A little something for the horse fans amongst us! Wild and free, yet tame and talented, their gentle eyes and elegant lashes set our hearts aflutter.
1. Elegance
Buckinghamshire-based artist Clare Parkes is a portrait and wildlife artist and a member of the Society of Wildlife Artists. She works mainly in pastel pencils, and her skill at this particular medium is evident in the way in which she sensitively captures the elegance of her horses.
2. Capturing rural life
This watercolour painting by Alex Solodov features a beautiful white horse that grazes in the peaceful and quiet fields of Alentejo, Portugal. We love how connected we feel to rural life when looking at this painting.
3. Equine agility
Bulgaria-based painter Simona Tsvetkova's horses run across the beach through the waves, and there's a sense of agility and movement here that really translates to the canvas. Simona works mainly in oils and her subjects cover all manner of animals, people and landscapes.
4. Meditative calm
UK-based photographer Vikram Kushwah spent some time in Spain during lockdown, during which he began photographing the white horses in the field near his house. This photograph captures the meditative calm of that field, with the evening sunlight providing a sense of tranquility.
5. Horse rider turned sculptor
Sculptor Holly Bennett is a horse rider herself, and utilises her artistic practice to deepen her connection with horses. "Every time I encounter a horse I am amazed by the beauty of their integrity. I always feel moved, as if their honesty enables me to re-connect with that part of myself. Naturally, I default to making horses whenever I need to communicate this kind of feeling."
6. Girl's best friend
UK-based painter Lorna Lancaster is a professional equestrian artist and Associate Member of the Society of Equestrian Artists. Full of movement, this painting shows a gorgeous stallion dashing along showing his paces for the show judge. The painting was inspired from photos taken at a show.
7. That time a Playboy Model met a stallion...
Now for one that a little less child friendly... We'll just leave Robert Scott Hooper's description right here:
'"Debra Jo Fondren (who went on to become a Playboy center-fold in September 1977 and the Playmate of the Year 1978) has talents to go with her beauty, one being that she is a remarkable horsewoman! This borrowed horse was a stallion and not exactly easy to handle. When she road him bareback with her hair blowing and brushing on his his rump, he got so excited we had to separate them for a while. On another day he stepped on her bare foot on purpose, but even the pain of that did not slow her down and she got right back up on him."
8. Small but mighty!
Ukraine-based painter Anastasia Parfilo infused her passion for the majestic nature of horses in this small but wonderful portrait. The oil medium allowed for rich texture and depth, reflecting the animal's soulful presence. Embracing styles from realism to impressionism, she is able to capture the horse's grace and gentle power.
9. Carousel horses
An original linocut print by UK-based artist Drusilla Cole depicting two bold carousel horses at the fairground. On this print, says Drusilla, "vintage fairground rides attract me with their bold colours and carefully painted naïve graphics."
10. Equine dreamscape
This digital painting by Uwe Fehrmann takes us into a dream world with graceful colours, radiating calm with the horse bringing us sharply back into reality.
Header image: "Wild Ghost Horses" by Kamila Strzeszewska
