Equestrian Network Magazine

Spotlight On The Artist: Randee Fox

by M. Y. Mim

Trying to find an artist whose work resembles the drawings and paintings of Randee Fox seems impossible.

Randee's unique style, her individual vision, sets her apart from other equine artists. Randee's also a well-trained professional. She began art lessons at the age of six. In the 1960s, Venice High School in Los Angeles offered majors, and Randee chose art. At one point she took six art courses each week.

All Out

Her outstanding success at Venice High School led to a scholarship at the Art School, College of Design. After studying, Randee immediately began working as an artist.

She succeeded as a graphic artist, artist, and designer, as well as art director, at a series of magazines. Eventually she became a newsroom artist, first at the Tacoma News Tribune, Washington, and later at The Seattle Times. In 1996, she was recruited by MSNBC Interactive, Redmond, Washington. Appointed the Managing Art Director News and Interactive, she began during the startup of MSNBC's new online site. As an art director in this groundbreaking field, Randee hired, trained and developed a design staff to cover the news in an online format.

A move to Austin, Texas, in 1997 allowed her to live her dream as an Equestrian instructor and riding school owner. She owned and operated an equestrian educational center, teaching children and adults how to enjoy, understand and ride horses.

Hoop Horse

And she began teaching art. Randee describes one of her proudest accomplishments, typically giving the credit not to herself but to her students.

"One week after the September 11th attacks on our country, I assigned my class to design a counter-terrorism poster with our imaginary client, The United Nations. The students researched W.W.II propaganda posters and studied The United Nations website, www.un.org, They were given parameters on size, limited color and the concepts were to have a humanitarian and global message. This was a challenge with the students' expected mix of anger, sadness and fear.

"I sent the UN an introduction to our project and two weeks later emailed completed versions of the posters. The next day I received a request for two copies of the posters from Jan Arnesen, Chief of UN Exhibits. One set of posters was displayed in the lobby of the General Assembly building from Nov. 18, 2001 to Jan. 10, 2002. Another set was on exhibit at the City Hall in Oslo, Norway, Nov. 23, 2001 to Dec. 17, 2001 for the 100th Anniversary of The Nobel Peace Prize."

Numerous teaching awards have honored Randee's skills in this arena.

All the while, Randee created extraordinary equine art.

"In 1992 I sent my published illustrations and a letter of interest to Horse and Rider Magazine and was hired immediately as a freelance illustrator, working with them for several years.

Horsewoman

"That led to commissioned illustrations at a number of other national horse publications including America's Horse, Practical Horseman Magazine, The Quarter Horse Journal, The Quarter Horse Racing Journal and Texas Thoroughbred Magazine.

The equine art world recognizes Randee's genius. Among the many awards she's received are:

2nd Place Anishinabe Dream Horses Award for Mixed Media at the Washington State Thoroughbred Foundation's Equine Art 2006 Show http://www.washingtonthoroughbred.com.

First Place in Open Illustration for The American Quarter Horse Journal.

First Place in Open Illustration for a piece created for The AQHA Racing Journal.

In just the past six years, she won four Awards of Excellence with American Horse Publications.

One judge wrote: "I was drawn to the contemporary feel of this piece. The design elements and juxtaposition of images are novel. The colors are bright and balanced in contrast to the serious subject illustrated."

Randee possesses another attribute beyond her artistic genius, her teaching skills, and her riding expertise: She has a huge heart. She has spent all her adult life giving to the community. In Texas, she became involved with therapeutic riding as a volunteer and board member of Ride On Center For Kids (R.O.C.K.).

She recalls "This convinced me of the healing power of horses. I have witnessed miraculous healing for people with special needs and for kids at risk inspired by the horse."

Since 2002, Randee has owned and operated her own equine educational center: The Blue Heron Ranch Equestrian Arts Center, located near Seattle in Sammamish, Washington.

"My horses and I have taught people of all ages about horses, from the ground up," she said.

As a mentor in the Big Brother, Big Sister program, Randee helps at-risk teens by bringing them to the Blue Heron Ranch.

And she continues to create amazing art.

To see more of Randee's work and to contact her, visit her fascinating website at http://www.randeefox.com or call 425-868-3475.
Source: Randee Fox

About the Author: M. Y. Mim is a free-lance journalist based in Santa Barbara, Ca. She may be reached at mymim3@cox.net, or through her agent R. Almqvist, 805-705-5349. The author wishes to thank Mr. Almqvist for his assistance in making this article possible.