01/20/2016
Here is the story of our Horse Head Sculpture #36. See photo below.
Sisters
The Prestigious Soror
Horse #36
The journey of Horse #36 started one sunny day during Labor Day weekend in Hillsville, VA 2014. The Scott family had made going to the Hillsville Gun Show and flea market a Labor Day tradition. Two sisters walked side by side down each row of venders in the massive flea market only to stop and look at the beautiful horse heads made of metal. They were unique and beautiful, each and every one.
My name is Leslie and since I saw those horses in Hillsville I got the idea to have my baby sister one made. The very next year I went back to Hillsville on Labor Day weekend and saw the horses again. Thankfully my sister couldn’t make this annual trip cause she was away at college. So I spoke with Mike, Cindy and Dottie about having one made. I wanted it to be special and sentimental for my baby sis. I had an idea, some different trinkets, and scraps from generations before us, some small and simple and some big. I found bridles from horses past and other scrap metal from a farm that had been in the family for 5 generations. The large sentimental value comes from rifle casings from her grandfathers 21 gun salute at his passing. He served in the United States army during WWII. He was overseas in Germany and was a 1st Gunman. Also infused in #36 was a strand of grandmother’s pearls, another grandmother’s broach, and various broken jewelry pieces from both inherited. Simple little funny pieces also had a place within the horse. The top of our favorite perfume bottle was incorporated into the masterpiece as a symbol of our shared love for perfume. There was also a part of a broken key chain that was a gift and used until it broke. We also share a love for Jesus and God so a cross made of nails also had a place within the horse.
What makes this gift so unique is first Mike and Dottie’s amazing creativity, to make something so beautiful out of scrap. The 2nd is adding our own special personal affects into this masterpiece. This was a Christmas present that can never be replaced and is ONE of a kind. It is a new wave family tree of sorts. It represents our family, which is something we cherish for a lifetime.
We’ve been hoping to create a custom horse head sculpture…one that incorporates items that are personal and meaningful to the customer…in this case to her sister also…and now, we’ve been a part of a ‘new wave family tree’ of sorts!
My name is Dottie and I am partners with my son, Mike, at Summer Oaks Craftworks. We began the horse head for Leslie like we do all the horse heads…….placing on the welding table a few of the major points such as the nose, ears, and neckline. We used our metals to create the outline of the horse’s head. Leslie’s items were small and deserved to be displayed individually. We like a challenge and decided to cut a piece of old roofing tin to fit inside a portion of the face of the horse. It was then we decided it would be a horse of the “paint breed”, my favorite…..and the fun began! We found a place on the face for most of the precious items. The shell casings from the grandfather’s 21-gun salute were so special, they were the first to be placed.
We concentrated on the face and then the neck. Since it was looking so feminine, we wanted the neck area to be light and airy and not to compete with the mane made of chain. The neck area is filled with part of a wine bottle holder, with part of the Leslie’s key collection at the bottom. The final touch was the three pheasant feathers from a pelt Leslie had provided.
Usually, we have given each of our horse heads a name by the time we finish, but we knew the sisters should name this one! We love that Leslie and her sister, Catherine, named the horse “Soror”, Latin for sister. Now it has become a paint mare, (a female horse, maybe another ‘sister’), who can tell stories about the family history for as long as metal lasts.
During the work on Soror, although we didn’t fully realize the meaning or sentiment for each item we were to use, we admired the love and thoughtfulness between sisters and for the love of family. Thanks for letting us be a part of this history. The horse is number 36 and is signed.
My name is Catherine and this is the best and most thoughtful Christmas present I have ever, and will ever receive. My big sister has always been a great role model for me and has a very special place in my life and my heart. This horse embodies everything our relationship means and more.
If there is one thing sisters are good at it is getting under each other’s skin by taunting the other with information about gifts and secrets. I was only given a couple hits along the way, all of which were not helpful at all. It wasn’t until our brother slipped up and said something about it in front of me the day before we were supposed to see it. I knew what it was but I had no clue of the sentimental pieces that went into its creation. Mike had not even let my sister see pictures of it. She probably begged and begged but he wanted us to see it for the first time together. When I unwrapped it and saw the beautiful masterpiece before me my eyes filled with tears of joy. I couldn’t stop smiling and neither could my sister. It was so wonderful and amazing. I think Mike called it the most prestigious horse he had ever created. I could tell a lot of time and effort was put into it. Each piece had its own place and together they created a horse. I knew there would never be anything that would mean more to me than that collection of trinkets. I want to thank my sister, Leslie, for not only getting me this amazing gift but for personalizing it and making it represent us and our love for our family. I also want to thank Mike and Dottie for their creativity and hard work on making this gift so special.
We have decided to name horse #36 The Prestigious Soror. “Soror” is the Latin word for sister, both my sister and I are in the medical profession so Latin is our second language.
Upcycled and handcrafted, one-of-a-kind works of art, made from horseshoes, leather, tobacco sticks, metal and various other materials found on the farm.
