roots go deep: it is the result of a merger between two established publications, Collectors News and Antiques and Collecting Magazine. At a time when a lot of magazines are struggling to find readers, TREASURES has found a growing audience because it is the information hub for the collecting world, providing collectors and companies with information on industry trends, hot new product information, caring and displaying collectibles, and secondary market values…. (www.collectors-news.com)

Oh, did I mention that the cover art on the most recent issue of TREASURES is the 2012 Holiday Centerpiece from The Trail of Painted Ponies, “Woodland Christmas,” a stunning sculpture that features one of Santa’s elves standing on the back of “Appy Holidays,” decorating an evergreen tree in the forest with the help of woodland critters? And that the cover story is an insightful piece that details what’s so unique and special about The Trail of Painted Ponies?

You can read it for yourself by Clicking Here.

Happy Trails,

Rod Barker
CEO/Founder
The Trail of Painted Ponies

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As the 10^th year of The Trail of Painted Ponies comes to a close, we are reminded of our friends, artists, collectors, retailers who have helped make this entire enterprise a success. Without you there would be no Trail of Painted Ponies. The relationships we have developed over the years are treasured, and give this business meaning and purpose.

Thank you for being a part of making a dream come true. Warmest wishes and a heart-felt thank you for your contribution.

Happy Holidays, Happy Trails,

Rod Barker
CEO/Founder
The Trail of Painted Ponies

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A lot was going on in Las Vegas last weekend, the biggest event being the NFR: The National Finals Rodeo. Thousands of fans watched and cheered the best in the business as they barrel raced, rode broncs, wrestled steer, and team roped. Then they line danced at the Gold Buckle Gala benefitting the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Multiple Autograph Sessions were also held where you could get your picture taken with and collect the signature of your favorite cowboy: Tyler Corrington, Cody DeMoss, Royce Ford, Trevor Brazile, Wayde Wheatley, Jhett Johnson, Turtle Powell. I’m not making these names up. Given any one of these names at birth, what else could you grow up to be but a rodeo cowboy?

There was another kind of Autograph Session that was part of the NFR, this one at the convention hall of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, where Cowboy Marketplace was taking place. There, among gleaming silver horse trailers, western wear by Wrangler and more boots and bling than I’ve ever seen in one place, Linda Lucas had set up her Blazin’ Trails booth. She always does a first-class job, displaying long-retired Ponies as well as Custom Ponies. And on Saturday afternoon she hosted an artist signing for collectors that was attended by Karlynn Keyes, Vickie Knepper and yours truly, with a guest appearance by Lynn Bean.

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Most stories have a beginning, middle and end, and are told in that order. “Just Hitched” is a story better told in reverse.

On October 31, a wedding took place in Leatherwood Mountains, North Carolina, joining Andrew and Donell as Mr. and Mrs. Allen. The occasion was made even more special by the fact both were 42 years of age, and this was their first marriage. Several weeks later a reception followed in Gaston, South Carolina, where the newlyweds received two, one-of-a-kind wedding gifts from the bride’s mother, Lois Martin. In recognition of the fact that the bride and groom are horse lovers (they show Tennessee Walking Horses), and avid Painted Ponies collectors, Lois had commissioned two, unique and original “Wedding Ponies.” As can be seen by their expressions in the photo above, the Allens were absolutely thrilled.

Lois had cried when she opened the box with the completed Ponies inside, along with the wrapped accessories. She’d gone to great lengths to keep this a secret – taking the initiative to call the Trail of Painted Ponies office, who referred her to Maria Ryan, an Official Painted Pony Artist who has embellished her figurines and created custom Painted Ponies for collectors before. Lois sent pictures of the bride’s wedding gown, veil and the white “bling” Western boots she planned to wear at the wedding. Maria added lace that looked very much like the lace on the gown, and tiny white Western boots, as well as a wedding dove and a tiny dragon fly to the reins because she was told the bride also collects dragon fly images.

Maria had also received photos of Andrew’s favorite horse, which is what she used as the inspiration for the “Groom Pony.” She created a fall-colored floral “Winner” wreath, along with the kind of hat he wore in shows and two little horseshoes for the base. Lois had said she did not want a saddle so Maria re-sculpted the tail and mane of the horse and painted it to have the correct markings and color. She added a ribbon with a silver Concho for the horse’s neck piece and colored the base similar to the suit the groom would be wearing at the wedding.

Many hours went into the creation of these special Painted Ponies, but Maria loved every minute of it. As with genuine artists, the relationships developed with people who appreciate their art are an important part of the creative process. “I truly loved this experience,” she wrote when the project was complete. “And YES – I am open to doing it again for another bride and groom, and I will make sure each is as different, unique and special as the people I create them for.”

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The other day, Karlynn, the President of The Trail of Painted Ponies, and I were invited to speak  at a local art institute about career opportunities in the graphic arts world. We talked about the history of The Trail of Painted Ponies and how it evolved from a public art exhibition into a collectibles company, and one of the things we stressed was that from the very start we wanted this to be an art-driven company. We said we also felt that if we were going to be successful we had to differentiate ourselves from other collectible companies, and one way to do this had been to develop an ever-expanding talent pool, rather than to hire a group of “professional” artists. We then talked about how, through national competitions and a standing invitation to creative people to submit design ideas, we had kept the imagery generated by The Trail fresh and surprising.

I’m not sure this is what they wanted to hear, as many of these students were going to school precisely because they hoped it would lead to employment as graphic designers when they graduated. But we felt it was important for them to hear the way different companies were thinking.

Throughout the class we encouraged the students to ask questions. At one point a fellow in the back of the room raised his hand. “You said you’ve been at this for ten years. My impression is that collectibles come and go. How have you managed to stay in business so long?”

Great question. As a point of fact, the majority of the product lines that call themselves “collectibles” never move from samples presented at a trade show to actual production. Many of those that do get to the development stage are, in effect, thrown against the wall and stick around for a couple of years before they begin to slide, and then they disappear. So why have Painted Ponies from The Trail become one of those “evergreen” collectibles?

A half-dozen reasons for our longevity occurred to me. Horses in art have been around for millennia, so we are part of a legacy that has proven to be durable. We do our best not to repeat ourselves, meaning we try to pick designs that are different from what’s come before. We are willing to add new forms (see last week’s blog). We are constantly thinking about ways of involving different artists – thus the Celebrity Collection, where we invite Hollywood celebrities to show their creativity extends to other fields such as the visual arts. Through our website we try to cultivate a sense of community with collectors.

I could have gone on, but sensed I’d said enough to answer his question. Thinking about it later, I thought, “This would be a great question to ask on the blog….”

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Standing. Running. Walking. Rearing. These are the four horse positions that we invite artists to imaginatively transform. Each began as an original sculpture created by a distinguished artist - the first three by Santa Fe bronze sculptor Star York, the fourth by Sommer Prosser, well-known for the horses she has created for Breyer. With the Fall 2012 Release we are introducing a fifth position.

The idea came from a horseback trip I took into the Colorado high country, when I was ambushed by a sudden, violent, electrical storm. Spears of lightning split the sky. The thunder sounded like cannon-fire. My horse was skittish with fright. I worked with a designer by the name of Lauren Reeser to capture a pose that would look as if a horse itself was electrically charged, and the result is "Storm Rider."

Although the figurine is just now shipping, "Storm Rider" has gotten such a wonderful reception that we have decided to offer it as a fifth stance for artists to work with. We will be adding the outline to the Artists Submission section of the website for downloading, and we will be holding a Design Competition in early 2012 that focuses on just this form. More dramatic than the other positions, with a stylized mane and tail, and body language that is charged with energy, it's a challenging canvas, so it will be very interesting to see what creative minds do with it.

There's just one thing. We haven't been able to come up with a descriptive name for this position yet, and we would welcome any suggestions.

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