Meet Russell Smith
In 2001, Russell Smith made a bold decision. He decided to walk away from his successful career in the printing industry and give himself a timeline of one year to pursue his true passion: becoming a full-time artist.
Horses, cattle drives with her grandfather, harsh winters, and the quiet grit of a cowboy’s country aren’t just elements of Cherie Ramsdell’s life; they are what inspire her work. Today, Cherie is one of the most distinctive voices in horsehair pottery, a rare and intriguing art form that creates keepsakes through vessels and sculptures, preserving loving memories forever.
When Cherie first started her artistic journey, her roots were formed in graphic design. But as the involvement of computers and technology crept further into the art world, she was pulled in the opposite direction. She wanted her hands to be doing the physical creation, so a deep dive into the ceramics world felt like a natural transition. Soon after came a trip to New Mexico, which changed everything.
Horses, cattle drives with her grandfather, harsh winters, and the quiet grit of a cowboy’s country aren’t just elements of Cherie Ramsdell’s life; they are what inspire her work. Today, Cherie is one of the most distinctive voices in horsehair pottery, a rare and intriguing art form that creates keepsakes through vessels and sculptures, preserving loving memories forever.
When Cherie first started her artistic journey, her roots were formed in graphic design. But as the involvement of computers and technology crept further into the art world, she was pulled in the opposite direction. She wanted her hands to be doing the physical creation, so a deep dive into the ceramics world felt like a natural transition. Soon after came a trip to New Mexico, which changed everything.
As a horsehair potter, Cherie makes beautiful ceramics that are then embellished by burning the horsehair directly onto the outer layer of the artwork. She also incorporates a variety of additional materials to further decorate, including wire, beads, halter elements, and braided horsehair. Some of her most striking work features turquoise inlay, a signature combination that Cherie has become well acclaimed for.
When imagining a new piece or design, Cherie will begin planning exactly how the clay will need to bend to her vision. She has started mixing her own clay bodies from scratch, chasing the precise structure and composition each vase or figure demands. As she puts it, “Clay is pretty fragile in a lot of ways, but I no longer just let the clay dictate the piece,” she says. “I have enough mastery over the material to make it do incredible things.”
A large percentage of Cherie’s work is custom, with the majority being memorial pieces. These vessels carry not just an animal’s hair, but their family’s love and memory. Oftentimes, these artworks are even turned into urns and serve as the final resting place for a beloved horse. Every strand used in a client’s commission piece comes from the horsehair provided by the client, with any extra being returned to the owner. Once the structure of the vessel is ready for the honorary horsehair, Cherie records the process on video, so the client can watch their love for the horse fusing directly into the piece.
Once each piece has been completed, it’s rarely simple to let go. Cherie describes the whole process as emotional, even spiritual, and parting with the artwork can be hard. She remembers one vase in particular, built around the hair of her own daughter’s horse, that was especially difficult to sell. But watching it go to a buyer who so clearly connected with the vase is what allowed Cherie to say goodbye. “I was glad it was carrying that same emotion for the next owner,” she explains. And at the end of the day, Cherie’s main goal is exactly that; she hopes her passion for the horses and the artwork is translated in each of her pieces and felt by the collector.
That same honesty shows up in the smallest details of her life, too. Ask Cherie about her favorite flavor of ice cream, and she’ll tell you she doesn’t really like ice cream at all. Given the choice, she’ll take coffee; rich, smooth, and with a little cream every time. It’s a small thing, but it fits: given the traditional, expected answer, Cherie will choose the one that’s honestly hers. That’s the artist behind every piece she makes.
Explore more of Cherie Ramsdell’s artwork online at equineinstincts.com or in person at our pop-up gallery at the World Equestrian Center Ocala, inside Indoor Arena 2.
In 2001, Russell Smith made a bold decision. He decided to walk away from his successful career in the printing industry and give himself a timeline of one year to pursue his true passion: becoming a full-time artist.
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