60 SIDELINES FEBRUARY 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
e
Artist - Texas
Who Says You Can’t
Paint Horses?
By Dani Moritz
W
hen Texas-native Susan Sheets took her work to
an art gallery in Houston, she was told her piece
probably would never sell. Reluctantly, the man at
the gallery agreed to display the piece – but not
before informing her that people “don’t buy that kind of stuff.”
hy? Because he didn’t think horses would sell.
The obviously horse-deprived man nearly had Susan convinced.
As three months slowly trudged on with no word of an offer, she
drove to the gallery to pick up her painting – head hung low.
When she arrived, however, she was struck with utter surprise
and delight.
That same day, three different people tried to buy that painting.
So much for people not being interested in horses.
For Susan, her passion for painting started when she was young.
Her parents always encouraged her to do art, ensuring she
always had supplies available and
sending her to museum schools over
the summer to practice.
As a high school student, she
remembers purchasing her first
bit of oil paint. “I
bought a little set
of paint for myself
that I could afford
and it was so small
and it cost so much
that I was afraid to
“Four Horse Rush,” oil on canvas 21 x 48.
All photos courtesy of Susan Sheets
Continued on page 62
