wooden rocking horses

Atlanta artists, Melissa O'Shields and Laurence Bridges create beautiful three, four, and five-foot carousel horses out of seven pieces of solid mahogany, including a solid body. Their horses can be viewed as art sculptures, fine furniture, or elegant toys of heirloom quality.

Standing horses have three feet on the ground, but the jumpers are frozen mid leap and are supported by a brass carousel pole. The three-foot models, often mounted on rockers, are the most popular for children and small adults. The four-foot "Executive" rocking horse will hold a large adult.

Most designs are Melissa * Laurence originals, although some are taken from master carousel producers from the turn-of-the-century. These designs are produced in limited editions and every woodcarving is an original.

Melissa * Laurence Artisans won numerous awards in sculpture including "Best of Show". They have appeared in newspapers and television throughout the United States including HGTV, Atlanta's WSB TV People 2 People, and picked "Best Instant Heirloom Rocking Horse" by Atlanta Magazine in 2003. They were selected by the White House to carve a rocking horse ornament in 1996 for President and Mrs. Clinton's Blue Room Christmas tree. It remains in the permanent White House collection.

Melissa and Laurence are retired from the art show circuit but still design beautiful works of art. The last of their remaining woodcarvings can still be purchased on this website and cherished for a lifetime. More information about Melissa and Laurence will be coming up in their next newsletter.


"Your generous contribution to the White House holiday decorations brought the joy of the season to thousands of visitors at this veryspecial time of year." Hillary Rodham Clinton - White House

Melissa * Laurence Artisans hand creates the vintage, traditional rocking horse, full size carousel horse and wood carving sculptures out of solid mahogany, a nostalgic toy of heirloom quality that looks like an antique carousel horse.