Equines Showing Up In Unexpected Places…

By: Brittany Bevis

Our culture’s love affair with horses transcends geographical boundaries, a fact never more evident than in the story of a pair of special sculptures that traveled the globe from High Point, North Carolina to Indonesia before finally settling in Alys Beach, Florida.

Alys Beach is a luxury seaside community located on the Florida Panhandle, just six miles east of Seaside on Scenic Highway 30A. Set against a spectacular backdrop of white sand beaches and turquoise waters, Alys Beach is a modern architectural marvel combining traditional Bermuda design with the courtyard living concept popular in Antigua and Guatemala. The clean lines of whitewashed limestone juxtaposed with natural materials, like local cypress beams and native foliage such as beach rosemary and palmetto, has created a one-of-a-kind “modern seaside village” feeling that can only be experienced in this unique place.

Where do horses fit into this picture? Well, six years ago, Alys Beach Town Architects Erik Vogt and Marieanne Khoury-Vogt and Landscape Designer Kendall Horne were looking for a special addition to include in a courtyard area just outside of the dining hot spot known as Caliza Pool and Restaurant. They didn’t have horse sculptures in mind specifically; they stumbled on the creations while looking for something else entirely.

Landscape Designer Kendall Horne explains. “We came across the horses on the Antiques and Interiors website while looking for some teak palm planters for another design. We liked them so much that we contacted Antiques and Interiors, and they sent us photos of the several different horse designs that were underway in Indonesia. We selected two of our favorites, and they had them shipped to Alys.”

Antiques and Interiors, is an antiques showroom based in High Point, North Carolina. The  company’s CEO, John Aspley, designed the sculptures while working closely with a team of skilled craftsmen in Indonesia. The pair of impressive horses stands nearly 18 hands tall and is made entirely of teak, which turned out to be perfect for a beachside setting, since the natural material has the ability to withstand the elements. Surrounded by native Love Grass vegetation, the horses have become a popular photo-op for Alys Beach residents and visitors.

“This type of organic, natural sculpture works well in the transect of Alys where they are placed,” Horne says. “Meaning, the transect they are placed in, to the north of the property, has a more rural character than you would find closer to the beachfront where it becomes more organized and urban. So, we felt these would be the perfect addition to that part of the property. The horses look beautiful in their location, immersed in a mass planted area of native Lovegrass and volunteer Gulf Coast Lupine. It has become a popular spot at Alys for photo-ops due to their whimsical design.”

Part of the draw of these beautiful teak sculptures is their meticulous construction, with no apparent nails or finishing materials visible, which gives the impression that the horses were somehow miraculously molded by nature’s own design. In addition to these horse sculptures, John Aspley has crafted a variety of teak animals including Texas longhorns, buffalos, and lions. For more information on how to commission a custom teak sculpture, contact John at info@antint.com.

For more information about Alys Beach, visit www.alysbeach.com.