Our Creative Process
I have been profoundly influenced by the writings and photography of Minor White and also John Daido Lori Roshi, a student of minor White. When I first read Minor’s work I felt like I had come home. Home being a place deep inside of me that could not articulate how I felt about what I was doing. Other creative influences on me were photographers Keith Carter and Michael Kenna whose work so eloquently captures the mystery in the everyday. I have no expectations when I go out to photograph. I wait until the moment feels right to fire the shutter and never shoot wantonly. As I cull through the imagery, I instinctively choose one to work on. I often go back through the archives and find one I have previously passed over.
Working with subdued color palettes accentuates the sense of mystery, drama, sensuality and an element of the unknown. There is never a preconceived idea and I love that the final image is a product of nothing more than an intuitive process. Many of my horses exist in a space that hovers between the familiar and the unfamiliar allowing the imagination to soar freely. There are several themes that have evolved while doing the work and I never know where a piece may end up. That is what makes it a dance and a go with the flow type of process however there always seems to be a luminosity to them.
I have been blessed with never having artist’s block or a lack of materials from which to create. While the horses are mostly horses I meet in my travels, they ultimately become mine and I theirs, with a sense of intimacy evoked, by the time I finish the piece.
Our Creative Vision
The equine work that I create is simply about my love and mystery for the heart and spirit of the horse combined with a passion to create and share my vision. It is a dance about connection to all of creation, where no ears can hear the music but we all dance together. If we stop, listen carefully, and are open to all that is possible, the connection to “all that is” begins to flow through us. It is by tapping into this flow that I have chosen, or was I chosen, to portray the inner lives of animals; they are intricate and sensitive beings with infinite personalities and subtle expressive moods. It is by hearing their voice and sensing their spirit that allows me to share their vision with you. I believe there is a psychic bond between humans and horses. My gift to you is to be able to share and represent their voice through my voice and vision. It is my goal and aspiration to create a connection from my horses to you by accessing something deeper, perhaps long buried inside. As the horse has transported mankind on many a journey and battle both in reality and metaphorically, it is my hope that my horses transport you on a journey of exploration to dimensions of stillness.
My work is currently concentrated around my obsession with the magnificent horse. Both horses and art were two dominant themes of my childhood and my work quite simply has grown from these innocent childhood pastimes. I was always a horse, in my mind, running freely through the woods with long mane flowing. The delight in jumping over logs and changing direction was enchanting. The freedom and thrill from riding real horses through pastures and woods as the wind gently brushed my face helped me confront my fears. How could I have ever known at that time that I was connecting with the universal flow of nature along with becoming “One” that the connection to another species brought. Unlike my linear adult mind which later masked me, this was where my true self resided and was allowed to interact with all that connects us to our source.
The pencil from childhood was long ago replaced by my camera. While many horses have come and gone in my life, as many know, once lured by the call of a horse you can never escape the undeniable connection that they have with you. It is a calling. I feel that the horses have chosen me, and not I them. It is my duty to represent them in all their majesty and splendor. They are extremely expressive by nature and have senses long lost to us and I am exploring and attempting the challenge of portraying this in my work. What are they feeling? What are they thinking? What messages are they trying to share with us through their wisdom? Within the horse lies a world uncharted. It is through the honesty and heart of the horse that they will reflect our inner worlds if we listen quietly but more importantly are ready to embody the teaching. When I work with a horse I am elevated to an expanded level of consciousness and joy while also experiencing the ancient magic of the human to horse connection. I invite you to share the experience with the hope that you access this vital and amazing connection to the natural world.