wherein I explain my visual expressions in words

The Mane Attraction arrives like a quiet breath: a mixed-media embrace captured at the edge of a wildflower field, where human tenderness and equine calm meet. At first glance the painting reads as a simple scene — a woman leaning into the soft, velvety face of a horse — but the deeper you look the more deliberate the layers reveal themselves: collage, texture, paint and the careful choreography of color that makes this moment feel both real and dreamlike.

Click the image to go to the online gallery. 

I painted  the woman with gentle, sure strokes; her closed eyes and the small, intentional curve of her lips suggest trust, while the bright yellow flower tucked into her hair adds a note of joy and warmth. The horse is painted with earthy solidity — a quiet, knowing presence — its muzzle almost merging into the field of foliage that wraps the two figures like a living shawl. That tapestry of green and floral fragments, achieved through mixed-media collage and layered paint, gives the composition movement and depth without breaking the intimate focus.

Color and texture do the emotional heavy-lifting here. Warm earth tones and soft pastels create a serene atmosphere, while vibrant splashes of yellow and red anchor the viewer's eye. The layered greens — a mixture of thin washes, thicker painterly marks, and fibrous collage elements — simulate the density of a meadow and create a tactile contrast against the smooth, delicate planes of skin and animal hide. It's a contemporary figurative piece that borrows the language of traditional pastoral painting but speaks in modern materials and sensibilities.

For collectors and lovers of country-living and equestrian art, this painting is an invitation: it brings an immediate sense of calm and connection to any space. In a living room it would temper modern lines with organic warmth; in a bedroom it would become a daily reminder of gentleness; in a hallway or entryway it offers a welcoming, human moment that guests can't help but notice. Pair it with warm ambient lighting, and understated furniture to let the artwork's textures breathe.

The Mane Attraction captures a universal human moment — the quiet, reciprocal peace between two beings — while celebrating the tactile romance of contemporary materials. It's a work that rewards both quick appreciation and slow looking, promising different discoveries each time you return to it. If this piece sparks something in you, share how it makes you feel or where you'd hang it — art like this lives on through the stories it invites.

The painting will hang in the online gallery until it goes to show or is purchased privately. If you'd like to see it live, contact me about a private studio visit. 

If you'd like to see a short video of The Mane Attraction, please click here. 

As always, thank you for taking the time to pop into my studio. Visit often, please.