“Pure Joy” Horse Painting by Kim McElroy
“Pure Joy”
“I saw a child who couldn’t walk, sit on a horse, laugh and talk… I saw a child who could only crawl, mount a horse and sit up tall. I saw a child born into strife, take up and hold the reins of life. And that same child was heard to say, Thank God for showing me the way.”
~ John Anthony Davis
in 1996 Professional’s Choice products commissioned me to create a work of art as a fundraiser for North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (now called PATH). My inspiration was to depict the magical connection between a child and a horse – without a wheelchair or other indications that the child was anything but perfect, so the focus would be on the individual rather than his or her disability. I had a mental picture of something to do with a child’s hands on the horse’s face.
One day, while looking at a booklet Professional’s Choice had published of a story and photo contest, I found the perfect photo of a little girl hugging the face of a horse. This child did not have a disability, but It was exactly the image I needed to express what I wanted to convey. What was equally beautiful was the love and peace that was clearly expressed on the horse’s face.
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