BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN

HORSING AROUND

“He's of the colour of the nutmeg. And of the heat of the ginger.... he is pure air and fire; and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him, but only in patient stillness while his rider mounts him; he is indeed a horse, and all other jades you may call beasts.” 
― William Shakespeare, Henry V

So this latest drawing challenge comes from my friend Steph. Steph is the owner of two gorgeous greyhounds. I must admit that to me greyhounds are like the horses of the canine worlds. They run like the wind, embody grace and people love them or have an innate fear of them. 

I am trying a different approach to my drawings this week. No pen/ink this time. Just my favourite pencil and a hint of colour added after. Will see how this goes!

Today I rode a bike for the first time in about five years. It was rather fitting as I have been working on an illustration for a friends website all week that has a red bike in it. I ended up drawing the bike three times. So I think I sent it out to the universe that it was time to get back in the saddle again! My best friend called me this morning and said "Let's go ride a bike to get some Vietnamese food for lunch." 

I have been minding another friends bike in my back yard for approximately a year. I have never ridden it before. But my best friend Kim convinced me that as the bike is just sitting there - it should be used and loved (and the original owner I think has pretty much forgotten about it). Kim lent me a helmet and I was off and away. Oh the sweet freedom of the wind in my face! Oh the joy of the down hill speed! Oh the challenge and torture of the uphill slog! (My muscles will let me know tomorrow how they feel about this new taste of freedom).

As a kid I used to pretend that my orange bike was a horse. I distinctly remember talking to it as we rode around the neighbourhood. That sweet freedom was one of the best feelings I ever had as a child.

I am going to get back in the saddle more frequently. No petrol required. Free exercise. Sun and wind on my face and the freedom to horse around again.