Etsy Equestrians #6: Kasia of Kasia Bukowska Art

To say Kasia Bukowska is a multi-faceted equestrian is an understatement. The spunky artist originally from Los Angeles where I had the privilege of being her middle school teacher, is an up and coming painter with a fabulous Etsy shop: Kasia Bukowska Art.

Kasia, a lupus and fibromyalgia fighter, moved to Poland about five years ago with only a basic command of the language in order to pursue a horse lifestyle; she now has mutliple ponies in her back yard. Actually two of her four “ponies” are drafts–she has a thing for Shires. When she’s not creating her gorgeous art featuring bold hues and dramatic drips, you might find her riding her heart horse Slawny bareback and bridleless, soaring over oxers and verticals that I wouldn’t attempt even with a bridle, saddle and seatbelt.

If you like art, you’ll dig this post and if you love stories of determination and grit, you’ll adore Kasia Bukowska. I’m thrilled to have followed her journey since childhood and as an adult to call her friend. Sit back, relax and enjoy this latest edition of The Etsy Equestrians series: Kasia Bukowska Art. (And since this post is so long, there is a Part 2 post coming. Stay tuned.)

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Where do you live and what’s the horse scene like there?

I live near the Bieszczady Mountains in Poland. The horse scene is quite popular in Poland and I’d say a good chunk of riders are actually males. I remember only having one to two guys at the barn in LA. At competitive barns and horse shows in Poland, I would say there are nearly as many male riders as females.

Who was your favorite sixth grade teacher and why? 🙂

Susan Friedland-Smith of course! She was my favorite once I knew she loved horses! She was the sweetest because she always welcomed horse chat when I wanted to tell her about my lessons or when I asked her questions (like a million and one!) about her horse D.C.

My nickname was “horse girl” in middle school and I was proud of it! The only thing was that it was hard to find someone to talk to about my passion, unless I was at the barn. Susan was my go to person when I felt like talking about anything equine! She loved discussing horses and always supported me. She actually helped me explore my artistic talents and encouraged me to draw, color, and paint. She even had me make a giant mural when I was her TA!

Where are you from and what’s the horse scene like there?

I am from Los Angeles, California and the horse scene is also quite popular, even in a large city like LA! There are barns scattered around the city, an equestrian center, not to mention trails in the Hollywood Hills and even special zones for residents who want to keep their horses on their own property.

Though extremely rewarding, being an equestrian is costly (especially in LA) so being able to ride or own your own horse is not something all families can afford. That is actually one of the reasons I left LA to move halfway across the globe to Poland! When I was in LA, having a horse that could help me move up in jumpers and getting to compete was not something within my family’s means when I was in college. But in Poland, it was!

One thing I love about the equestrian communities in and around LA are the designated trails made for riders on the streets. You don’t often see horses on the streets in Poland. I also love the equestrian center, full of different barns, trainers, and disciplines. You don’t see equestrians centers like that in Poland.

Tell us about your Etsy shop and products.
At my Kasia Bukowska Art Etsy Shop I offer original paintings, prints on canvas, mugs and blank cards.  A majority of my original paintings are acrylic on canvas but I also offer some mixed media (acrylic and spray paint) or spray painted pieces. Right now I have paintings 40×32” and under up for sale but I am hoping to add some larger pieces to my collection by fall.

I have a selection of 35 paintings that can be printed on canvas upon request. I have few up on Etsy ready to go! The rest that can be printed upon request. Pictures can be found in my “PRINTS” album on Facebook.

There are three different mug designs and each comes gift wrapped. The set of blank cards comes with matching colored envelops and also comes gift wrapped with lavender.

I am also available for commissioned paintings. Interested buyers can contact me through Etsy, Facebook, Instagram, or by email to discuss what they have in mind. My prices for a custom portrait starts at $250 + shipping for a 20 x 16” painting.

How did you learn how to draw and paint horses? Is there anyone else artistic in your family?

I have always been interested in art ever since I can remember. I loved drawing animals and dabbled in charcoal and spray paint in high school. Since I hated painting with a brush, stencils gave me a way to paint with more precision. It was about junior year in high school when I tested acrylics to help me overcome my perfectionism. I realized I took much longer to complete assignments than it took everyone else in school and yet, we still got the same grade. I also noticed their work wasn’t “perfect” and they still got 100%! It boggled my mind and decided I needed to do something about this obsession to have everything done perfectly.

I always had to rush at the barn and barely had time to be a regular teen and just hang out with friends. I wanted to do the things everyone was else was out doing: socializing. But while they were out there having fun I was at my desk rewriting my homework assignments because the spacing wasn’t right.

So I came up with a plan: to paint. I always used pencils which was safe because I could erase. But with paint, well, it’s not as easy to change. This was a very difficult process for me but I wanted to prove to myself I wouldn’t die if I made a mistake. I probably looked like I lost my marbles as I cried, yelled, and painted abstract faces. But, this process helped me become more accepting of myself and my mistakes.

When I started spray painting soon after and I’d mess up, I told myself, “That’s the way it’s supposed to be,” and just continued to work through it. That was the point in my art where I started embracing abstraction. When I accidentally dripped paint on the canvas or happen to smear something with my arm I decided that painting was just an exercise for me to express my feelings and accept myself and my mistakes.

I started repeating “my art is a series of mistakes” in my head as I worked on any piece of artwork. I really started painting horses in 2014 after my diagnosis and continued to use that mantra, along with “this is what it’s supposed to look like at this point in time” to keep me from getting upset when I thought something wasn’t right.

Describe your painting style and how it evolved.

I will start with why my earlier work was more dark and abstract. Before my diagnosis I was an active and competitive rider, took go-karting lessons and Zumba classes, and raked in at least five hours at the gym a week. Within one week of the onset of my symptoms I depended on others for everything. That included everything, from dressing me to feeding me.  I was heartbroken, angry at my body, and embarrassed.

My mom is the one who encouraged me to paint. So, I started to paint in bed and it was as a means of releasing the bitterness, resentment, and negativity I had bottled up inside. I was never good with words and telling my mom or friends about what I was going through didn’t help as much as expressing those emotions through color on a canvas. Needless to say, all these emotions that brought me down slowly left my body through the strokes of my brush. I used dark and bold colors in combination with thick strokes giving off a rather dismal feel. Today, when I look back at my earlier pieces of work from 2014, I still see a glimmer of hope in the eyes of the horses. I feel it symbolized my hope of getting strong enough to one day get back on my horse, Sławny.

As I got physically stronger and started thinking about getting another horse, that Shire I was set on getting before I kicked the bucket, my paintings started to use more and more color, including browns, reds, and greens. The healthier I got, the more progress I had in riding, and the more horses I collected, my paintings seemed to transform into very colorful pieces. I express what I feel and when I accomplish my goals, I feel ecstatic!

Today, my working with my horses inspires me. When I see them progressing and I feel our bond deepening, I am at my happiest.

Tell us about your horses–all of them. How did you find them?

This is going to be a long, long response. I think I could actually write a novel about my horses, how I got them, why I got them, their personalities, and what they mean to me. Brace yourselves!!!

SŁAWNY
I will start with Sławny, which mean “famous” in Polish. Sławny was bred to jump. I came to Poland every summer on vacation with my dad to ride horses and train [Click here for Kasia’s fascinating explanation between the difference in Polish and American horse show culture.] The barn I always rode at, Hadrian Riding Center (Ośrodek Jeździecki Hadrian), always had around five or more foals. One year I saw one little colt and thought he was the cutest little foal I had ever seen! All foals are cute, of course.

But there was something special about this specific one that attracted me to him. I just felt like “he was the one” in regards to equine love. I saw him again when he was about four years old and stood by his stall for hours staring at him in awe. He was still a stallion at that time and was quite full of himself. When he was out in the field I just stared at him, dreaming of the day he would be retired and put up for sale. I hoped it would be like one of those equine love stories. And it was! Except without him being retired part!

Though he was a very talented horse with amazing bloodlines, he had (and continues to have) a bit of a temper. He is the alpha in any herd he goes into and is very opinionated. Needless to say, he was a difficult horse that needed a very patient, yet assertive, rider. And I decided it was my chance! SO! I sold the two horses I had in LA to my students and flew to Poland to put a down payment on him. I bought him without ever riding him or working with him. Or even having a vet check for that matter. I had to have him!

I planned on training in Poland and doing a few horse shows on Sławny before coming back to LA with him. After two rides on him and one horse show, I decided to stay in Poland! I got the horse I fell in love with and I wanted to continue training with the man who bred him at Hadrian Riding Center. Having lessons four days a week and competing was something my family could afford in Poland. So, I stayed.

Sławny is a horse that tests me on a daily basis. He checks to see what he can get away with and if I’m still worthy of being respected. It can be little things like trying to nip me when I least expect it or waiting to see how I react if he stands there in defiance. Some days he takes so much out of me I don’t even ride but just do groundwork instead to establish my leadership. He needs regular work and needs to be reminded that he’s not the alpha when he’s with me. He is demanding, stubborn, and really knows how to push my buttons sometimes! But that’s exactly why I love him so much. He pushes me to grow as a rider, a partner, and as a person. His character forces me to be assertive and decisive which, in turn, helps my confidence, motivates me to dream big, and not underestimate myself.

LILLY
When I was 16 years old and came across a gorgeous Shire while on a vet ride-along, I decided at that moment I needed to get a Shire one day. Specifically, a grey mare. As I learned more about natural horsemanship while bedridden, I decided I also wanted to get a young Shire that was completely green. When I was starting to overcome my lupus flare I decided I needed to accomplish some of my dreams while I still could. I had to get myself that Shire mare!

So I started scouring Facebook and websites all across the European Union and the United Kingdom looking for my dream Shire. I even had bilingual or trilingual friends help me in my search across Europe. It took me about eight months to find my girl Lilly in England. When I saw her video of her walking around her stall at three months old, I just knew. I got to name her and she came to me nearly 5 months later.

Lilly is the most different of my four horses in that she is the most introverted. As she gets older and I do more and more groundwork with her, I’m starting to see her personality blossom. She came to me timid, scared, and explosive. Now she’s more peppy, willing, and motivated to learn (I don’t really use treats with her since she LOVES neck and chest scratches). She’s three years old and loves hopping around like a goat when she’s excited. Let me tell you that is just about the cutest thing ever, a giant baby Shire hopping up and down!

ROXY
After going through with purchasing Lilly, I thought, “Well I have my dream horse on the way, but it’ll be a while before she gets here…. And even longer before I sit on her. So if I happen to find an older mare between the ages of four and six, in my price range, and is completely green, AND a minimum of 17 hands, I’ll buy her.” That week a man from the UK messaged me saying he heard from a fellow breeder friend that I was looking for a young, green mare. He sent me a few pictures of three horses. I saw Roxy’s picture and her dinky forelock fluff melted my heart. I had to have her! That was that! She was in Warsaw four weeks later.

Roxy was the first of my three horses I imported from the UK and the horse that helped get me out of bed every morning when I felt my aches and pains were too much for me. The beginning of our training was me sitting in her paddock and just being with her. Then I started brushing her and doing groundwork the more strength I had to be more active with her. After about five weeks I sat on her for the first time. My journey with her has had a lot of ups and downs and boy can she be moody! But that’s sort of my thing: horses that have a mind of their own and feel it’s their duty to make that known.  

LULU
I was casually looking for horses for sale online (in the UK again) when I stumbled across Lulu’s picture. The way she was standing reminded me of a horse named Diva I had in high school that I lost to a twisted gut. I flipped through a few pictures and was in love. I got an eight-second video of this super sassy trot and teared up. She reminded me so much of Diva! Girly, full of herself, extroverted and foreword. She was absolutely perfect! And so, Lulu made the journey from the UK to Poland a month later.

Lulu is a handful and then some. She is sired by Kambarbay, an Akhal Teke. Lulu is the most sensitive and teaches me a lot about body language. She teaches me that less is more and I don’t need grand gestures to communicate with horses. Lulu also gets very jealous if I don’t give her enough attention. She also finds something to do if I don’t regularly work with her and keep her mind busy.

Examples? She broke through the fencing and went trotting around town causing traffic for miles (she was not injured while on her afternoon on the town). Once the fencing was fixed, we decided to add another 1.50m fence, one meter from the 1.40m electric fencing. The day we let Lulu into the paddock she cantered around and jumped over that electric fence oxer. The grass was literally greener on the other side. Another time I was working with Sławny in the round pen at liberty. Lulu charged the fence, half jumped it and half broke through it, and started trotting around the round pen with Sławny ready to work. She just could not wait her turn! If I don’t give her attention, she demands it.

What’s the greatest challenge and joy you face in your equestrian life?

The greatest challenge is accepting my body’s limitations and not pushing myself too hard. Some days I feel normal and other days I wake up feeling like I’m a 95-year-old woman. My training is not as regular as I’d like it to be because of my joint and muscle pain. If there’s a day I feel great and push myself too much, there’s a good chance it’ll take me two to three hours to start functioning normally the next day. The aches and stiffness from overdoing it can last anywhere from three days to two weeks. Finding a balance is key to being able to train regularly but telling myself, “I did enough today” when I feel great is something very difficult for me to do.

My greatest joy is when I ride Sławny and Roxy bareback and bridleless or when I work with Lulu and Lilly at liberty. When my horses choose to listen to me and do what I ask when they are free to walk away and find a patch of grass is a feeling I don’t have words to describe! It makes me feel loved.

Whom do you regard as a hero or look to for inspiration in the horse world?

There are two riders who I look up to the most. Amberly Snyder is an amazing barrel racer who proved to me that anything is possible. In trying to accept my diagnosis of lupus SLE and fibromyalgia, there was one thing I could not accept. And that was not riding horses again. I went on Youtube and looked for riders who defied the odds. I was most inspired by Amberley’s story. Reading about her tragic accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down and seeing videos of her competing even with her physical setback made me tear up. She just gave me that much hope!

Alicia Burton also has an inspirational story and I was most impressed with her ability to jump bareback. I’ve always been an avid bareback rider, but her bareback jumping is extreme! Seeing her fly over those jumps made me wonder what that feeling would be like. I imagined it to be a moment where the world stops and and you experience euphoria. Though I’m not jumping at high as she does, I do love jumping Sławny bareback and bridleless. And let me tell you, bliss and happiness is exactly what I feel. I feel like time stands still and that I’m in the air for at least ten seconds. I know I’m only up in the air for a moment but the feeling is one that is difficult for me to describe in words.

After my rides on Sławny, I usually paint. I am so filled with emotions I don’t know what to do with them or how to express them in words other than saying “WOW!” or “I have the best horse ever!” I don’t feel like that accurately describes the colorful whirlwind of emotions inside my heart. So I express these feelings in my artwork though the horse’s expression, the color, and brush strokes. Here is one painting I painted of Sławny after an amazing ride. This piece is titled “Sunshine Horse” because Sławny knows just how to brighten up my day and make me happy when skies are grey!

Do you have any horse-related bucket list items you’d like to cross off?

The first thing I would like to accomplish is jumping 1.30m bareback and bridleless! I’m hoping to accomplish that by fall! The second thing is going to a horse show with Sławny. I plan to go this August. Nothing big or fancy, but I miss the show ring. My last horse show was one week before I landed in the hospital because of my lupus flare and I miss the excitement and thrill of competitions.

Another major thing on my bucket list would be to compete with Sławny in a bridleless jumping competition. I am hoping to take part this year in September 2018 at the National Bridleless Championships in Wrocław, Poland. My plan is to enter in both dressage and jumping (.90m). But before I commit I’d like to do a few regular shows to make sure we are absolutely ready for such a venture. If I don’t feel 100% confident and ready to go, I will compete at the bridleless championships in September 2019!

How do your friends describe you?

Crazy, but in a good way! I always have a million ideas for everything. Whether that be in regards to my art or the way I train my horses, I love keeping things interesting and fun by being spontaneous. Some might say I’m a bit unrealistic, but I have big dreams and I feel they are within reach. I proved to doctors, my family, and most importantly myself, that if I don’t give up and give it all I’ve got, I can make it happen. Multiple doctors said I wouldn’t ride again and four years later I’m jumping 1.10m bareback and bridleless! I don’t take “no” for an answer but also know accomplishing my big dreams definitely won’t happen overnight. It requires a lot of heart and passion not to give up when things don’t seem to be going in the right direction.

My friends would also describe me as an optimistic person. Actually, no joke, I have to stay positive is I want my muscles to function! Getting upset can aggravate my Fribromyalgia and put me in to what I call my “Frankenstein state” where I become very stiff from the widespread body pain. I am also prone to muscle tremors when I get upset. So I’m all about being happy and positive since my body demands it!

You were recently featured in Sidelines magazine. What was that like seeing Kasia Bukowska Art in print?

Being featured in Sidelines was the most exciting thing that has happened in my artist career. Winning some art contests, that’s fun. But being featured in Sidelines?! I had tears of joy when I finally got a hard copy! And the first thing I thought when I saw the pictures? “DANG Roxy is so gorgeous and Sławny looks like such a sweetie pie! If only people knew how much of a bossy alpha he can be!”

How would you compare yourself before and after your diagnosis?

My perspective on life changed and feel I worked smarter to save money and make my dreams a reality. Before, I would work a lot and complain that I didn’t have time or money for horse. In LA there were weeks I worked up to 80 hours and still tried to manage night classes at Pasadena City College and LA Valley College. I worked with horses but I wanted to improve my riding, not always be the one giving lessons to other people. I loved my jobs, don’t get me wrong, but I wanted more time in the saddle.

When my lupus got so bad and I didn’t know if I would get better or worse… Well, I felt my clock was ticking and I had limited time to accomplish the things I wanted to do in life. I was motivated to actually make things happen for myself instead of waiting for someone to hand it to me. Specifically, that was getting my dream draft horse, a Shire, and building my own barn. My husband and I still have a lot of work to do, but I’ve been living with my ponies in the backyard for a year now and I couldn’t be happier.

In a way I am thankful for my diagnosis. Without it I would most likely still be complaining about how I can’t afford a Shire or my own barn. Now I have two Shires and two sports horses and walk out to pet them anytime I want.

Why did you keep your horses a secret from your family for over a year?

Being as I bought all young, green horses and that there were still some days I needed help washing dishes or opening the fridge, my family did not think buying and importing one, let alone three horses from the UK, was a good idea. They also thought it was financially irresponsible. Which I understand, but I saw these horses as a form of equine therapy, both emotional and physical therapy, that were essential to my recovery.

According to my doctors, I was supposed to push past the pain and move as much as I could. I was on up to 20 pills a day but even the pain meds couldn’t get me out of bed. Having these green horses gave me a reason to get up in the morning.  Sometimes it took me half the day just to warm up my body enough to be able to drive to the barn. But I had a reason to push through the pain. Roxy! She was the first horse that came from the UK and the horse I worked with most when getting back into shape.

Were you able to buy your horses and build your barn just from the profits you made from Kasia Bukowska Art?

I tutored and gave private English lessons in order to save up for my horses. I also did some translations and when I had more strength I taught at summer English camps. I even worked at a bank teaching individual and group lessons. I was painting in this time but I wasn’t making money from my art. Everything I made from my art, plus a portion of my earnings, I invested right back into my business. It took my two years to break even and finally start making money. In that time, I saved up for horses. Now my art is my main means of income.

Thanks, Kasia, for sharing your story, and thanks, readers, for reading! 

Be sure to check out Kasia Bukowska Art on Etsy, and follow along on Instagram and Facebook to see what Kasia and her herd are up to next.

ALL THE ETSY EQUESTRIANS

In case you missed them, check out all the other blog posts in the series The Etsy Equestrians. And if you have a favorite horse-themed or equestrian-owned Etsy shop, let me know by leaving a comment here or email me at Susan@SaddleSeeksHorse.com. I’d love to feature more fellow horse lovers.

#5 Erin Kate of Silver Oaks Farm

#4 Elaine of Bowdangles Horse Show Bows

#3 Carla of The Frugal Foxhunter

#2 Tracy of The Printable Pony

#1 Amanda of Bel Joeor Metier

Your Turn: What part of Kasia’s story resonated most with you or do you find most remarkable? I’d love to “hear” your thoughts in the comments section. 

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