I always wanted my own dragon. I loved reading books when I was growing up, and some of my favorites were the Dragonriders of Pern books by Anne McCaffrey. Who wouldn't want their own flying, firebreathing best friend and protector? 

I started sculpting this dragon around the same time. He actually started off as a Breyer model (the Classic Lipizzanner). For years he bounced around in my model horse "body box", with a new head and neck epoxied on, but only wires for his wings/legs/tail.

Finally in 2017 I finished him, and I entered him in the Fantasy division of the BreyerFest Best Customs contest. (Sadly he was not selected as a finalist.) In 2022 I took him to BreyerFest to show off at my booth at the Artisans Gallery. He was a big hit!

I got so many delighted comments about Ruth (because so many of us grew up reading and loving the Dragonriders of Pern books)! Now I’m convinced I need to make more dragons…

This sculpture is inspired by Michael Whelan's painting of Ruth for the cover of The White Dragon by Anne McCaffrey.