Tethered 2018

"I have always been drawn to the horse, perhaps it is because I was born in the year of the horse or perhaps it is their sheer magnificence".

This beast known for its athleticism, strength and intelligence is emblematic of all that is majestic, free and pure. In this series of portraits, I am exploring the idea of displacing these statuesque and by nature ‘free’ beasts from their natural environment and placing them within our own domestic environment as ‘things we own and indeed control. Alongside this and underneath much of my work I am interested in human longing and the multivarious ways that can play out. What drives us to 'possess' wild creatures. Is it that we long for their inherent attributes in ourselves. This eclectic group of people and their horses offer different perspectives on these questions.

Contemporary oil painting of a young wahine with top hat and horse on shoulder
Sweetie Pai

60 x 45cm, Oil on Linen, 2017

Contemporary oil painting of a woman with horse on serving tray
Aubrey

79 x 60 x 4cm
Oil on Russian Birch, 2018

Contemporary oil painting of a girl with horse straddling her hands
Kiki

79 x 60 x 4cm
Oil on Russian Birch, 2018

Contemporary oil painting of a woman holding a platter serving up 3 horses of varying sizes
Genus

60 x 60cm x 4.5cm 
Oil on Russian Birch, 2018

Young woman carrying bonsai apple tree woth horse sitting under branches
Persephone

60 x 60 x 4.5cm
Oil on Russian Birch, 2018

Contemporary oil painting of a young re haired woman carrying a black horse in her arms
Bloom

60 x 60 x 4.5cm
Oil on Russian Birch, 2017

Contemporary oil painting of a woman nursing a horse on her lap
Whenua

40 x 40 x 4.5cm
Oil on Russian Birch, 2018

Self portrait of the artist with horse over shoulders
Whisper

40 x 40 x 4.5cm
Oil on Russian Birch, 2018

Contemporary oil painting of a young man with horses on his head
Pony Tail

59 x 59 x 4.5cm
Oil on Russian Birch, 2017