all that glitters...

In a previous blog, I wrote about a love for monochrome, light and shadows, so this will not come as any surprise to most of you that I have been back to my old monochrome ways lately. After all, we should be true to ourselves and do what we love right? I think for some artists, it can be tempting to paint what they think people want, but buyers and fashion are fickle, so it is best to follow your heart. I enjoy experimenting, but have found little joy lately, so have returned to what I love. For me, these pictures are all about showing a softness and gentle beauty of my beloved horses. I absolutely love creating them. I hope you like them, but I appreciate they wont be for everyone.... To see more, head over to my instagram @hrequineart

"Paint what you love" is something you hear a lot when starting out in art. It makes sense. After all, if you're going to spend hours staring at something, examining every detail, how differing light angles work and so on, it helps if it's something you at least like. With that in mind, you will never, ever see a painting by me of a spider! It does stand to reason then, that as I spend such a large amount of my time outside with my horses, that the surrounding landscape is of interest. Being based in the Surrey Hills means I have a wonderful vista of rolling green hills and woodlands to feast my eyes on. Whenever I travel somewhere flatter like East Anglia, or bereft of trees, like the moors, the first question on my lips is "where are all the trees?" No, a spinney of 3 trees in a 1000 acre field doesn't count! So it comes as no surprise that trees often crop up in my paintings when I go for a landscape. The shape and structure, beautiful bark deta...