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The first time I drove into Weaverville (an historic Gold Rush town- nestled in the Trinity Alps in Northern CA), I saw these pack mules walking down the main street, like they owned the place. Turns out, these were the pack mules of the National Forest Service of Trinity County. They were quite the welcome crew strolling in front of Highland Art Center – what I consider the best small town art gallery in the whole Northern CA territories. I am proud and grateful to be a featured artist at the Highland Art Center for 7 years now.
At the beginning of each month, just in time for the First Saturday Downtown ArtWalk, The Highland Gallery has a new show hung. Driving 5 hours to deliver some new paintings for a group show, I can’t help but take photos of these handsome mules, all packed up, ready for the mountain trails. I love donkeys, mules, and horses…a lot… and I love to paint these beautiful creatures.
FYI: A mule is a cross between a horse and donkey. A horse has strength and size. Donkeys have unique personalities. Although small in comparison to a horse, mules have sure footing on narrow steep trails. A mule is best when it comes to packing through mountainous steep terrain. These animals help haul goods to teams fighting forest fires, to search rescues, or packing in/out tools to help maintain mountain trails for public use. The mules are always willing and able and seem to enjoy the work they do. Their caretakers love the mules like family. You feel that love and pride and heart in these animals and their handlers. Magnificent animals and kind humans, too.
