When Susan Sexton’s “sisters” of the Vision 18 Collective learned her leukemia was incurable, they responded as only photographers could and created a project to keep “Ess Ess” laughing into her final days.
Terri Miller searched for an icon that every member of the group could easily carry throughout her travels and decided on the adorable stuffed “Wee Horse.”
“He’s tiny enough to fit in a purse or a camera bag, and for weeks now we have treated him as our Traveling Gnome With Fuzzy Hooves. Each day, we would email the resulting images to Susan—we figured if the Wee Horse made us giggle, then it would have the same effect on her,” explained Miller.
In 2006, 14 equine photographers joined together to create the Vision 18 Collective. Mary Cornelius and Sharon Fibelkorn envisioned a group where these women, all well established in their respective businesses, could come together to grow their skills, encourage creativity and invest in projects as group efforts.
A beloved member of the Vision 18 Collective, Sexton had already created a legacy for herself as one of the premiere equestrian photographers specializing in dressage.
ADVERTISEMENT
She’d photographed the biggest equestrian events including the 1996 Olympic Games, the World Equestrian Games, the FEI World Cup Final and Dressage At Devon (Pa.)
Sexton passed away on Nov. 11 at the age of 71, but the Wee Horse project will live on in her memory.
Members of the Vision 18 Collective include: Mary Cornelius, Terri Miller, Susan Sexton, Sharon Fibelkorn, Amy Cody, April Visel, Marie Cobb, Karin Naimark, Candace Craw-Goldman, Melanie Snowhite, Lynne Glazer, Cristy Cumberworth, Kimerlee Curyl, Darlene Wohlart, Nancy McCallum and Kim Vickrey.
The entire collection can be viewed here: http://vision18.smugmug.com/Wee-Traveling-Horses.
