Marina with some of her sculptures which are due to be presented at the Horse Racing Ireland awards next week
Irelands top racehorses, jockeys, trainers and owners over the past 10 years all of one thing in common. They each have a piece of sculpture which started out life as a bag of clay in a Co Donegal studio.
The artist behind the works of art – Marina Hamilton from St Johnston – will next week see her sculptures presented to the current cream of Irish racing for the tenth year in a row.
The distinctive blue horses were first presented at the Horse Racing Ireland awards in 2002 and over the past decade they have been given to some notable winners.
They include Princess Haya of Jordan, Film director Jim Sheridan, Michael O Leary trainers Aidan O Brien, Willie Mullins and Dermot Weld, jockeys Ruby Walsh, Kieran Fallon, and Barry Gerraghty to name but a few.
“It’s a great thrill to know that there’s piece of my sculpture sitting in the palace in Dubai and in the home of one of Hong Kong’s richest families who owned the horse Sea the Stars, says Marina.
Marina pictured with trainer John Ox and jockey Michael Kinane after they picked up their award following the success of their horse Sea the Stars
“When you think that each horse started out from a bag of clay in the studio at home and then travelled around the world before ending up on a mantle piece, it’s quite a journey
“It was a great honor to be asked to make the awards for Horse Racing Ireland. They wanted the sculptures to be distinctive and they also liked the idea that each one was hand built and no two were exactly the same. Little did I know that ten years on I would still be making them.”
Marina has made a around 60 blue horses for the awards and five of them are now on the mantle piece in jockey Ruby Walsh’s home, while Aidan O Brien has three in his home.
It is a busy time for Marina as she is also preparing for the National Crafts Fair in the RDS in Dublin this week and when she comes home she plans to open her gallery in St Johnston in the run up to Christmas.
Marina’s work can be viewed online at www.marinahamilton.net or on facebook Marina Hamilton Painter and Sculpture. Her studio number is 074 9148903.
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