The Art Of Connection - How Creativity Builds Community

Painting Horses Forges Bonds Transcending Artistic Boundaries

Equestrian art forges emotional connections that run deeper than paint on canvas. From ancient cave paintings to today's racing yards across Britain, horses inspire artists to create extraordinary bonds transcending traditional art market boundaries. The therapeutic act of painting live horses creates instant camaraderie among strangers, while cross-generational mentorship preserves centuries-old traditions.

This specialised art form fosters lasting communities, where corporate executives become lifelong friends through shared struggles, collectors become family confidants across decades, and the preservation of rural heritage unites artists, racing professionals, and enthusiasts in celebrating both artistic excellence and cultural continuity.

Universal Language Transcends Artistic Boundaries

Anthea Wood, Chair of the Society of Equestrian Artists, explains how horses create an international artistic vocabulary. "Horses have long been part of our lives as a human civilization. We used them for transport, agriculture and war long before we used them for pleasure and sport, but we have been painting them since long before that! Despite being separated by oceans and differences in environment, culture and customs, most civilisations have a past built on the domestication of the horse."

"Art is a form of expression that needs no words or articulation and so transcends boundaries. In a similar way, a knowledge and love of horses is a common language and is often referred to as a 'way of life,'" Wood notes.

The challenge becomes capturing the essence beyond representation. "Equestrian artists, therefore, share a particular challenge in which they must not only deliver a successful painting, but within it capture the spirit of the horse on canvas. This enthusiasm and love for the 'essence of the horse in art' captivates artists, collectors and enthusiasts alike. Horse lovers will immediately spot whether a horse's breed, conformation and nature have been done justice within a work of art. The best equestrian art is that which triggers a familiar association within someone who 'knows' horses."

Shared Struggles Create Instant Camaraderie

The Society, founded in 1979 with over 400 members worldwide, embraces collective vulnerability. Jane Braithwaite, former Chair and now Head of Workshops, a three-time Cuneo Medal winner, catalogues the unique challenges facing artists.

"As artists, we all have struggles. Generally, I believe them to be quite similar, regardless of the genre of art we each pursue or whether we tend toward realism or abstraction. We're all looking to express in 2D or 3D form that elusive element that makes the subject matter special and motivates us. As equestrian artists, we experience the above struggles, but on top of that, we are subject-led and so we need to have additional knowledge of that subject," she says.

"One of the foremost missions of our society is to educate in the art of equestrian painting and sometimes sculpture. For this reason, we aim to hold workshops around the UK throughout the year, where we draw or paint horses during the course of a day, sometimes over 2 days and at least once a year, for a residential week-long course."

Braithwaite describes the therapeutic chaos bonding participants. "During these workshops not only do we all battle with our art; we also have to deal with a living creature who constantly moves around, with light and shadows which are forever changing, with cold and hot temperatures, melting paint, wind, and rain!"

"We do it because it's challenging and it's convivial. We all share the same difficulties, and we all learn to laugh about it and try not to take the inevitable failure too seriously but really enjoy the successes. At workshops, we make lifelong friends."

From Terror To Transformation

Wood recalls her intimidating introduction. "I remember my first workshop painting from life with the SEA. I was terrified! What comes easily in the studio goes out the window when you are confronted by a horse that constantly changes position, and you know that other people can see what you are doing. There is nowhere to hide!"

Vulnerability becomes transformative education. "I learnt more in my first session than I would have in half a year in the studio. You quickly learn that everyone is in the same boat; even the most practised equestrian artists find it challenging. There is a great sense of camaraderie and support, and through this, strong friendships are made. However bad your painting is on a certain day, it can never be a bad day out when you have been painting a horse en plein air," she says.

Authentic Experience Builds Artistic Authority

Braithwaite's equestrian background provides a cross-generational mentorship foundation. "My lifelong experience initially with a donkey and ponies as a child, then showjumping, helping train point to pointers and later Eventing and pure Dressage, to a reasonably high standard, have all informed my work and held me in good stead."

"From the anatomical point of view, I've felt so many equine legs for lumps and bumps, washed and brushed bodies, heads, manes and tails a thousand times, that I now know equine anatomy very well. I don't necessarily know it on an academic level, but I can remember and visualise how things fit together, and I generally recognise pretty quickly when something I have painted or drawn looks wrong."

"This being the case, my experience informs everything I do with regard to my painting, not only on an anatomical level but also with regard to the mood of the horse. The angle of the ears, the look in the eye, the stance and even the flick of the tail or the stamp of a hoof, all inform the interpretation of the horse. If you know horses, the knowledge is invaluable."

Heritage Preservation Through Artistic Documentation

Preservation of rural heritage drives contemporary equestrian art. "There is no doubt that the role of the horse has changed dramatically in the last 150 years and that the role of art to record equestrian activities has been replaced by photography and video," Wood reflects.

"In order to correctly understand how a carriage harness fitted a horse in the early 20th-century, many of our artists will refer to drawings and sketches by Lionel Edwards in the absence of photos that provide the required information. A significant turning point in equestrian art occurred in the 19th century, when Eadweard Muybridge photographed a horse in different stages of its gallop, allowing artists to see for the first time the sequence of legs at gallop. Up until this point, most horses were painted as if they were flying with forelegs and hind legs outstretched," she affirms.

Wood defends painting's unique contribution. "Whilst most equestrian artists probably feel little responsibility to document equestrian life for prosperity in this digital age, it is remarkable how a good artist can breathe life into an equestrian scene in a way that a photograph doesn't. A good painting can tell you much more about what is happening in a scene than a photograph that distills a moment in time with impartiality."

"Nostalgia also plays its part! We all love to see Heavy Horses at work, and you can't beat the sight of a team of horses pulling a plough on an autumn day with all their brasses shining. These activities helped shape our country into what it is today. It's a heritage to be recorded and treasured. As artists, we are drawn to scenes that lend themselves to a good composition and which connect with an audience."

Mentorship And Collector Relationships Beyond Commerce

As an artist, it is important to be open to critique. Malcolm Coward HSEA exemplifies mentorship tradition. "Malcolm Coward's painting ability and knowledge, especially with regard to equestrian art, is second to none. He's a man of few words and gets straight to the point with his no-nonsense approach. Sometimes it's not easy to hear things you don't want to hear, said about your work, but when critique comes from someone like him, you take note. It's even more wonderful to hear praise!" Braithwaite explains.

"All the knowledge and information needed to progress with painting is unselfishly imparted at our workshops, whether by Malcolm or any of our other very able tutors. We have new faces appearing all the time and many returning artists at every workshop."

Braithwaite's collector relationships demonstrate lasting communities beyond commerce. "Speaking from a personal point of view, I do have people who come back to me time and time again. One person who comes to mind is a gentleman who wanted me to paint his 10-year-old daughter with her pony, which I did. Five years later, he contacted me again when his daughter had moved on to a horse, but he wanted me to include in the painting the old, much-loved pony I'd painted previously. Approximately five years after that, he sent me a reference photo of a cat and asked if I'd paint it. Apparently his daughter was now at university but Covid had hit the world and her only companion was the cat, who'd been with her constantly throughout the pandemic. Sadly, the cat had recently died and his daughter was distraught, hence the painting. Sometimes you become part of other people's lives."
"When I sell a painting, it's lovely if/when the purchaser sends me a photo of it hanging in their house. It's nice to know where something you've invested so much time, energy and care into has ended up," she adds.

The Society's partnerships demonstrate growing networks. "Our venue partners in the last few years have included the Munnings Art Museum, Hay Heavy Horse Farm Charity in Northumberland, Keysoe Cuddle Therapy ponies, racing yards up and down the country, New Beginnings Horse Charity for the retraining of racehorses, amongst many others!"

Recent growth reflects successful community building. "The Society of Equestrian Artists is having a resurgence and has welcomed over 100 new members in the last 18 months, taking their membership to over 400, with members registered in America, Australia, and Europe."

Wood emphasises balance. "I am really excited about the direction that the SEA is taking. It is all about balance. On one hand, we welcome and encourage artists of all levels and support their development through workshops and access to our best tutors; on the other hand, we ensure our annual showcase exhibition represents equestrian art at the highest level, so we all know what we are aiming for."

"Equestrian disciplines tend to operate within their own field, but as a Society of Equestrian Artists, we can bridge these divides and embrace everything equestrian from Pony Club and Eventing to Polo and Heavy Horses! Anyone can become a member of our Society, and it is great to see people from all walks of life and of different stages of their equestrian art development forming friendships and sharing knowledge at our workshops."