"Country Hunter"
I had the privilege of spending the morning with a talented artist and equally interesting fellow horse lover today, Lizi Ruch. Lizi is so kind, she took the time to show me some of her projects in the works, pictures of her horses, and I had the pleasure of meeting her two wonderful doggies, Jessie and Zazu. It is always fun to meet a new horse person to share stories with.
"Resting in Reno" After graduating with a B.A. from Transylvania University and while working on a graduate degree, Lizi taught art and served as department chair at Eastern High School in Louisville. She completed an M.A. in Ceramic Sculpture from University of Louisville and began to create work for showings in local galleries. This work featured animated sculptural interpretations of local restaurants and residences rendered with whimsy in ceramic form. Many of these pieces are still treasured today by their owners as estate heirlooms.
Awarded a partial scholarship to study at Parsons School of Design, Lizi moved to New York City. Upon graduating with a B.F.A. in fashion design, Lizi launched her own knitwear business (with the help of a very supportive dad). Her designs were sold throughout high-end specialty stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus as well as the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog. Lizi Ruch Designs were also selected by the PGA as opening merchandise for the golf championship at Valhalla.
Lizi has taught within the fashion design departments of both Parsons and Otis College of Art and Design, and currently works as a freelance consultant and instructor at Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM). Still crazy about horses and animals, she is passionate about the sport of foxhunting. As a member of the West Hills Hounds and an occasional guest riding with both Santa Fe and Santa Ynez Valley Hounds, Lizi has had plenty of opportunities to gather inspiration for her current passion and artistic endeavors. Lizi lives in Marina Del Rey, California with her husband Harvey Plotnick and their two four-legged children, Jessie and Zazu. Unfortunately, her trusty steeds, Chuckee and Woody, have to live in Chatsworth (because there isn't much grass at the beach), but she makes the trek to the barn on an almost daily basis. Lizi is regularly commissioned to paint horses, hounds, and dogs of every sort, both on canvas and clay. Her ceramic sculpture of the barn at "Runnymeade" (located in Woodside, Calif.) won third place at the Draft Horse Classic. She is currently painting hunt scenes that highlight open western landscapes. Two of these paintings were selected to tour with the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America MFHA Centennial Traveling Art Exhibition, which initiated in New York City in January 2007. Her illustrations for “A Horse Named Duke” (a child’s horse story) and the paintings may be viewed via the Gallery within the Web site. She is currently marketing her spectacular line of "hunt theme" dinnerware and gifts and plans to add some fun new designs for upcoming markets.
Her beautiful china can be found in many stores listed here. A few are...Horse and Hound Gallery, Equestrian Collections, Beval, Malvern Saddlery, Equine Chic for Horse & Home
Her GLASSWARE, PAINTINGS, PINS, NOTE CARDS,& OTHER ITEMS can be purchased through Artfully Equestrian
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