Schafer's isolated stay on Assateague, a barrier island off the coast of Maryland is the inspiration for the work in Dawn Horse. Schafer camped on the island, where feral horses roam free, accompanied only by her arctic-looking house cat.

A life-long longing to reside in a specific narrative – an orphaned girl, all alone in the wild save for an animal sidekick- prompted the journey.

This narrative can be found in novels like Island of the Blue Dolphins, Julie of the Wolves, Reindeer Moon and Bear Daughter. Most of these books do not have illustrations, only cover art. That one epic moment frozen in time. A building block which our imaginations build the rest of the story upon. I create my images in this way.

Cover art has a difficult job, it must depict a scene and imbue it with the overarching themes and feelings of the novel. Some would say the results can cheesy, some would say a life long identification with an unattainable fantasy is somewhat silly. I agree on all points, but that does not make my adoration of such narratives or my longing to be a part of such a story any less sincere.

Infact this seam between fantasy and reality is exactly where my interest lies. The moments where it is exposed have been crafted just so.

This project is supported in part by a Community Arts Assistance Program grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.