This week's Artist Spotlight!

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When Eva Mathews was just two years old, her mother purchased her some Breyer models that were on clearance at a florist and from that day forward, Eva put down her dolls and was all about model horses.  Growing up in a small town in Florida, our next featured artist first forayed into the world of model horse tack making by using rubber bands and ribbons to create halters for her Breyer models as a young girl.  

After a small amount of convincing from the other ladies in her model horse club, in 1998, when Eva was 16, she and her mother adventured to their first BreyerFest where she was surrounded by amazing, handmade model horse tack that her teenaged wallet could not afford.  Not to be daunted by such a small problem, her creative mind set to work and with the help of a “how to” book, and she was making tack for her models before she knew it.  A few short years later, Eva began selling her tack at the Clarion during BreyerFest and the rest is, as they say, history.

Eva has truly found her niche in the model horse hobby, making harnesses inspired by history from around the world.  From Ancient Rome to Victorian England, the stunning harness sets she produces at her studio, Lonesome Pine Ranch, are a performance shower’s dream!  Eva has even had the honor of winning an overall reserve rosette at BreyerFest with a 4-horse harness set she made for a performance entry – a dream come true, she says.

In addition to harnesses, she recently began 3-D printing model horse props and carriages and loves to volunteer her time at the Hobby Information Booth when BreyerFest is in person so that she can share her knowledge with other budding model horse enthusiasts.  She finds so much inspiration from the people in the model horse hobby and sharing experiences is what keeps the hobby growing and evolving.

Eva is looking forward to sharing her work with BreyerFest guests this summer as a part of our virtual Artisans’ Gallery, but in the meantime, you can check out her creations on her Lonesome Pine Ranch Facebook page or preview her amazing tack on her Lonesome Pine Ranch webpage.