Profile: Calico Pony
We caught up with Katie Mendl of Calico Pony to discuss how her love for horses and the countryside fuels her exceptional talent for fine-art photography, creating images that speak to the heart.
Published 16 April
Written: TFG Staff
Photography: Sophie Madge
Ask Katie Mendl, what makes her happy, and the answer is a no brainer . . . it’s long days spent at home on the farm with her husband, Ben, daughter Isobel and Mum, Jeni.
. . .It's evenings, laughing and telling stories around the bonfire as the cooler nights start to settle in; and early morning feeding runs, cup of coffee in hand, being greeted by their menagerie of animals (a 'colourful assembly' of horses, cows, goats, dogs and cats) waiting patiently (sometimes not-so-patiently) at the gate.
It's days spent managing animal checkups ('less enjoyable when you see the Vet bill', Katie interjects) and all the other things that come with living on property. And it's afternoons, camera in hand walking the paddocks, the golden hues starting their indulgent stretch across the gullies and long grass, suspending momentarily, before ducking below the nearby hills.
While for some, the idea of being on a farm sounds mostly like sweat and hard work (and it can be), for Katie, there has always been something surreal and deeply beautiful about being on the land.
Then there are those other unique and special moments, the ones, that as one of Australia's foremost equine photographers, Katie is deeply thankful to experience; on-location in some remote or inaccessible property 'watching a mob of wild horses running free', or 'a fresh foal learning to use their legs for the first time'.
"Being a photographer in those moments is both exhilerating and deeply moving', Katie explains.
"I will never forget the time that I spent with the mustangs grazing on the hills of San Luis Abispo in California. These horses [that had been badly abused] and then rescued by a sanctuary, and they just emanated this sense that even though they had been damaged, they were now so so free; its hard to describe - but it was life changing."
Growing up as a 'country girl from Yandilla', it was perhaps no surprise that Katie's life was in 'some way' going to involve horses, even from an early age she has memories of riding around the farm, along the dirt roads and jumping her probably-not-so-speedy pony 'Speedy' over "foot-high" logs that "seemed a lot bigger at the time".
"On the farm, I was very fortunate to have a pony growing up", she recalls. "My first one definitely wasn't broken in (Dad bought it from a sale and had no idea what he was doing). Every time I got on it, it would buck madly until I was on the ground."
"I have so many fond memories of my childhood" she continues.
"My Dad was a broad acre farmer and we had a house on a beautiful creek. I spent hours making cubby houses, riding our horses and just playing with the kids on neighbouring properties. I have an amazing mother that made our childhood pretty incredible too. We'd cook barbies along the creek, she would help with building the tree houses and bake cookies (she is American, so we lived on pancakes and waffles!)".
"I think growing up on the land you learn that being raised in the bush is one of the greatest gifts you can ever be given (that being a 'grubby little farm kid' is actually just the norm), and you learn practical skills like how to shoot a gun, change a tyre, drive a tractor, a motorbike and a horse, and to give snakes a wide berth".
"You [also] appreciate the open space, the beauty and solitude of an open landscape and it makes you appreciate the importance of long term sustainability and importance of our farmers to the future of our country."
"But you also learn to work hard from an early age (even if you don’t want too)", she explains. And for Katie this has been a driving force behind building a business, and following her passions.
Beyond a love of horses, Katie's is also a story of finding your passion, hard work and the determination that 'if you find something you love, and you can make a living out of it, you should go for it'.
For Katie that came when she received her first camera as a teenager, 'a film SLR' that she shot with for many years. "I had no idea what I was doing" she laughs, "but I was passionate."
And so, after following through with her committment to go to college to study business (something in hindsight she is thankful for, and reflects on with a sense of pride that she 'followed it through and applied herself anyway'), she decided to study photography full-time.
When, soon-after, she and her husband had their daughter and long-days became filled with nappies and crying, it was photography that again became a grounding and soul filling 'passion' that quickly turned into a business.
"There are days when I would meet Ben at the door, camera hanging on my shoulder, car keys in hand, passing over our baby and driving around the surrounding areas to photograph anything and everything, sneaking into nearby paddocks, walking through the fields", Katie says.
"Then, as I began to share the images, people started to ask where they could buy the prints, and Calico Pony was born". People resonated with the images and responded in a beautiful and incredible way.
And while that may make it all 'sound easy', Katie also explains that it also comes with an incredible amount of hard work and long-hours along the way, and an attitude that doesn't give up.
'You have to be willing to put in the time, growing in your skill, being persistent and continuously learning - but if it's something you are passionate about, then it's worth it!'
As for Katie, 'the country girl from Yandilla' , recognised for her breathaking and emotive photography, and featured on the cover of magazines the world over?
"These days I have eased back [a little] on the prints to create some space for some other projects (more on that soon!)', but she assures us she won't be hanging up my camera any time soon.
"I'm doing something that I love, and I'm overwhelmingly grateful".
