Thursday, April 7, 2016

Painting with Metro: How a Crippled Racehorse Rescued Himself (and Me) with a Paintbrush by Ron Krajewski


“A true story that all ages will enjoy!”
How a Crippled Racehorse Rescued Himself (and Me) with a Paintbrush 
by Ron Krajewski  (Author), Susy Flory  (Contributor)
  
With all the magic and wonder of a Disney movie, Painting with Metro: How a Crippled Racehorse Rescued Himself (and Me) with a Paintbrush by Ron Krajewski (with New York Times best-selling author Susy Flory) tells an inspirational story. Ron is a shy, Gulf War Air Force veteran. Metro Meteor is a feisty, bad-kneed two-year-old Thoroughbred racehorse destined for the slaughterhouse.

An unlikely pairing, the two bonded through art: creating stunning abstract paintings to be exact. Each painting brought much needed strength and hope, plus a new lease on life to both man and horse. For Metro, painting became an escape from a death sentence; for Ron it meant overcoming his extreme introversion.

Today, Metro and Ron have used their fame to highlight the perilous nature of the racing industry. Thousands of Thoroughbreds are bred for racing each year, but only five to ten percent ever see a racecourse. Unless they are lucky enough to find another career, these horses are disposed of. To date, Metro’s paintings have raised over $50,000 for New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, and he and Ron are regulars on TV, radio, and print, spreading the message that “every horse deserves a loving home."



About the Author
Ron Krajewski is a full time artist living in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA. His life changed when he and his wife Wendy adopted a retired racehorse named Metro Meteor. When he found out Metro was unable to carry a rider due to knee injuries sustained at the track, Ron did the next best thing ... he put a paintbrush in Metro's mouth. Metro took to making bold colorful strokes on canvas and soon became the best-selling artist at his local art gallery. Ron and Metro's unique brand of art has been featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and People Magazine, to name a few. 50% of the proceeds from Metro's art sales are donated to New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program to help other retired racehorses find second careers and loving homes. Find out more about Ron and Metro's art at www.PaintedbyMetro.com and www.RonKrajewski.com.

Press Release
CRIPPLED RACEHORSE RESCUES OTHER RACEHORSES
Metro Meteor paints himself into a second chance career

GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA—Thoroughbred horse Metro Meteor tore up the track to a total of $300,000. But his life was in grave danger until Ron Krajewski, a watercolor artist who knew nothing about horses, rescued Metro and taught him how to create stunning contemporary paintings. Painting With Metro: How a Crippled Racehorse Rescued Himself (and Me) With a Paintbrush, from New Horizon Press, and available now on Amazon.com, is the unlikely love story between a man and his horse, both artists.

While Metro Meteor was still young, the horse’s knees were a mess, ground to a pulp by the rigors of the track and Metro’s future was very uncertain. When Metro arrived, Ron faced vicious bites, kicks, and all around bad-itude. More jackass than pocket pony, Metro needed someone to understand what he’d been through and to take a chance on his future. Ron was that man.

A withdrawn man who avoided interaction with other people, Ron stubbornly believed in his horse’s will and intelligence and he taught Metro how to paint stunning contemporary abstracts. Metro took to his new avocation with glee. As the stack of painted canvases grew, so did the bond between Ron and Metro, one brush stroke at a time.

Today, Metro is one of the world’s most famous horses and his paintings are helping other racehorses get a fresh chance at a new life. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the sale of Metro’s paintings are donated to New Vocations Racehorse Adoption program to help other retired racehorses find second careers and loving homes. To date, Metro has raised over $80,000 for the cause.

Besides his flair for abstracts, Metro also signs his own books, and will be attending a book launch party at Gallery 30 in Gettysburg on April 16th. See video of Metro signing books at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAIqZdWgT1U.

Ron Krajewski was living an ordinary life… until his horse got famous. A professional artist, Ron took up drawing to pass the time while stationed with the Air Force in Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf War. With the advent of EBay, he began selling his watercolor paintings to earn extra money and later was able to make a living painting pet portraits. Ron loves his curmudgeonly horse and learned how to care for him using a copy of Horses For Dummies. “Sometimes Metro can be a jackass. He is temperamental, stubborn, dominant, and just plain cranky. But I have to remember that he is just a horse. I have grown to love him and gave up trying to change him a long time ago. He is Metro. And he paints.”
Painting with Metro is co-authored by Susy Flory, the New York Times bestselling author or co-author of ten books, including Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero.

 Metro's website: www.PaintedbyMetro.com

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