As part of the beautification and visioning projects in Historic Downtown Prosser we’ve purchased 11 fiberglass ponies to be painted by local artists and placed throughout our historic downtown corridor. These ponies have been sponsored by local businesses, organizations and individuals.

We’d like to introduce you to the artists involved in this exciting project!

First up is Erin Gauley.

At what age did you begin to paint and what was your inspiration?

From the time I could pick things up, I was already doodling and graffitiing the house, but I never really “painted” more than you would expect a young child to fingerpaint. I loved drawing and coloring but painting was always too messy for me, I never want to clean up my own mess.

What do you like best about painting?

I like the freedom it gives to those who take part in it actively. I think that it’s a lot easier to piece out a thought or feeling with painting because sometimes thoughts aren’t solid, grey lines. A thought could be a colorful cloud of pastel watercolors. That image is much more achievable with paint.

What drew you to this project and what have you learned from this project?

My mother brought home a newspaper with the article about this project in it and blatantly hinted that I should do it because it looks good on a resume and it’d be a fun project to do. This was also around the time that I lost my grandmother and there was some part of me that wanted to do it for her because she was always so interested in my art and how I was growing. In addition, I had the resources for a sponsor and help from my aunt, Desiree Denton, who did the bronzes in Sunnyside. From this project I’ve learned that balancing the pony, sports, school, and the holidays is only going to get harder so I need to kick it in gear very soon.

What is something that you want people to know about you? About your work?

Probably just that I don’t have very much experience with painting and this is my first big project using acrylics and my first project on a 3D surface. I mostly use pencils and watercolor paints for most of my art, so this is a big jump for me!

Where can people find your art? 

Nowhere, I’ll be sixteen mid-December and I draw in my free time. I haven’t done any other public projects.