There is a quiet kind of honesty in Bethany Goforth’s work, one that doesn’t demand attention but instead holds it. A glance becomes curiosity about the horse’s story. That subtle shift in an ear, a barely-there tension in the eye—these are the details that transform her portraits from likeness into connection.
Bethany’s life has always been intertwined with horses, not just as an artist but as an owner, exhibitor and lifelong horsewoman. That duality of living with horses and studying them through art has shaped a perspective that goes beyond anatomy or aesthetics.
For Bethany, every horse carries a distinct personality, one that must be understood before it can ever be drawn. “The spark in the fresh horse’s eye or the kind, soft eye in a gentle soul—knowing the horse I’m working with is so key,” she shared. It’s this knowing that becomes the foundation of her work: not observation alone, but familiarity; not reference, but relationship.
There is a deeper layer in Bethany's work she is always reaching for—the emotional truth that exists between horse and human. Those fleeting, intimate moments that often go unnoticed in real time become the heart of her compositions.
“To have horses and not feel an emotional connection with them is something I simply cannot comprehend,” she said. Her work reflects that belief. This is especially evident in her memorial pieces, where the weight of memory becomes part of the process. Bethany embraces that heaviness and responsibility. She asks questions, studies photographs and learns quirks and nuances, all in pursuit of capturing not just how the horses looked but who they were.
When that emotional depth meets accurate anatomy and detail, something shifts. The artwork begins to resonate beyond the canvas. It becomes personal, even for those who have never met the horse.
Working primarily in colored pencil, graphite and charcoal, Bethany has chosen mediums that reward patience and precision. "These mediums give me the ability to focus on details," she said. "I love working on the nerdy little details and can get lost in stitching a harness, creating silver scrollwork or braiding a mane. Plus, the little wisps of an untidy mane, whiskers of an unshaven muzzle, or eyelashes with a glint of sunlight lend themselves perfectly to these mediums. I also love the layering of colored pencils to achieve the richness and differences between coat colors. I recently finished a dark bay that has over 20 colors in his coat!"
That dedication to detail extends beyond aesthetics into responsibility. As someone deeply rooted in the horse world, Bethany holds herself to a different standard defined by accuracy, respect and authenticity.
“I want to be the horse artist for horse people,” she said. "We know horses inside and out, and my painted or drawn horses have to be right. If I’m working on something I may not be completely familiar with, I’ll research so I can create with confidence, knowing every part of the composition is correct."
Bethany says that understanding the horse show scene and the attention to detail that is put into a horse before it goes into the ring are extremely important in creating an award portrait, which she has done on several occasions. The bands have to be in perfect alignment, the halter needs to fit precisely, and every little thing wanted in the real-life experience needs to be represented, while also portraying the horse’s personality accurately. Is she a halter horse with perked ears and a bright expression, or a “been there, done that” gelding whose gentle demeanor brought a little girl’s dream to reality? These are some of the questions she asks. The biggest difference is that her award portraits are presented with custom matting and finishing touches for each specific association's year-end or circuit titles.
Bethany’s creative life doesn’t exist in isolation, but she splits her time between teaching, creating and living within the horse world itself. In addition to helping students learn and grow, she spends hours in the barn afterwards, reconnecting with the source of her inspiration and observing the subtle interactions that later find their way into her drawings. In the studio, those experiences come full circle.
“I think it’s a synergistic balance for the good of the whole,” she said. Her environment in rural Michigan reinforces that balance. Surrounded by open space, animals and sunsets over wheat fields, her work naturally carries a sense of peace that translates into her art.
"I took quite a few years off from my artwork and raised my boys," Bethany said. "About seven years ago, I picked up my pencils again. Absolutely zero regrets, but I was being called back to what I love. Now, I truly feel that I’m just hitting my stride. Retirement from teaching is in my near future, and being in my studio full time is something I am excitedly looking forward to!"
For more information, visit studiobequineart.com, or follow Studio B Equine Art on Facebook or @bethany_studiob on Instagram.
Sign up for our mailing list to stay up to date with all things Sidelines!
