May 18, 1947 – September 4, 2005
By J. Harris Anderson
Well-known artist/designer Jane Gaston first met the late Pam Ohrstrom several years ago. Jane was riding Pam’s horses, including hunting them with Orange County Hunt, while Pam was recovering from an injury. Jane had already designed a scarf for Casanova Hunt and this led to a discussion about doing something similar for OCH. What stands out in Jane’s memory is Mrs. Ohrstrom’s extraordinary taste, her ability to know how to create a striking image without going over the top. According to Jane, Pam Ohrstrom “always got it just right.”
Mrs. Ohrstrom, who served as the co-chair of the Museum of Hounds & Hunting from 2002-2005, traveled extensively at the time so Jane took the initiative and designed the scarf while Pam was away. When she returned she was highly impressed with Jane’s design and the scarf that was eventually produced is almost exactly as Jane originally designed it.
But, according to Jane Gaston, Mrs. Ohrstrom, with her refined eye for fine detail, added a touch or two of her own. She came up with the basket weave border which Jane says “really popped out and finished off the artwork.” She also changed a few colorations. Most notably, she chose the blue background, a departure from the traditional red, green or brown earth tones typically seen in decorative images with a foxhunting theme. And Mrs. Ohrstrom wasn’t content with just any shade of blue. Jane recalls how Pam insisted the scarf ’s manufacturer get the color right.
The Orange County Hunt scarf has proved a successful fundraising tool and remains a sought-after piece today. The scarf is both a functional accessory and a beautiful example of decorative hunting-themed material. Other custom-designed scarves in the Museum of Hounds & Hunting North America collection include ones from Casanova Hunt, Piedmont Fox Hounds, and Middleburg Hunt (all three in Virginia).
Orange County Hunt 
Middleburg Hunt 
Piedmont Fox Hounds
