“All of my furnishings are full of authentic ranch stories I love to share. The concept of creating functional ‘Ranch Art Furnishings’ started with the CASPER LOVESEAT, dedicated to a very special gelding I will never forget.” – Marlene
MAY 19, 1988- EARLY AUGUST 1999
I can still remember the sad day my father called to say he was going to sell and I also remember the day dad called me back…
I was giddy that morning, still sitting on the bed after waking up from one of the best phone calls of my life. Instead of pocketing thousands of dollars, my father had decided Casper should be mine .It felt effortless whenever we rode (bareback was the best!), like floating in mid-air. But after only 2 short weeks at my ranch in Ramona California, Casper suddenly became lame. For the next 2 years we battled the dreaded diagnosis of navicular with vets, chiropractors, injections, expensive shoes, medications and prayers.
At a mere 11 years old, our beautiful Casper was laid to rest. It broke our hearts but left us with many wonderful memories that will never leave my dad and me. I created “The Casper Loveseat” to keep those memories alive. It sits in my entry and I smile as I pass it several times a day.
The Casper Loveseat (No.1 in Series)A Tribute to My Horse of a Lifetime
As I was designing furnishings for my first trade show in 2013, it dawned on me that anyone could create a beautiful piece of furniture, but I wanted to create a piece of functional art- something personal, sophisticated and non-literal that perhaps spoke only to me. Casper quickly became my inspiration and I created the Casper Loveseat. Every detail of this loveseat brings back memories of our journey together, from the floating look reminiscent of his smooth gait to the dark tacks representing the definition around his eyes and mouth, to the pearlescent and metallic cowhides used to illustrate his gorgeous coat. This loveseat sits in the entry of my home as a tribute to that wonderful sweet gelding God put in my life and I smile as I pass it several times a day!
THE POEM BELOW BY MARLENE IS ENGRAVED ON A STERLING BELT BUCKLE AT THE TOP BACK OF THE SOFA.
I RememberHow beautiful, how powerful, how honest
How confident yet with that silly whinny he would talk to me
Always a pig pen, patches of dirt clinging to his sparkle
How he took care of me in quicksand and barbed wire
How I took my hands off the wheel and he would fly!
My broken-in saddle could not compare to the comfort of his bare back
How I prayed
How we prayed
A miracle could happen
I can’t remember how many pills I dissolved, crushed
But I was happy that he was here
How we cried the day I returned and he was gone
