Oregon Coast Waves - 1.11

Artists gallop to a good cause
here was romance in the air, and ponies on the
horizon in August of 1993 when Talley Winthrop
went on her fifth date with her future husband, John
Woodmark. Over dinner, John revealed he owned
an eclectic herd of quarter horses. He invited Talley to ride
along with him to pick up his “lease payments,” and meet
his unique herd: 250 mechanical kiddie ride ponies, each of
which required a 25¢ payment to ride — hence, the “quarter
horse” designation.
Fast forward 30 years, long after the ponies had been retired
and the Woodmarks were long-married. Thirty or so
remaining ponies were stabled in the Woodmark warehouse,
high above on a dusty, moldy, shelf. Talley’s creative eye began
to formulate an artistic vision — one where each of the ponies
would be refurbished, restored and re-imagined.
Thus, the Pony Up! Quarter Horse Project was born. The
finished works will be sold at a virtual auction, with 100
percent of the profits to benefit the Wade J. Woodmark
Foundation of Depoe Bay, a nonprofit organization honoring
the late son of John and Talley Woodmark, who passed away
in 2005.
The first project pony galloped off to Mission Viejo, Calif.,
where renowned landscape artist Lee Munsell created “A
Mighty Rushing Wind.” Over the next year, several Oregon
coast artists lassoed their own ponies as part of the project.
Native Depoe Bay daughter Sal Strom created “JaxAl Wade,”
directly honoring Wade and two other lost area sons, whose
faces and signatures figure prominently in her design.
Well-known Newport artist Leighton Blackwell is at work
on his pony. Jewelry designer and personal friend of Wade,
Amy Pattison, bejeweled her pony “Perseverance,” as a tribal
princess, featuring several techniques of wire wrapping.
Up and coming artists Teresa Teel and Kim Tune delivered
“Zerah,” resembling a tidepool treasure, and “Echo,” using
BIC pen & ink art.
Meanwhile, back at home, Talley, and friends Jenn Graham
and Margaret Boone are hard at work on a pony triptych
utilizing Ponderosa Oregon sunstones, leather work and
creating a tribute to a sister lost too soon. In total, more than
30 ponies have galloped off to artists across the United States,
England and Australia.
Many ponies are corralled at the Silver Heron, Blue Heron and
Purple Starfish in Depoe Bay, the Newport branch of Umpqua
Bank, and the Bridgewater Bistro in Astoria. Colin M. Park is
the official project photographer, whose work will be featured
in the limited edition coffee table book. Photos may be seen
on the Pony Up Quarter Horse Project Facebook page. Bids
may be placed by contacting Talley@SilverHeronGallery.com,
or on PUQHP.com, currently under construction.