The “Fantastic Carousel” 2006 calendar featured four sheets of full color carousel horses with three months of the year on each page. I was always fascinated by the decorative elements on the carved horses of a carousel. I wanted to combine a fantastic creature of mythology to a standard carousel horse pose.
Before there was any thought of a calendar, I started with a drawing of a Griffin carousel horse. The Griffin is a hybrid of an eagle with a lion body. My thought was to feature sky elements since it was a flying creature. His mane consisted of cloud forms. The wings became the saddle. A sun was added as a decoration signifying the association the creature to the wealth and power of the sun that turns the east into gold at sunrise. Of course the pose had all legs off the ground as if in flight.
Next I created the Hippocampus or sea horse drawing. After finishing the Griffin, I had found a way into depicting the different parts of the the carousel horse. A seashell became the saddle and the mane took on the appearance of waves and the helmet of a seahorse head concealed the horse underneath.
Having completed a carousel horse representing the air and one of the sea, it became clear that I could continue by depicting the rest of the four elements: earth and fire. Next came the Basilisk drawing representing an earth creature. The Basilisk is a hybrid of a rooster and a snake. A dangerous creature that can make a lifeless desert of the places he roams. His hooves are placed firmly on the ground. The mane consists of a flowing rock formation. The wings are the saddle. The front legs have a snake to further illustrate the dangerous nature of this creature.
The last element to employ in creating a carousel horse was Fire. The Phoenix was an obvious choice. The creature sets himself on fire to be resurrected nine days later as a new Phoenix from the ashes. A fiery mane flows over the back of the head. The Phoenix bird form is melded into the darkened lava-like horse. The saddle has a stylized ball of fire on the seat.
Making the art into a calendar meant dividing up three months between the horses. I knew that the Phoenix should represent the months of July, August and September in the year as it can be the hottest time of the year. I gave the Basilisk, January, February and March for the most barren and coldest season of the year. The Griffin fit into the Spring months of April May and June, the light and life filling airy season of spring. The Fall seasons of October, November, and December were given to remaining Hippocampus.
Next time: 2007 calendar: The House of Cards
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