Artists

CAROLINE COOK

(2011)Caroline Cook Equestrian artist based in the West country the subjects she loves to paint are horses, dogs, racing, animals, wildlife and the countryside.
(2001)Caroline was born in Cornwall and has painted horses and other animals since she was old enough to hold a paintbrush. She sold her first painting, a study of a fox cub, when she was 15. She is self taught and her paintings are mainly of horses in action, particularly racehorses, paddock and stud scenes in vibrant but subtle acrylics. Until recently, she only undertook private commissions, as she combined her painting with her role as assistant to her husband, former West Country racehorse trainer, Trevor Hallett. Many of these commissions are of National Hunt horses including the great Desert Orchid for his trainer, David Elsworth. Caroline's paintings reflect her love of thoroughbreds and her passion for racing. Her work with racehorses, particularly her knowledge of racing injuries and their treatment has enhanced her understanding of the anatomy of the horse, which is reflected in her work. Caroline Cook is resident artist at Cheltenham Racecourse. A permanent stand on Race Days is situated in Hurdlers Hall behind the Arkle statue.

JONATHAN WALKER

(2011)Jonathan Walker has the exceptional ability to capture wildlife and turn it on its head portraying them as being cunning, shroud and full of character. His work is fresh and full of life I love it.
(2001)Jonathan was born in 1966 and he spent much of his childhood exploring the countryside in the company of his father, Keith, a more than competent painter himself. In his late teens and early twenties Jonathan struggled to find a direction. He studied courses in Philosophy, Theology and Fine Art before qualifying as an Occupational Therapist working with people experiencing severe mental health problems.
He now lives in Devon, finding inspiration of Dartmoor and the countryside around Exeter has given new impetus to his interest in depicting the badgers, foxes and voles that his naturalist’s eye observes everywhere. His animals are always rooted in the soil, as much a part of the landscape as the sky and the trees. His rare ability to give to each of them their unique characteristics and personas, while dressing them up in old cast off human garments never robs them of their intrinsic “animalness”.

MICK CAWSTON

(2011)Mick Cawston unfortunatly died in 2006 leaving a legacy as one of the world's finest dog painters, as well as a master of anthropomorphic pictures and humorous country scenes. He had a most amazing relationship with the countryside and its people and they had a great love and admiration for him.With the help of his puplisher and close friend Sally Mitchell his name and work will never be forgotten.

(2001)If you were to meet Mick Cawston walking down the path towards you in his old battered jacket, his hair down to his shoulders and his knee hanging out of his jeans you would be forgiven for not realising that he is one of the finest dog painters working in the world today. His work is comparable to that of John Emms or Maude Earl and he works equally well in oils, water colours or pastels. No matter what breed of dog he portrays, the character and likeness of the dog are always superb. Many of his works have been reproduced as limited edition prints and he has been voted 4 times, in the Fine Art Trade Guild survey, as one of the top selling artists, finally wining it in 1998.

Born in 1959 in Dagenham, Essex. It was at Robert Clock comprehensive school that he won his first exhibition at the age of seven. On leaving school he trained as a cabinet maker before signing up in the army for three years. Throughout all this time his passion for drawing grew stronger and on returning from Europe he spent six months sketching people’s children on the pavements of Covent Garden, in pastel at £3 a time. From here a London silversmith employed him to design silverware, largely for the Arab market. However, interesting as this was, it was never Mick’s great passion and before very long he moved away from London and spent the next three years living in a small cottage on a farm in Burnham-on-Crouch and returned to selling his work on the streets, although this time his price had gone up to'£18'a drawing. Despite his price increase he could not make a living and as a result he started to paint seriously in oils in the early part of 1987.By the middle of 1987 he had been discovered by Sally Mitchell and by the end of this year he had his first two limited edition prints published after his work. He has never looked back,2000 saw the publication of his 300th highly successful, limited edition print.

ANGELA DAVIDSON

Angela Davidson tipped as one of Scotland's up and coming artists, Angela was born in Aberdeen in 1969 and grew up on Speyside. An artist who is entirely self-taught, Angela's inspiration usually comes from her local surroundings. So, every time a highland coo sticks its nose through the fence and into the garden, it stands a fairly high chance of being immortalised on canvas or paper. The standard of Angela Davidson's paintings ensures a constant stream of commission work. So, if she's not working on an original for her gallery or another picture suitable for her print collection, she'll be creating a portrait of someone's nearest and dearest, or a horse, a dog, cat, garden, house, seascape...

DAVID 'MOUSE' COOPER

David 'Mouse' Cooper has combined his love for horses and his natural artistic talent from an early age. During his career working on racing yards in Newmarket as well as a spell as a jockey, “Mouse” also took the opportunity to paint commissions so as to develop his artistic talent. His originals have been exhibited at all the top race courses and has been honoured by having one of his paintings ‘The Pre Parade Ring at Newmarket’ showcased on the racing card cover of the Rowley Mile Course 2005 flat racing season. This is an excellent achievement for any equine artist.

DEBBIE DUNBAR

Debbie Dunbar, one of Wales top equine artist,with a reputation for capturing the essence of the horse, be it the powerful Welsh cob, the poetry in motion of the Arab and the agility of the Andalusian.

Debbie was bought up in Warwickshire, from a very young age painting and animals played a big part in her life. In 1986 having gained her degree in Graphic Design and Illustration Debbie was able to move to Cardiganshire to the heart of the Welsh Cob Country and she has never looked back having forfilled her dream to paint full time and have her own yard of horses "MOCHRUM STUD".

Working mainly in oils Debbie attempts to capture the light and atmosphere as well as the dramatic forms and colours of the horses in her pieces. Whether a peaceful tranquil scene of a mare and foal or the fine dash and fire of an Arabian stallion. ”Oils have a superbly rich texture and quality to them that I love. When I paint I feel that I am almost sculpting with colour and light. I liken it to getting into the picture and modelling the horse in three dimensions, feeling the texture of the coat, looking at the way the muscles move, capturing the soul in the eye. What is he thinking? Which way will he move next? How does the light play on the colour of his coat?"

Ultimately, Debbie would like the observer of her work to feel drawn into the scene, to have a sense of the moment, and light and life that is there. "Whether I succeed in this is up to the viewer, but there is no doubt that I will continue to try as I cannot contemplate a life without horses or art!”
As well as equines she also enjoy painting other animals, and has a keen interest in human portraiture. Debbie's work can be found in private collections across the U.K., Europe and Worldwide.

Closer to home Debbie is proud and honoured that works have included commissions for H.R.H Prince of Wales Private Collection, The King’s Troop and the W.P.C.S.

HUBERT de WATRIGANT

HUBERT de WATRIGANT born and bought up in the South of France where his father breed and trained race horses. In 1976 he became a professional artist holding his first one man exhibition in the famous Maisons -Lafitte. In 1977 he won first prize in the Les Sept Collines de Rome Exhibition. Hubert soon became recognised as one of France’s leading equestrian artist. As testament to his talent his work now features in private and public collections world wide including Her Majesty the Queen.

MALCOLM COWARD

Malcolm Coward is Internationally recognised as one of England’s leading equestrian artists, having won numerous awards. Born and based in North Yorkshire he ‘lives to paint’ travelling across the globe studying and getting a great deal of inspiration. He is renowned for his ability in the use of light and movement.

PETER SMITH

Peter Smith's passion for capturing the magnificent presence of the horse is boldly and precisely transported on to canvas, comes from time spent from a very early age watching them for real and in their natural and working environment, sketching them training on the beach or gallops as well as in their daily routine back at the stable yard. He has become renowned for his depiction of the Thoroughbred as well as the majestic Arab having developed a great deal of respect for them.

Peter was born in Lanarkshire in 1949. He feels that his artistic talents stem from his grandfather, who hailed from Portugal and who painted for most of his life. Smith's early interest in painting and art was matched by a passion for horses, so that as a child he always aspired to being an equestrian artist and his first drawing was of a horse.

He attended the Carlisle and Glasgow Art School and acknowledges that he admires a broad spectrum of artists, taking his inspiration from such diverse masters as Degas and Munnings. It was Degas's painting of the Racecourse that propelled Peter to pull together the two things that were most passionate to him, the horse and to paint.

Peter now lives near Ayr, where the open landscape creates a perfect atmosphere in which to find his inspiration.

Peter Smith's original works and limited edition publications are much sought after and his artwork graces art collections worldwide.

ELAINE FRANKS

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