A car accident and an infection contributed to the march toward darkness for the sculptor, whose art changed as her eyes grew worse. Her vision is now reduced to only partial sight in her right eye and nothing in her left.

She can't solder or do detailed jewelry work anymore. Yet still she works, crafting horses like grass-green "Springtime" and dawn-red "Sunrise" out of polymer clay. They stood proudly Saturday at her booth at the Park City Kimball Arts Festival.

"I can't imagine life without making art," said Summer, a petite, spirited 71-year-old.

Decades ago, she played on a fire escape outside her family's New York City apartment and dreamed of horses. After a car accident in 2000 and therapeutic riding lessons at Park City's National Ability Center, she decided it was time to get a horse of her own. The animals have taught her patience and inspired the nuances in her sculptures.

A full-time artist for about 35 years, Summer can no longer read a book. But frustration is something she shoves aside. Her declining vision has now stabilized.

"When I start to spin, I try to remember who I am and I go out to the horses or down to my studio," she said. "And everything falls back into place again like a pinball machine."

Summer is one of 225 artists at the festival, which will expand to three days next year. About 42,000 people or more were expected to attend this year's event. Roughly 800 artists apply to the annual festival and a panel of 12 jurors votes on the applicants. The artists' work includes photography, ceramics, painting and many other styles.

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* JULIA LYON can be contacted at jlyon@sltrib.com or 801-257-8748.

Festival today

The Park City Kimball Arts Festival continues today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Park City.