Heart BreakerShown here in bay pinto.
ora Speiser (pronounced Spy-Zer), who some may know as Lora Ward (from a previous marriage), started drawing at age 2 and completed her first oil painting at age 4. Unknown at the time of course, this was to be the best practice for customizing model horses! In 1990, Lora started repainting her old Breyers, they were so played with and rubbed she just thought they would look nice with new coats. She gave them away as gifts at that time or just made them for friends. She didn't know anything about showing or customizing until 2000 when she saw customs on eBay. After a lot of research, she started cleaning all the seam lines and sanding...then she only did very few simple repaints before diving into resculpting...then there was no turning back and Painted Pony Ranch Model Horses was born.
Lora used to airbrush her horses and they looked nice, but they were lacking the detail and glow she wanted. She stopped airbrushing and went to hand painting in oils with some detailing in acrylics. This is what created her own unique style setting her horses apart from the majority. She paints her horses in many very thin layers of oils, this is what creates their beautiful glow and depth. Painting oils onto model horses is totally different than oil painting on canvas...you cannot paint the horses in one or two layers, they will look clumpy and globby. She uses a rounded shader in size 6 for the entire body color, the size 6 is only 1/2" wide, so one layer of color can take a couple hours and some horses have 10 or more layers of colors!
Lora has cast one resin in a very limited edition named 'Heart Breaker', an Andalusian performing the Spanish walk. She is working on more new sculptures, one to have cast possibly in late 2007. She also specializes in Drastic Customs. Lora's customs were published in "Canter Magazine" in 2002 and she is also published on the Apoxie Sculpt website. Lora has accepted many commission pieces since 2002, but is no longer accepting commissions except on contract, and very few at that. She has pieces for sale and lottery drawings occasionaly.
Lora is also an accomplished graphic and freehand artist, creating digital scrapbook elements, oil and acrylic paintings on canvas, and custom graphics and logos since 1990.
You can contact Lora by email.
Photo credits:
Above: Egypt, Dapple rose grey Arabian stallion, customized from the Peter Stone Arabian. Created in 2006; hand painted in oils and pastels.
Heart Breaker
Shown here in bay pinto.
Zina
Dappled Grey Arabian mare, customized from the 'Shakira' resin sculpted by Vicki Keeling, copy #17/50. She is hand painted in oils, completed in 2007 for owner Mary Cheek.
Zina's Heart
Chestnut Arabian filly, customized from the Vicki Keeling Amira resin, copy #17/50 (to match Skira resin). She is hand painted in oils with acrylic detailing, completed in 2007 for owner Mary Cheek.
Claire's Cutie
Bay Arabian stallion, customized from the Stone Arabian. Created in 2007; hand painted in oils and detailed in acrylics for owner Claire Markham.
Ali
Blood bay tobiano Part Arabian stallion, customized from the Vicki Keeling Forever Ali resin. Created in 2007; hand painted in oils for owner Jean Radde.
Wild Rose
Bay roan spotted drafter mare, customized from the Peter Stone Percheron. Hand painted in oils with corn spots and hair by hair detail. Created in 2007 as donation for the NAMHSA auction.
Mr. Bojangles
Black pinto Gypsy Vanner stallion, customized from the Breyer Goffert and Big Ben molds; hand painted in oils and acrylics. Created in 2007 for owner Julie Brady.
Angelo
Dapple rose grey Andalusian stallion, customized from the Breyer standing American Saddlebred, Adios, Huckleberry Bey, and the Peter Stone Arabian molds. Created in 2006, handpainted in oils, for owner Sarah Beeler.
2DamCute
Bay Quarter Horse colt, customized from the Carol Williams Okie Rio resin; oils. Created in 2007.
Dream Caster
Bay pinto Paint mare, customized from the Peter Stone Ideal Stock Horse; handpainted oils and acrylics. Created in 2006 for owner Sarah Beeler.
Double D
Buckskin pinto Paint stallion, customized from the Breyer classic Cantering Stock Horse; prep'd by Sarah Beeler, handpainted oils and acrylics. Created in 2006 for owner Sarah Beeler.
Arch Angel
Black Fresian stallion, customized from the Breyer Standing American Saddlebred; hand painted in oils. Created in 2005 for owner Christa Probson.
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