A lifelong horsewoman, Lynda (Burton) Sappington's first word was "pretty" and second word was "hoss" (much to the surprise of her parents!). She's had cats all her life (currently has three), been riding since she was five, and drawing and sculpting horses and cats since childhood. On her summer breaks from college, she was a riding instructor and trainer.
Lynda with her Quarter Horse gelding, Impowered for Time ("Jack")
Lynda's art training began at an early age, with private painting classes starting in grade school. She moved on to pottery and some small sculptures on her own as she was growing up. Various craft classes occupied her time as her children grew up (her large macrame Christmas tree still has a ravelled place on the back where her infant son teethed on it!). In 1993, as "empty nest syndrome" set in, Lynda finally had time to pursue her dream and became serious about producing sculptures. Her first sculptures in 1993 were a pair of cartoony baby dragons, "Sidney" and "Seymour." These dragons were good enough that the Danbury Mint seriously considered releasing them and hiring Lynda to create more like them. However, Lynda's dreams were filled with horses, so she worked on her skills until she could make realistic horses she could be proud of.
Lynda grew up on a farm in Virginia and much prefers farm life to living in town. Her suburban South Carolina-bred husband has become a fine horseman and farmer (in addition to his career as an electronics engineer). They enjoy going to all kinds of horse events, from 4-H or Pony Club shows to dressage shows, to three day events and even the equestrian competitions at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta GA. They "horse show parented" through 4-H, with Lynda coaching their kids as they showed in showmanship, halter, western and hunt seat riding, pleasure driving, jumping, reining -- many times all on the same horse! (Quarter Horses really DO "do it all"!)
When their daughter got too leggy for her Quarter Horse, a 17 hand Thoroughbred was found for her. With this horse (who was the model for "Reflection"), Jennifer got into show jumping, then eventing and Pony Club, then serious dressage. At age 21, Jennifer, who by this time was an exquisite FEI level dressage rider and trainer, represented her region as an Individual Rider at the 1995 North American Young Riders Championships. Now in her early 30's, Jennifer (Sappington) Truett is a USDF Bronze Medal Award winning rider and has won a Bronze Medal in Musical Freestyle, as well as many regional and East Coast championships. She now has a training farm in Lebanon, Ohio HPRefinersFire. You'll be able to order her novel on Amazon.com as well as other sites. Check WHS Publishing for information on when it will be published.
Lynda's awards have earned her a place in Marquis Who's Who in the Midwest, Who's Who in America and Who's Who in American Women. One notable international art award she has won is the Joel Meisner Company Foundry Award from the American Academy of Equine Art in their Fall Showcase in 1998 at the Kentucky Horse Park. Lynda has written articles for numerous publications, including The Equine Art Guild's newsletter, "The Palette." From 1998-2002, Lynda was Editor-in-Chief of ARTVoices, an online art magazine, part of the ARTFaces | ARTPlaces gallery, as well as an AFAP Vice President and Board member. She contributed many articles to ARTVoices, including a regular column on sculpting called "Sculpturally Speaking." An article in the "Bits and Pieces" section of the June/July 1998 issue of The Equine Image magazine featured her sculpture "Presence" and the Mid-Ohio Dressage Association trophy made from that edition. In 1999, #3 of the "Presence" edition became a special award at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, Palm Beach, Florida. Number 2 of "Presence" edition is the Stallion Perpetual Trophy at the Mid-Ohio Dressage Association Classic, Delaware, Ohio. "Harmony" #2/18 is the Grand Prix Special trophy at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, starting in 2002. Lynda's latest big trophy is the Course d'Elegance World Championship Driving Trophy for the Friesian Horse Association of North America, which will be awarded for the first time in October 2007. She has also created trophies for the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Great Lakes Downs, the American Warmblood Society and other race tracks and organizations.
Stop by and say "howdy" if you find Lynda's booth at Equine Affaire, or in other trade fairs and horse shows. She'll be glad to see you!
