Working on the full body version again! I will keep updating this piece until it is finished!

Horses: (Left To Right) 329 TKS Pharaoh Atem, , & 48 TKS Esmeralda Notre Dame
Show: Irish Jubilee 4 (1 hour left!)
Class: Irish Halter Class
Horses Ages: (Left To Right) 8 Years, 1 Year (for the show), & 8 Years


I am currently working on a Full Body Version: <da:thumb id="4834418787082658"/> (For My Own Benefit)

.................................................................................................................................................

Information On This Piece:

This piece is very personal for me. This image and story represents the separation from my family for over 10 years, and my road to being reunited with them. I will be going home in September, so this piece is a representation of my feelings and longing to be home again.

Information About The Symbolism In This Piece: 

Every detail in this piece has a meaning towards the message I was trying to convey to my audience. If you look first at Atem's halter, you will see that it is done in a Celtic knot style. This symbolizes Atem's eternal love for Esme, and now Vinca, as Celtic knots have no beginning and no end and therefore symbolize eternity. If you look at Vinca's halter, you will see that it is done with the Celtic Triquetra. The Celtic Triquetra has many meanings, and some of the most notorious ones are: "Spirit, Mind, & Body", "Mother, Father, & Child", "Past, Present, & Future", "Creation, Preservation, & Destruction", and " Power, Intellect, & Love". The way they (Atem, Esme, & Vinca)  are also positioned around each other symbolizes the Triquetra as well. For Esme's halter, it is done in a more solid style, reflecting the hardships she went through raising Vinca on her own for a year. It also symbolizes her practicality. The Figure 8 on her halter represents eternity as well. The tree behind them symbolizes the "Tree Of Life", which ancient Celts believed gave a clan their power, as well as protecting it. It was considered a great thing to be successful at cutting down another clan's tree. Their manes are done to reflect the "Tree Of Life", with it's branches spreading as well as its roots. Much thought went into this image.

Information About Materials Used & Time Spent:

I used Paint Tool Sai to do the linework, the shading, and the color. I used GIMP to add the BG and to crop it. I used a laptop trackpad to draw with and my fingers; no stylus. I spent 2 weeks on this piece on and off, and the day before the show ended I spent from 8:30 am to 12:45 am the next day working on it straight. I barely took breaks, and had a few Join Me sessions going. This is my best piece to date linework-wise and shading-wise. The story is very long and well thought out, and each part has a special song for it. I hope you enjoy it.


...........................................................................................................................................................................

The Story:

              ~1 Year Ago~
     ~Song: Pieces
.........................................................................
Atem looked up into the star filled sky, his gaze never lingering on any one star. He sighed wistfully as he closed his eyes and hung his head. It has been one month since he had last seen her. Her. The one who made him feel hot and cold all at once; the one who made butterflies dance in his heart and his knees weak. Atem missed her. Esme...He has never felt this way before. Sure, he had lots of mares to show off to, who loved giving him attention, but it just wasn't the same. With Esme, she was not impressed by his looks. If anything, he was impressed by her. Esme was the only mare that he had to gain the trust of before she would even look at him. Esme was different from the other mares in the fact that she completely ignored him when they first met. He had to work hard to get her to speak with him. And once he did, he was surprised by how different they were. Esme was a wild mare before she was caught by the King's men. She spoke of how much she missed running wild and free, unrestricted by fences, people, or rules. But then she spoke of this kind human she met while on lease to another barn; a woman, from what she said. Boy was Atem surprised when she told her it was his human, Kera! It gave them something in common, and they spent the next week talking, then romancing each other. But by the end of the week, her owners took her back to their farm, and Atem hasn't seen her since. Oh how he wished he could speak with her once more, to nuzzle her face, and to lick her cheek....

..................................................................................

        ~One Month Before The Show~
 ~Song: I Won't Give Up

...................................................................................

Kera let out a breath as she set down the wheelbarrow. She leaned back and wiped her forehead with her arm. Suddenly, a ruckus from the main house piqued her interest. Kera looked to the main house to see Gin flying out of the kitchen, his long silver hair neatly pulled back into a ponytail, trailing wildly after him as he darted in Kera's direction. Kera, surprised, watched as Gin slid to a stop before her, panting harshly as he set his hands on his knees. Kera just watched him as she waited for him to catch his breath.

"Kera! Remember that mare you leased? The peacock striped Faime mare? Well she is up for sale, and guess what? They are selling her with Atem's foal at her side! She's a beautiful bay striped peacock filly! You have to get in on this before someone else does!", Gin exclaimed, his ice blue eyes wide with excitement.

Kera's mouth dropped open in surprise. Really? There was no way they would pass on this offer!

"Gin, I'm heading to the house; I have to make a phone call. You finish mucking out the stalls; we will have 2 new horses at our stud very soon," Kera stated, as she whirled around and headed to the main house.

Kera made the call, and they were in luck. No one had offered the right amount for the 2 mares, and she also scored a wild feline mare in the sale to boot. They would be at the farm the day before the Irish Jubilee. Suddenly, Kera got an idea. What if she entered Atem, Esme, & Vinca into the show together? As a family? Kera has never had a full family of horses together at one time before, so this would be something special. What a perfect way to welcome their new horses!

----With Esme & Vinca----

Esme stood over Vinca as she slept the night away. Every time Esme saw Vinca, she saw her father, Atem. Oh how she missed him...He was the only one who understood her and accepted her as she was. She looked to the sky sadly. Gods did she miss him....

..............................................................................................

          ~1 Day Before The Show~
 ~Song: Great Spirits

..............................................................................................

Esme and Vinca stepped off of the trailer, carefully taking in their surroundings. They seemed to be in a lush valley, with many forests and countryside in all directions. Esme thought she heard one of the humans say "Ireland".

'Well, where is that?', she thought curiously. Vinca inched closer to her mother; she had never been off of the farm where she was born before, so this was all very new and scary to her.

"It's ok Vinca. They are just taking us somewhere new to live. I'm sure it will be a very nice place, " Esme whisered gently, calming a nervous Vinca. Vinca nodded slowly before returning to watching everything going on about them. They were then led into a stall, and a woman stepped into the stall. It was Kera.

"Hey girl, remember me?", Kera asked gently, as she stroked Esme's mane. "And who do we have here? What a sweet little girl!," she said, as she stroked the foal. Vinca leaned into her touch and Esme nickered.

"Guess what girls? You get to get prettied up tomorrow, since you guys are going to the Irish Jubilee! And guess who else is coming! Atem! He's your daddy Vinca. I'm sure you remember him too Esme," Kera said happily,"Now, I have to go sign you guys up! Take care!", she said, as she exited the stall and raced down the hallway. Vinca and Esme looked at each other a moment, before Vinca broke the silence.
"Momma, what's a 'daddy'?", she asked curiously. Esme sighed in exasperation. Nothing got by little Vinca...

"Well sweetie, a daddy is...", and Esme told her to the best of her ability what a 'daddy' was. As well as a 'show'. And 'Irish'. And a lot of other things....

..........................................................................................

              ~The Day Of The Show~
 ~Song: Bless The Broken Road
..........................................................................................

Atem stepped out of the stall, his mane braided, his tail bound, and his new Celtic show halter. His coat gleamed and his mane and tail shone. He looked amazing. But he didn't feel as amazing as he used to. His thoughts were on a certain mare. He thought he had caught her scent the other day, but like smoke, faded away for fast he wasn't sure if it was his imagination. Atem signed wistfully as his hadnler led him to the ring. As he waited for his turn to enter the ring, Atem gazed about, extremely bored. Then his eyes met a pair of dark sapphire ords, and his heart stopped. There, across the way, not 5 feet from him was...

"Esme...," Atem breathed out, a note of desperation and joy in his breathy voice. Esme smiled and nickered.

"Long time no see Mr. Show-Off. Found any hot new mare while I was gone?" Esme said playfully, batting her long lashes. Atem snorted in derision.

"No mare can compare to you my love. Only you have set my heart afire," he said, arching his neck. Suddenly, Atem felt a small form push against his chest. Looking down, he spotted a small bay filly; she had strange white markings all over her body, like Esme, but she had purple peacock markings on her neck, back, and rump, and in her tail. Atem started back in surprise, as a pair of curious amber eyes met his. A little excited voice broke him out of his musings.

"So, are you my daddy? Huh? Huh? And if you are my daddy, can momma and I stay with you forever?," Vinca said excitedly, as her eyes shone with wonder. Atem took a step back and eyed the filly.

"Esme...Is that our kid?," Atem asked doubtfully. Esme nodded. Atem smiled, then leaned his head forward and snuffled Vinca's face. Vinca burst out into laughter and snuffled back. Atem smiled again, as he looked at his daughter. Esme and him and created this little baby together...But would they get to stay together?

"Esme...Are you still with those people who owned you before? Or do you have a new home? I really don't want to leave you or Vinca again...," Atem trailed off, a note of loneliness coloring his tone. Esme shook her head and smiled.

"Your human-the one who leased me?-has bought both Vinca and I. We get to stay with you forever!," Esme exclaimed happily, snorting. Atem's smile widened and his heart filled with joy. His mate and child would finally be with him. Suddenly, he was broken out of his moment by a tug on his lead. Esme and Vinca were also being led into the ring. Guess this was a show that allowed any amount of horses into the ring at once. Atem felt pride seep into his heart. Today he would show off, but not for the mares, oh no. He would show off his family; his lucky family.


~OWARI~

_{Words: 1,474}