A love letter to horse girls.

CECILIA was created to celebrate the horse girl in all of us—the playful, the passionate, the tenacious. Growing up an only child in the Midwest, I was often just in the company of the horses in my imagination; they became my co-conspirators, my best friends, and my heroes. Princess She-ra’s Swiftwind and the My Little Ponies. My extensive collection of Breyers and the famous horses that I drew and painted. All horses—and anything that even reminded me of horses —were total magic.

When I started riding, my horse friends and I would spend hours after our riding lessons jumping over poles. There was nothing else we’d rather be doing, thinking, or dreaming about. It was a world of our own creation, and it grew our confidence in our own power—a foundation that has served me in so many ways. It is a delicious sense of wonder and freedom that comes with true passion. 

Sitting astride this giant animal made us feel invincible. Their power and grace naturally extended to our own selves, and put us on an equal playing field where the thing that most mattered was the bond you shared with your horse. In fact, the equestrian sports in the Olympics are the only events where men and women, young and old, compete on an equal level. This feeling is something that never leaves you, even if you do leave horses for a while. 

I am thrilled and so grateful that you’ve joined me in this journey to explore the rich history of the horse in our lives. I’m infinitely inspired by them. When I was researching for CECILIA, I discovered a 1984 exhibition that Diana Vreeland curated for The Met’s “Man and the Horse” that showcased the richness of life with horses over centuries. It prompted me to think—what is the horse’s role in our world today? Although the might of an engine is still described in ‘horsepower’, its invention has rendered the horse’s utility nearly obsolete. And yet in so many ways, horses are more valuable to our lives than ever.

CECILIA is my contribution to this exploration, to tell stories of our shared history, present, and future. I hope you enjoy this ride with me.

With love and gratitude,