I live what I paint, immersing myself in my subject matter and painting the animals and subjects that I know intimately. My art training includes six years of commercial and fine art instruction. I have been a professional fine artist for thirty-two years, painting mostly horses and equine sporting scenes. Canine and wildlife subjects are also a passion.
A horse owner and rider for forty-two years, my competitive days have given way to more time in the studio, creating paintings that I hope will stir emotion in the viewer. My paintings are found in collections nationally, in Europe, and also in galleries and shows in this country.
Of all the equine sports, foxhunting is my favorite to watch and paint. There is a timeless beauty in foxhunting that is indescribable in words. I try to describe it in paint on canvas, and I hope that I can capture a fraction of the emotion that I feel as I watch the hunt playing out before me.
Hounds are my favorite part of foxhunting. I am a dog lover first and foremost, and hounds are magnificent animals. So eager and enthusiastic, they are in constant motion and a delight to paint, with the many colors in their coats and their rippling muscles and lively expressions.
Many times I have helped whip-in along the roadside, stopping traffic so that hounds and riders may cross. I have seen many irritated faces on drivers turn to awe as they change their minds about being held up from speeding through life. Sometimes I see them smile even, and as I wave them on I thank them and comment on how beautiful that was to see. They always nod in agreement. Hopefully when someone sees my paintings they will also stop and consider the beauty around them. Maybe they will be inspired to go out and sit quietly with nature.
I live in the middle of the Amwell Valley Hounds’ territory. Every day I hike the trails with my dog, and every day I recognize that I am privileged to live in this beautiful countryside. I love to show this to others through my art, to help them pause from their hectic lives and appreciate the beauty of nature and the animals in it.
For more of this artist’s work, see the slide show below or visit her website.
September 26, 2010
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