Silverado

Artist: Karlynn Keyes
During the first half of the twentieth century, parades and horse shows held in conjunction with rodeos, fiestas and fairs throughout the West fueled a demand for fancy, embroided saddlery. Elegant, silver-mounted parade saddles, carved with floral and figural motifs, and with matching bridles, martingales and breast collars, were perceived as exquisite works of art. “Silverado,” a customized interpretation of this flashy tradition by Karlynn Keyes, Vice-President of The Trail of Painted Ponies, is a masterpiece by any definition.

Price: $

Sounds of Thunder

Artist: Bill & Traci Rabbit
This Painted Pony represents both the male and female lifestyle of the Plains Indian People, as rendered by the acclaimed Cherokee father and daughter artists, Bill and Traci Rabbit. On Side 1 Bill depicts the ultimate warrior – his profile accompanied by symbols that tell the dramatic story of his many victories. On Side 2 Traci depicts the grace, strength and determination of women in Native society – a sun radiating healing beams, her dress signifying her skill at beading and design, a buffalo hunt in the background relating the importance of both the buffalo and the horse to Native Americans.

Price: $

Fancy Dancer

Artist: Devon Archer
The Fancy Dance evolved from the early Plains tribe’s war and victory dances. It is an energetic style of dance, usually performed by younger men who spin, twist, and make quick steps and fast turns. Their outfits are traditionally composed of lots of bright colors, metallic beads, sequins and ribbons which create a flashy display. They have two bustles, a head roach and intricately beaded headband… all of which are faithfully and stunningly recreated on a spirited, snorting horse that is caught up in the excitement of the drum beat. This unique creation by a Virginia artist won The People’s Choice Award in the national competition, “The Native Art of Horse Painting.”

Price: $

Horse With No Name

Artist: Loran Creech
A story is told about a riderless Appaloosa, flamboyantly painted with symbols that portray a warrior's bravery during battle, wandering the prairie as if in search of his master. According to this tale, the horse would never let anyone else ride him, though many tried. The lightning bolt on his face, the sun on his shoulder, the circle around his eye, the handprint on his flank, the feathers in his mane and tail marked him as a horse with powerful medicine. And so he was allowed to roam the plains freely... to be eventually memorialized by New Mexico artist Loran Creech.

Price: $

Viva Las Vegas

Artist: La Marr

No other icon epitomizes Las Vegas like the Showgirl. Known for her incredibly elaborate, baroque but brief costumes; her ability to sing, dance and sashay across a stage in sky-high stilettos, while balancing a feathered headdress atop her head; the Showgirl is considered a piece of art or a human sculpture. Although Showgirl revues are slowly disappearing on The Strip, the Stockton, California artist who paints under the name La Marr, wanted to take us on a ride through Las Vegas entertainment history with this dazzling tribute.

Price: $

Super Charger

Artist: Rod Barker
In the 15th Century, when knights were defenders of the faith, a woman's honor, or just about anything that endowed them with greater glory, their horses - called "chargers" - were their partners in activity and glory. Just as knights were flamboyantly dressed in spectacular body armor, so were their horses dramatically decorated. tandard equipment on this medieval steed is an elegant helmet, a sword with a jeweled hilt, a shield with heraldic markings, heavy padding for protection, and a lion, king of beasts, featured on the back of the saddle.

"It is ironic," comments Rod Barker, Executive Director of The Trail of Painted Ponies and the creator of "Super Charger", "that something which achieves such a high standard of beauty was used as an instrument of war."

Price: $