Whisper of Memories

A large horse with a white face and blonde mane close to the camera, with a girl riding a rocking horse in the background, surrounded by a group of horses and a girl with outstretched arms in a forested scene during sunset.
Children and horses in a dreamy, pastel-toned scene with a large close-up horse face on the right, a girl with outstretched arms, a small teddy bear riding a rocking horse, and a group of horses in the background, all in an ethereal, artistic style.
A detailed illustration of a white and brown horse with a flowing mane, standing in a natural setting with flowers and greenery in the background.
Painting of a girl riding a rocking horse with a large horse in the foreground and a forest of bare trees with horses and a girl in the background at sunset.

Size: 45 x 55 cm

Materials: Mixed media on Paper 

Year: 2025

SOLD -Private Collection-Netherlands

Whisper of Memories

This artwork was born from a sudden, deep feeling. When I first saw Sam, his gentle eyes stirred something very tender in me — a quiet joy from my childhood. I felt the little girl inside me awaken — the one who could be endlessly happy just from seeing a horse.

In the painting, this girl runs toward the sunlight, away from the wooden rocking horse and toward the real, living horses. It’s a symbol of choosing what is alive, what breathes, what feels, what responds — a choice between illusion and authenticity.

The dandelions floating in the foreground — ‘paardenbloem’ in Dutch, which literally means “horse flower” — speak to the fleeting beauty of life and the memories that shape us.

Sam once helped people with disabilities find trust and joy through the quiet power of connection. I wanted this painting to reflect that same silent strength — the kind that heals without words, that stays with us even when everything else fades.

I also hoped that this work would help the viewer remember the moments that made them truly happy — for no reason, without conditions — simply because they were alive, breathing, simply because the world is beautiful and filled with love.

It was part of the Verbinding project — a collaborative initiative by the artist group Paard Verzameld and De Paardenkamp. Part of the proceeds was donated to De Paardenkamp, where Sam now enjoys his well-deserved peaceful retirement among old friends.