#13 Year of the Fire Horse
Fire Horses ~ original mono print by Debra Lennox
There are years that move gently, like fog through the redwoods… and then there are years that arrive with a spark.
2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse.
In the Chinese zodiac, the Fire Horse carries a rare and vivid energy—independent, creative, and propelled by an inner flame. It is a year that stirs movement, memory, and expression. A year that asks us to follow what feels alive.
Here at the Zendo, where the rhythm of the seasons shapes both life and art, that energy feels familiar. It lives in the warmth of the woodstove, in the shifting light through the trees, and in the quiet moment when an idea begins to take form.
This winter, that spark returned for me through horses.
What began as a birthday trail ride opened a door—back to early memories of Phantom, to pony rides through the orchard with my daughter, and to the long, steady companionship of horses in my life. As I stepped into the monoprint studio, those images rose again, asking to be explored in line, ink, and color.
Phantom ~ original linocut by Debra Lennox
The Monoprint class at Mendocino College has been fun & a real learning curve. The first technique we explored was trace mono printing, such as the image “To the Polls” , which I later hand colored.
Then we explored the reductive process, rolling a plate with black ink and removing the ink with either a Q-tip, a stylus or a short piece of cardboard. The result was “Rainbow Horses”, “Charioteers”, and “Fire Horses”, which I also hand colored.
“Fire Horse after Blake” used an additive process, painting colored ink on the plate, pulling the print & hand coloring with watercolors.
Charge! ~ original mono print by Debra Lennox
On to Victory, work in progress by Debra Lennox
“On to Victory” is the ghost print of “Charge!”, hand colored and awaiting collage. The multiple layers available with this mono printing technique are still quite intriguing. I will head back to the Butsu to experiment with this piece, adding collage elements. Wait for the big reveal next month!
Monoprinting at the College
Debra Lennox with her featured art at the Mendocino College Show, Ukiah CA
Annual Student Art Show - Cherry Blossom Song, image by Debra Lennox
This body of work is still unfolding - layer by layer, much like the monoprints themselves. To see the wide variety of work generated in our printmaking community, I invite you to the Mendocino College Student Art Show, on view through May 17th. My linocuts, “May Day! May Day!” & “Cherry Blossom Song” are exhibited this spring.
It’s a vibrant gathering of creative voices from across the region, filled with experimentation, discovery, and joy. My pieces are part of this larger conversation - held alongside painting, printmaking, sculpture, and more.
If you find yourself nearby, it’s well worth stepping into the gallery and experiencing the energy in person - the movement, the color, the many hands and stories that continue to shape the work.
