My name is Maeve Eichelberger. My work is influenced by my younger years growing up on a ranch in Larkspur, Colorado.
Why saddles you ask? To me the saddle is a symbol of connection, transportation and utility. I use the saddle as a canvas to share my nostalgia but also to express color, texture and vibrancy.
This particular saddle with hand formed rosettes is a tribute to my grandmother, Leta, who admired roses but in particular the ’Tropicana’. A hybrid that thrives east of the Rockies.
When I was just born, she was a traveling nurse in Haiti and I believe the vibrant pink and coral orange reminded her of the tropics and brought comfort to her garden at home in Colorado.