Outer-Row Jumper - Sandy
|
Carver: Max Lemermeyer
Painter: Fran Berry & Lena Sawchuck
Size: 48" chest to rump
Status: finished
Sponsor: Michael & Pauline Chmelyk
As soon as the Chmelyks heard about the proposed carousel for Fort Edmonton Park, they knew that they wanted to be part of leaving a lasting legacy in the community for all children, not just their own grandchildren, to enjoy. The couple worked with Lauren Baker, our resident designer, to fashion an outer-row horse that resembles their late horse "Sandy."
Sandy had been bought at auction for a couple of hundred dollars, but when the family got her home they discovered that she was in foal, so they had received two horses for the price of one! Apparently she was the "gentlest of gentle horses," hence Sandy's relaxed legs and gentle face. The carefully chosen angel riding Sandy will serve as a constant reminder to the family that their much beloved horse would even stop when, on occasion, her rider fell off.
It is interesting to note that an experienced carver takes approximately 250 hours to carve an average-sized carousel horse. Outer-row horses, like Sandy, take even longer. To this time must be added another 50-100 hours for sanding. Since most of our carvers are volunteers with little or no experience carving large animals, they put in an average of 500 hours carving and sanding their ponies.
An experienced painter takes another 40-50 hours to paint and sand each horse. Again, double the time for the inexperienced. In order to protect the ponies from years of hard riding, they are finished with four coats of clear varnish, sometimes more in areas subject to hard wear. Sandy, incidentally, will be painted a much darker brown than in her pattern.