wear my scars, white as lace / save me a [prayer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3xeXS2pnnE) and a resting place ᠃ ✦᠃ {January 2021} Where do I even begin? A year ago, I got invited by [Kiire](https://www.deviantart.com/kiire) to create a cowboy character to be a part of Tex's gang. With a little convincing, I decided to give it a shot. Whatever, right? Then on a bigger whim I asked @1ore if she would be interested in a possible design trade, because who better in my mind to design a desert esk and her original form? And BOY did 1ore deliver and more ;; What followed was a year of plotting, laughs, roleplaying, silly doodles, serious illustrations, tarot readings, spindlewheeling sessions, movie nights, and brought me closer to some of the kindest and most genuine people I've ever met. I get emotional thinking about the sheer whirlwind Ora brought me and I have no doubt in my mind creating her story and getting to share it with the people I love is the reason I'm alive here in 2021. The joy I've been brought is immeasurable and my sincerest thanks extends to anyone and everyone who's listened to me chatter about what my cowgirl was up to or supported the artwork I've put out about her. Thank you to vlpn for having Blue be one of Ora's closest friends (and you being mine too!) and for the lovely cloud painting inspiration. Her work, photography by [luke flynt](https://unsplash.com/@lukeflynt), and a RDR2 screencap that I have stupidly misplaced but definitely based the thumbnail in my sketchbook inspired this piece. I also have a degree in film studies, and one thing I've been conscious of in working on Ora's story is thinking about tropes of cowboy masculinity in Westerns, and how she internalizes and interacts with them. So I knew I wanted to do a mock film still to pay homage to the infamous Walker in her element. This is a very common shot in films, called the Rückenfigur or the behind shot, if you're like me and forget the name and have to look it up every single time. When leaning into her outlaw persona, this is the image she'd like to give off: stony and in control. (Don't worry, she's actually a big softie =,^) ) Annnd my final little nugget of inspiration is, of course, Tarot. What's an illustration without a little Tower? :3c I'm still so excited to continue to build Ora's story, and once again, a rancorous hootin and hollerin thank you to everyone who's helped her come to life. <3