12×24″ horse painting in Encaustic Wax on Wood Panel.
ABOUT THIS HORSE PAINTING
I wanted to challenge myself with light and this cowboy at sunset was perfect for that. There was a high level of detail involved in the making of this painting, more than I’d ever dealt with before with wax. I relied on my fine tip hot stylus for a lot of this piece which helped me melt and blend colors in small spaces as well as add the detail of glow around the edges of the horse and it’s hair.
Artist Statement
I love to paint horses and I love the challenge of painting horses in Encaustic Wax. For this horse painting, I use traditional painting methods, this is not a photo encaustic, this is 100% drawn one stroke of wax at a time. I enjoy the challenge of painting with as much realism as I can with this tricky and frustrating medium. I use traditional brushes as well as a hot stylus which allows me to draw very fine lines of hot wax as you would with a quill or fountain pen. This ability for detail allows me to draw the faces with a great amount of detail and life.
I love to mix a lot of colors which is very evident here in background and pattern of the horse. Encaustic paintings are notoriously difficult to photograph and are infinitely more breathtaking in person. Please take the time to watch the below video where you can better see the details up close. Wax paintings have a polish and depth of texture to them and are some of the most archival and long-lasting paintings in history, some dating as far back at 5000BC.
Growing up I rode horses every day and owned a rescued wild Mustang. I rode dressage, jumpers, and even western. I have a deep love for wild horses and wish to see them remain healthy and free, whenever possible. If freedom isn’t an option, as I know starvation and climate change are a real thing, then at the very least well-loved as I did with my pony. I commend the efforts of those out saving these horses and preserving their habitats.