Painted Pony

Colorful Dentzel carousel horse makes an impressive display
By James Haumesser

I've always been fascinated by carousel horses, but hesitated making a full-size replica since I knew I didn't have the space to accommodate it. In 1987 I was introduced to the art of intarsia in an article by Judy Gale Roberts. That gave me the inspiration I needed to create my own scaled-down version of the famous painted ponies.

I made several carousel horses from commercially available intarsia patterns, but still felt there was something missing. Then I found a Dentzel Carousel coloring book while searching online. I started making my own simple patterns and they have become increasingly more detailed over time.

Since most carousel horses feature bright, vibrant colors, I use paint to bring my pieces to life. I prefer to use 1⅛"-thick pine shelving material. This material is made up of 1½"-wide strips, and it generally does not warp like solid stock. I hand select the pieces with the fewest knots and then let it age for about a year.