24 SIDELINES OCTOBER 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
honored to have one of my paintings added to the permanent
collection of the Worrel Museum in Virginia.
Tell me about your current life with horses.
After a cancer diagnosis, I turned back to horses. I rediscovered
a passion for jumping and training horses. My horses were a big
part of my recovery — mentally and physically. At the time of the
diagnosis, I had an AQHA cutting horse that I had inherited from
my dad. As I was recovering from the cancer, I started jumping
a friend’s Thoroughbred, then helping another friend train an
Appendix mare. Next thing I knew, I had bought the Appendix
mare to continue her training and added a green broke 16.3-
hand PMU rescue Percheron/TB mare to my “herd.” When the
Appendix mare started winning at hunter/jumper shows, I found
her a perfect home with a young girl who wanted a show horse
and bought an untrained 17-hand Warmblood gelding to train.
Last summer, I moved to an old schoolhouse on the edge of a
massive Montana ranch and, in addition to my art, my days are
filled with horses. My two horses (both greys) jump, herd cattle,
trail ride and are learning to do tricks. They bow; I’ve flown kites
off both of them and taught them to gallop through the ponds on
the ranch. In addition to my two, there are five ranch horses that
I have to condition, train and ride. It’s a wonderful place to live for
a horse-loving painter!
What are your goals for the future in both your work and life?
I have several projects in mind, painting-wise. One of those is
to do a series of “plein air” paintings during my rides. I’ll pack
an easel and paint in the saddlebags and head out to paint the
horses and whatever landscape catches my eye. With the horses,
I plan to continue training them new things and honing the skills
they’ve learned and are learning. For instance, I’d love to teach
them to drive, and someday have a sleigh for them to pull — bells
and all! Like as with being an artist (and life in general), I consider
my horses to be a work in progress. There’s always something
new to teach them, or some skill to perfect.
What’s more important; content or technique?
Soul. I think putting your heart and soul into a piece is more
important than subject or technique. For me, all of my work is
based on personal experience. I know the horses I paint and have
spent years observing some of the wildlife. To me, that means
there’s a personal connection (and often, a good story) behind
every painting.
How do you know when a work is finished?
That’s the toughest question every artist must face, and there’s
no easy answer. You just have to trust your gut a bit. For me, a
painting will “tell” me when it’s done.
“Handsome Is” Charcoal Painitng on Cradled Claybord, 18 x 36
All photos courtesy of Lyn St.Clair
“Run With It” Charcoal Painting on Gessoed, Cradled Panel, 30
x 60
“Twister” Oil on Gessoed Panel. 12 x 24
