A Night to Run

Here I have imagined Rhiannon’s horse, indulging in a night off to run around in the autumn sky with abandon. Rhiannon is a Welsh goddess, worshipped before Christianity took root, as the dominant religion, in what is now known as the United Kingdom. She is closely related to Epona, the equine goddess from mainland Europe, and is often depicted astride her beautiful white horse. It has been said that others riding on horseback could never catch up to Rhiannon, even though she would never rush, preferring to amble along at a comfortable pace. I find this idea both comforting and appealing, as I am just now teaching myself to take my own time when I am doing something. Learning to avoid comparisons to others, is also something that I am in the process of learning, especially when I think they are getting more done and faster than I am. Another tidbit that I find enchanting about Rhiannon, is that she carried a magic bag that could hold a limitless amount of food or other goodies, and even once trapped an unwanted suiter named Gwawl, inside of it, helping her narrowly escape marriage to him. Who doesn’t like a good escape story? I decided to place Rhiannon’s horse having a gallop in the night sky, in the fall, using imagery from the field at my aunt and uncle’s cottage, at the Black River. I also called on my memories of the white horses we would see on the farms, along the road on our trips up there in the car, to visit them. My grandmother taught my brother and I to make wishes on these white horses when we saw them. The instructions she gave us were: Lightly lick your forefinger with the tip of your tongue. Dab this finger into the middle of your opposite palm. Make a fist with the wet fingered hand and stamp it onto the spot on you you dabbed, to seal it. I can’t remember any of the wishes I made during these trips, but I remembered having fun doing the ritual. Perhaps Rhiannon was even listening.

I made this painting using some gouache paint that I had found in tubes, crushed up and reconstituted. I haven’t used this type of paint for years and wanted to try it again. It’s highly pigmented and can be used as a watercolour when enough water is added to it, or in a more opaque way, with less water.