Artist and equestrian Linda Warshaw often features horses in her work. When she was invited to participate as a vendor at the James River Driving Association’s October 2014 Pleasure Carriage Driving Show, she realized she hadn’t produced much on the subject of carriage driving.
“In addition to displaying my horse paintings, I wanted to relate the story of this particular equestrian discipline,” Warshaw said. She dedicated several months to research the art and sport of driving. She also thought about all the kinds of art she’d done in the past.
“I believe necessity is the mother of invention,” Warshaw said. “I remembered the cartoons I used to draw for our veterinarian to use on Christmas cards, and that sparked the idea for “The Unofficial Incomplete Guide to Driving.’”
The result is a book highlighting the start-to-finish process of competing in a driving event. “The book is rich with whimsical situations, cartoons and commentary that drivers, their horses and horse people commonly deal with in competition,” Warshaw said.
Warshaw had carriage drivers review the cartoons as she produced them. “They found the situations humorous, and that was my goal,” she said. “I want to make people laugh.”
“Horse cartoons come easy for me because I’ve been reading about horses, drawing them and riding them since I was a little girl,” Warshaw said. “I also believe I have a good sense of humor. The cartoons make lite of the challenges, expense, danger and fun of owning horses.”
“Sometimes I myself wonder what I’m doing sitting astride 1,200 pounds of animal going fast over a hill,” Warshaw said. “Why horses? I’m just wired for them. I feel so at home around horses.”
“The Unofficial Incomplete Guide to Driving” contains 24 cartoons in four chapters. It’s the first book Warshaw has self-published.
She and Leah Comerford, a fellow Art Frist Gallery member, owned Avilu Press from 2010 – 2013 and published three books. Those are:
• “Charms of Mother Earth,” combining Comerford’s artwork on gourds and Warshaw’s poetry.
• “Art in Common,” containing the work of 10 area artists.
• “Drawn Together,” containing the artwork of 10 more area artists.
They now self-publish. All the books are available at Art Frist Gallery, 824 Caroline St., in Fredericksburg.
Warshaw will display her horse themed works at the Pleasure Carriage Driving Show, which begins at 8:30 a.m. on October 25 at Rose Mount Farm, 9601 Courthouse Rd., in Spotsylvania. She’ll also be available to sign her new book.
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This article was first published in the October 2014 issue of Front Porch Fredericksburg.
