Who is Pony Ault?

[Gunrunner]

I can't find very much about her, but she never owned Florencia/Graciella. She did, however, have a Robert Henri painting at one time -- "Young Buck of the Tesuque Pueblo."

https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2008/american-paintings-drawings-sculpture-n08495/lot.40.html

But while trying to look her up, I found this strange thing:

https://sfai.org/about/celebrating-35-years/

The link on her name points to dalneitzel.com. When did Dal ever have anything about Pony Ault on his website, other than that error-riddled Graciella scrapbook? Surely the Santa Fe Art Institute isn't pointing to that "thang".

[aqua807]

"Pony" backwards is "YONP." If you treat the O as a zero, then you have "YNP." Yellowstone National Park. The last name "Ault" sounds like "Alt", so maybe a hint to alter the name.

I'm not saying Pony Ault was not a real person. I do think it's possible Forrest Fenn used names or anomalous details in stories to hint at clues in the poem. I think it made him chuckle. But I have zero proof that this is true.

[wwwamericana]

It's amazing the places we can go and the things we can learn by just "googling it"....

[jan_v60]

Gunrunner I did not see a connection with Dal Neitzel in the SFAI website. Or was it elsewhere?

[Gunrunner]

Gunrunner I did not see a connection with Dal Neitzel in the SFAI website. Or was it elsewhere?

When I put my cursor on Pony Ault's name, the URL of Dal's defunct site pops up in the bottom of my browser window. I don't recall anything about Pony Ault that Dal ever had on his site, other than that one scrapbook.

[MobyDic12345]

The last name "Ault" sounds like "Alt", so maybe a hint to alter the name.

I'm sure, it's even more than that.
If you read the SB178 you'll noticed the deliberate misnaming Robert Henri's Florencia painting as Graciella, Also, there's no evidence that neither Forrest nor Pony Ault ever owned Robert Henri's Florencia painting. Obviously he's trying to hint at something.
I agree, Ault sounds like Alt but I would go further, it also sounds like 'halt' with silent 'h'.

[jan_v60]

I'm sure, it's even more than that.
If you read the SB178 you'll noticed the deliberate misnaming Robert Henri's Florencia painting as Graciella, Also, there's no evidence that neither Forrest nor Pony Ault ever owned Robert Henri's Florencia painting. Obviously he's trying to hint at something.
I agree, Ault sounds like Alt but I would go further, it also sounds like 'halt' with silent 'h'.

I think he was hinting to Florence, the city of The Medici and Leonardo da Vinci. Florence is also part of the address on the envelope in SB107.

[voxpops]

A few years ago I tried to delve into the Pony Ault story because I had a gut feeling that she might not be a "real" person in the conventional sense - more of a "muse" or a symbol of something that lay deeper. I discovered that the Santa Fe Art Institute had roots that seemed more spiritual than artistic, per se (although I can't now remember where I gleaned that information). There is no Pony Ault biography anywhere to be found online - only brief references to her as a founding member of the Institute and the provenance detailed in Sotheby's catalog.

Although I doubt there is a specific YNP connection, the initials "PA" are possibly worth considering. Personal Assistant? Pennsylvania? Pa? Father? A nice little bit of related pareidolia can be found next to Canyon Pintado (the painted canyon):



It's very interesting that the link points to Dal's old website. It's almost like saying, Pony Ault is a construct inextricably woven into the chase. But there are probably no ready answers as to why.

[voxpops]

Further to what I posted above, it's worth reading about William Lumpkins, who also co-founded the Transendental Painting Group, here:

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/columns/art_of_space/art-of-space-soul-ar-design-artist-and-architect-william/article_606cba4d-c344-5e87-9a14-9140c13aa79a.html

The Transcendental Painting Group had this philosophy:

"Abstraction with Spiritual Intent

The Transcendental Painting Group (TPG) was founded on the principles of creating and promoting a pure abstract painting style imbued with spiritual intent."

https://www.swanngalleries.com/news/modern-post-war-art/2020/06/an-introduction-to-the-transcendental-painting-group/

[klein]

"Pony" backwards is "YONP." If you treat the O as a zero, then you have "YNP." Yellowstone National Park. The last name "Ault" sounds like "Alt", so maybe a hint to alter the name.

I'm not saying Pony Ault was not a real person. I do think it's possible Forrest Fenn used names or anomalous details in stories to hint at clues in the poem. I think it made him chuckle. But I have zero proof that this is true.

I don't understand how "pony" backwards is "YONP". Just saying.

[jan_v60]

I don't understand how "pony" backwards is "YONP". Just saying.

You are correct. He (Aqua807) made a mistake but without influence on his conclusion: PONY backwards is indeed YNOP. But if you make O=0 and if this means omitting the O, you still get YNP. I do not have an opinion if Pony Ault could refer to Yellowstone National Park. But it was IMO a good observation of Aqua807. I like most observations that use mirroring, without saying they always are the holy grail.

[klein]

You are correct. He (Aqua807) made a mistake but without influence on his conclusion: PONY backwards is indeed YNOP. But if you make O=0 and if this means omitting the O, you still get YNP. I do not have an opinion if Pony Ault could refer to Yellowstone National Park. But it was IMO a good observation of Aqua807. I like most observations that use mirroring, without saying they always are the holy grail.

Yes I see that and also realize that it was most likely an error. My confusion is probably more aligned with how does one choose to only mirror Pony and not Ault, or vice versa? Anyhow, it's not important that I understand.

[wwwamericana]

Just some tidbits for y'all....

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/santafenewmexican/name/j-ault-obituary?id=26703235

https://www.taosnews.com/obituaries/the-reverend-marney-ault-wasserman/article_170748e4-b265-11eb-860e-3f7489ab4bf3.html

[voxpops]

Just some tidbits for y'all....

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/santafenewmexican/name/j-ault-obituary?id=26703235

https://www.taosnews.com/obituaries/...489ab4bf3.html

Yes, Ault, although not common, is a surname that crops up from time to time. The nearest I can come to a potential link is the Ault Foods dairy business in Toronto, run by a Samuel Ault (married to a Catherine) until it was subsumed by other enterprises. I've not come across the name "Pony," but it could have been a nickname . . . if she existed.

[wwwamericana]

Yes, Ault, although not common, is a surname that crops up from time to time. The nearest I can come to a potential link is the Ault Foods dairy business in Toronto, run by a Samuel Ault (married to a Catherine) until it was subsumed by other enterprises. I've not come across the name "Pony," but it could have been a nickname . . . if she existed.

Did you take the thyme to read Marney's obit?