You are viewing the newest Pony done by Khw called PURA VIDA. "Pura Vida" is the slogan for the Country of Costa Rica (see the excerpt below). PURA VIDA is an original, signed by the artist on both the small Trail of Painted Ponies placard and on the underside of Pura's Base. He is the only edition (1 of 1) But... he is also the First of 10 Ponies in this Series of : Various Countries Artistry & Horses. He is also Khw's second Pony offering, overall, and will likely go up in value because her work is bound to improve. Pura Vida has the tradition of the Costa Rican custom of "Oxcart Painting" detailed on his body (see excerpt below). There is no air-brushing on this pony, the work has been done totally by paintbrushes. His body is painted a Brilliant Deep Blue and the circular "Oxcart Wheel" is painted on him in vivid yellows, red, limes, lt blues. This bright, happy Oxcart wheel is painted on his side & continuing up & over his back. Encircling each of his front legs in intricately fashioned fine gold wire to imitate the fine detailing of the 24kt gold work on display in the Gold Museum located in San Jose. On his head is more scrolled gold wire and a headpiece consisting of an ornate square & 2 circles to compliment his head. The breast plate is indentical to the headpiece except it finished on the ends with a painted wooden bead attached by common twine to the plate. Across the ponies back is common twine tied to a large bright red clay pot with "Pura Vida" scripted in deep blue (containing cactus/aloe). The larger pot is attached (across the back) to a smaller natural clay pot along with a linen drawstring sack of REAL coffee beans. The linen bag is hand machine-sewn and has "CAFE" printed in black across the sack. It is finished off by a wee decorative version of a wheel in front of the coffee sack. The Breast Plate and the Clay Pots can be removed at will, as shown. Pura has been finished & sealed with a brushed-on satin polyurethene to make him appear like CLAY Pottery. A letter of information/explanation will accompany each pony purchased. Kelly appreicates each & everyone of you that has looked at her pony and hopes all of you have a special equine pal in your life!
Artist Notes: Costa Rica is a country with simple, gentle peoples, many of whom think they are kings/queens... if they own a horse. Each year, a week or so before Christmas, they celebrate what is called "Tope' " or "The Parade of Horses" (English) where anyone in the whole country who owns a horse...can be in the parade. They are invited to decorate their own horse in their finest attire to represent their family, clan, farm, ranch, or town. Poms, streamers, fine hand-fashioned saddles, bridles & breastplates, colorful robes, blankets and flags, jewelry and on & on! You cannot imagine the pagentry. I have never witnessed anything so amazing in my life. Some of the horses were very old, thin, small, crippled..but the owners decorated them as if it were their finest hour. And the animals KNEW it! Heads held high in the air, a strut in their gait..a whinny to other horses. Later, after the parade.. some of the riders told me to expect God to send a series of GLORIOUS Rainbows on Christmas Day. They believe that the Rainbows on Christmas Day, are His Promise that NO animal will Perish, on that one day. I was astounded when, on Christmas Day, the Rainbows arrived like they were scheduled. I have included a dated photo so you can share that rainbow.
Pura Vida: Literally translated means "Pure Life" but means contextually something approximate to "Full of Life" "Purified life", "This is living!", "Going great", or "Cool!" It is the country Slogan of COSTA RICA since 1956. Costa Ricans use the phrase to express something akin to a philosophy of strong community, perseverance, good spirits, and enjoying life slowly and celebrating good fortune of magnitudes small and large alike. Since there are many visitors to CR, the phrase has also become widely known in the USA. Costa Rica has much to boast about: Nearly perfect weather, Mountains & Beach, Volcanoes, Winter home for most USA Hummingbirds (yes, they fly alllll that way), THE best tasting coffee world-over, 24kt Fine Mayan Gold, Beautiful, ornate Churches, Fantastic fruits & vegetables, an unabashed love & respect for horses, and Famous Painted Oxcarts. The theme for this pony was those fantastic and mesmerizingly cool oxcarts:
The Highly Decorated Ox-Cart : The National Work Symbol
In 1988 the Costa Rican ox-cart ("la carreta costarricense") was established as the national symbol of work. This decision was based on the contribution that the ox-cart has had throughout Costa Rican history in the economic & social development of the nation. Drawn by a team of oxen, the ox-cart was used during the colonial period for the transportation of sugar cane, tobacco, and coffee. Thus, it became a very important factor in the development of agricultural activity of Costa Rica. The peasants used to paint the carts in very strong, bright colors with the two-fold purpose of making them look beautiful and preserving them. Eventually, this evolved into a kind of competition among the owners of the different farms to see who had, not only the best team of oxen, but also the most beautiful carts in the area. In the present, the ox-cart is one of the most representative handcrafted objects in Costa Rican culture.
