Katrina didn't sweep me away from New Orleans or the Mississippi Gulf Coast. When she struck, I didn't have any blood relatives living in either place. My father's job had taken me away from home years before, but when Katrina struck, childhood friends, at least one Godmother, a special soul to me and a region and place that for me can only be described as home were all in the crosshairs. I worried and wondered about those still there and for the region, what it would become. In the years since I've been back to New Orleans a number of times and witnessed her shaky steps to recovery to where she's at today. She's still not the NOLA that she was before. The exodus of people and their culture that added to the unique not quite melted, but happily mixed, mélange that makes the city so special, has shaped her in ways no one could ever have imagined. Don't get me wrong, I still love her as much as I did all those years ago, but I hope she'll continue to welcome those home who know the history of her curves and quirks and who love her and who can share that love with newcomers and visitors.
I had only visited the Mississippi Gulf Coast this past June. Pass Christian or The Pass, and indeed the entire Gulf Coast stretch, is a magical place. I always have said that I was born in Texas (something I'm fiercely proud of), but that I got my soul in NOLA. Looking back, I realize, I found my heart in The Pass. The super bright white beaches that stretch for miles through the communities have long been a draw and a danger. When you add the laid back atmosphere, amazing food, stretches of forest and bayou, there is something for everyone and all the time in the world to do it seemingly. I mentioned that there was a special soul to me living in the region when Katrina hit. That special soul was Emma "Anita" Seals of Pass Christian, MS, although, when we lived in The Pass, I simply new her as Anita. I was around three years old when we moved to The Pass and Anita was larger than life. Her thick glasses and German accent made her unique compared to any of the other people I had known in my young life. Having learned her English largely through military men on the base where she met her husband, she had a colorful vocabulary. One naughty word in particular was her favorite. It had an exotic sound to it made all the more so by her accent. As a child, I was surprised to learn it wasn't the kind of word you said in polite company. I remember another time when she was eating with my sister, mother and I at a Chinese restaurant and convinced my older sister that you had to lick the plates as that was the only way they would clean them. I can still remember Anita and my sister licking their empty plates. I guess even then I had something of a skeptic in me, as I didn't join in. There are so many happy memories of Anita - her playing with her Mickey Mouse and Disney toys with us or buying us a frozen treat on those sweltering Summer days that you can only get in those tropical type regions of our country or her animated way of expressing herself. Anita was the first non-family adult role model I can recall. I hadn't seen Anita in over 30 years when she died in Katrina, and surely by now she would have been gone to old age, but I had tears in my eyes when I read that Katrina had claimed her. Katrina claimed Anita because she wouldn't leave her beloved animals behind. I wish I had been there to take her and her animals along with me to evacuate. I hate the idea that she drowned there in the swirling waters inside her home. She shared her love of animals with our already animal loving family, encouraged me to enjoy the smallest of pleasurable moments in life, to not be afraid to speak your mind, even in colorful language (sometimes even in polite society), to embrace the spirit of exploration and be open to knowing those from other cultures. Her name is carved on the city memorial in Pass Christian, MS, along with the others lost, each deserving of a remembrance. As I look back, I realize that I found my heart in Pass Christian because a woman named Emma that went by Anita taught me how to follow it's beat.
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Welcome back, race fans!Last time, we got to know talented illustrator, Hayley Mullins, who is bringing to live the story of Blue Blue Sea. That image above is another of her delightful drawings. Now, we had some questions for Blue Blue Sea's human, Miranda N. Prather, the writer of the tale.How long have you been involved with horses?
I say before I was born, but definitely not long afterward. My maternal grandfather, his brother and father and son all loved horses and were involved with them. One of my first words was "sorey", my attempt at saying "horsey". I had pictures of Seattle Slew and Alydar as a child and probably too many horse stuffed animals and toys. Blackie, an ornery Shetland, was my first equine partner when I was about four. When we moved from Louisiana to Kentucky, I started taking lessons. I rode many horses from Arab to Appaloosa to OTTB to Quarter Horse during that time, primarily jumping. My next equine partner was a Quarter Horse named What-a-Twist and then came Beble AKA JoJo, an Argentinean Bred OTTB. I can't imagine a life without horses. What made you want an OTTB and what particularly about Blue Blue Sea? When I was very small, I wanted to be a cowboy, but then my mother took me to the backside of a track in my native Texas, and something clicked. I wanted to be a jockey, part of me always will, even though I didn't go for that. The big draw was always the horse for me. There is no other horse like the Thoroughbred, full of fire, pride and intelligence, yet at the same time, they are horses that will give it all to humans. Most of them are simply beautiful, too. I looked at Blue Blue Sea for all the wrong reasons for possibly purchasing a horse. First was pedigree. While Seattle Slew was my first horse racing love, Alydar the next year became my all-time favorite. I'm a real fan of the red-heads, and all but one of my horses has been a chestnut. When I saw the CANTER listing, it said Alysheba, so that led me to click the ad. When I saw Blue's picture, I was struck by how much he looked like Alydar. I downloaded that picture, one of only two that I ever did from the CANTER site. For several weeks, I would open that picture and look at him. There was certainly something there, a connection that I can't explain even through a picture. How did owning Blue Blue Sea change your life? Blue taught me more than any other horse or person could or did about horses. That knowledge has been put to use in helping other horses and people. So there's a very practical way that living with him has changed things. He also taught me that you can have a fulfilling relationship with a horse that doesn't involve riding. Riding was an important part of my time with any horse in my life previously. When Blue got sick, I made a choice to decrease any riding and eventually to do away with it altogether. We had a great time learning tricks and just spending time with each other. I guess how he really changed my life was in teaching me what is important in life. To enjoy a moment for what it is and to treasure those who make your life better. I miss him every day, but I have gained hundreds of new friends through sharing his story that I never would have known otherwise. Do you only write children's books? No. This is the only children's book I have ever written. It was quite a challenge, too, with the economy of words and the rhyme scheme. I am finishing up a novel and have published articles, short stories and poetry. Why a book on Blue Blue Sea? I had so many people say that there should be a book based on his story. He inspired so many and brought together a community of wonderful people. Blue himself was an inspiration, and though he might have just been a washed-up claimer, I didn't want him to be forgotten. I also wanted his story to be out in as many ways as possible to help other people and their horses who might have the same problems he did. Just to let them know that there is hope. His book is also offers a chance to give back, as I will be donating some of the proceeds to charitable horse organizations. The illustrations are now half-way done and mock-ups of the book are already being set. On Blue Blue Sea's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/blueblueseaottb) you can vote for your favorite font! We want our fans involved in the entire design of the book, so please be sure to vote for your favorite font soon! The Blue Blue Sea Team I had a chat with Hayley to learn more about her as an artist, her inspirations and dreams and how she came to be involved with Blue Blue Sea. Her answers are inspiring and provide a wealth of insight into what it takes to illustrate a book.Me: What interested you in illustrating this story about Blue Blue Sea? Are you a fan of horse racing?
Hayley: I have followed Blue for a long time now, and I was so touched by his story. I first read about him on Blood-Horse and I could just remember going.. "Wow." I followed him on Facebook, and became very good friends with his owner, Miranda Prather. I am so humbled and so honored to be illustrating this remarkable story, and I hope I can do it justice. I've been an fan of horse racing since I was little. Growing up, we visited Turfway Park (which is right in my backyard) frequently and never stopped going. I fell in love with the horses, then, but I first fell in love with the sport when Mike Smith rode Giacomo to victory in the 2005 Kentucky Derby. God put this amazing passion for horse racing in my heart at such a young age. I was ridiculed and made fun of for it, but I have no regrets. I've gotten to meet so many wonderful people because of it. It's a beautiful sport. Me: Could you describe your journey to becoming an artist? What were your original inspirations? Hayley: It started back when I could first hold a pencil. I've been drawing for as long as I could remember. You couldn't get me to stop. I'd draw on my test covers for school, in my notebooks, and even on my homework. My parents encouraged me to keep drawing, and bought me How-To books so I could learn how to draw different characters. My family loves Disney, as do I, so that's where I started to teach myself. As I got older, I started to try more intermediate subjects - animals and people. I loved horses, so naturally they were my favorite animal to draw. Still are! It wasn't until 2013 when I realized that I could be really good at this drawing thing and maybe I could make a career out of being an artist/illustrator. I started practicing, drawing different Disney characters, other characters, even making my own. As for animals, I started to study dogs and cats and furthered my knowledge of horses. And as they say, the rest is history. My original inspirations came from Walt Disney, just growing up with these movies. I admired how real the characters were, and I discovered that was all due credit to the animators. They have a special place in my heart. Everyone sees them as just cartoons, but these stories and the characters have definitely impacted my life in a positive way. Me: Do you remember which illustrated children's books were your favorites back when you were a young reader and why? Hayley: I was an avid fan of the Disney Golden Books and the Mickey and Friends: Around The World series. Each book would have them going to a different continent, and I just remember reading them until I had "visited" every country. Another series I liked and only owned one book was Glen Keane's Adam the Raccoon series. They were essentially parables, written for children and gave a good summary and lesson. It was very easy to understand. Me: What was the longest time you spent without drawing at all? Hayley: Back in January, I was out of basketball and school due to an concussion. Two weeks. I wasn't allowed to draw because of eye strain, which wouldn't help healing. It was hard, but I got over it. Me: Is there any type of project you haven't done yet, but dream of doing someday? Hayley: Absolutely. I'm very interested in the fine arts. I had the pleasure of meeting one of my heroes, Greg McCullough, who had recently been added as a Disney Fine Artist. His work is absolutely gorgeous and not only can he work in oils, his digital artwork is breathtaking. I was so inspired by his work, I thought to myself, "If he can do that, that means I can do it, too." So improving my work and merging into fine art is definitely one of my end goals. I'd love to have the opportunity to contribute my art to a gallery and attend different art shows. I've seen so many different ones online, and they look like so much fun! The possibilities are endless, and the dreams are many. I'd like to achieve each goal one at a time and go from there. My ultimate goal is basically centered on making people happy and smile with my art, while sharing the Gospel and telling people about God and how He changed my life. Me: Could you tell us a bit about any of your upcoming projects? Hayley: At the moment, I am planning to attend this year's Cincinnati Comic Con and a have a table in their artist's alley. As for other projects, I have been recently given the AMAZING honor of having my "Mockingjay Graffiti" featured at The Hunger Games Exhibition in Times Square. There, it'll join many other pieces of fan-art and travel with the exhibit. The next stop will be in San Francisco. Thank you, Hayley, for giving us a peak into your creative process and for bringing life to the story of Blue Blue Sea. |
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