2008 is an anniversary year for the Trail of Painted Ponies, of sorts. It was five years ago, in January of 2003, that the first Painted Ponies figurines were introduced to the public at the Atlanta Gift Market.

We had no way of knowing at the time how popular they would become. There was no advance publicity. The designs were drawn from the Ponies created for the New Mexico public art project, and even though the project had attracted national attention for the quality of the artwork, we did not have the promotional advantages that come with a major metropolitan area or media market. Nor did we have the financial resources to embark on a significant marketing and advertising campaign. If Painted Ponies were going to find an audience, it would be through word-of-mouth. People would have to see them in stores, like them enough to buy them, and then either become a collector or give them as gifts to others. If we were lucky the cycle would continue and in this manner a momentum would build.

Well, here we are in 2008, five years later, and collectible figurines from The Trail of Painted Ponies have not only become one of the most popular collectibles in America, they are attracting an increasing number of collectors, assuring their longevity on the collectible scene for years to come. Why have Painted Ponies become such a phenomenon? We have asked ourselves this question, and here are a few of the basic reasons we have come up with:

Copper Enchantment Lynn Bean

2) When we decided to use the horse as our form, we knew the horse was an icon that had a fundamental appeal for Americans, as well as people around the world. What we didn't fully realize was how remarkable would be the results of this inspired pairing of sculpture and painting. We had no idea how accommodating and versatile an elegantly sculpted horse would be as a canvas... as a medium for creative expression... as a vehicle for communicating a wide and diverse range of ideas and feelings... as a means of telling a moving story. As important to the success of each Painted Pony design as the way it looks, is what it says.

3) Someone recently told us that we are revolutionizing both the art and the collectible world by generating artwork that is recognized as extraordinary by museums and galleries, and then is reproduced with incredible quality as miniature collectibles that are affordable to everyone. It's true, The Trail of Painted Ponies is unique among collectible companies by virtue of our fine art component. All of our designs begin as one-of-a-kind works of art commissioned exclusively for us, and the collectible figurines are all crafted from these original designs. The idea of creating a body of artwork whose appeal ranges from museums to Main Street is something new and different, and helps explain the phenomenon known as The Trail of Painted Ponies.

"Pony Expressionism" Museum of the Horse at The Kentucky Horse Park

There are undoubtedly more reasons for why, on the occasion of our fifth anniversary, we have reason to celebrate. And we welcome any additional thoughts you may have, which we will print in upcoming sections to our website. Please send your comments to: trailmaster@trailofpaintedponies.com.

But as we look back, and look ahead, we want you to know that none of this would have happened were it not for our friends and fans. For a collectible to be successful there needs to be collectors who appreciate what we are doing. In short, this is a phenomenon that requires partners.