Classic, elegant, and exceptionally personal describe the magnificent art of equine artist, Julie Ferris.
Julie attended the Savannah College of Art and Design and received her BFA and competed on the IHSA SCAD Equestrian team throughout her college career. So, “Painting the horse was inevitable for me,” she stated. We are truly impressed by her work and had the great opportunity to produce this Q & A with Julie. Read on below…
Q: How long have you been painting?
JF: Like many artists, I have been painting since I was a child, as I was drawn to art at a young age and worked diligently throughout grade school to excel as an artist. People commonly asked me to draw horses for them because that was my subject of choice even then and I was often sketching them in my free time. Though it was constantly in my heart to do so, I was not able to seriously start painting and studying the horse in art until my freshman year at SCAD, about eight years ago, where I was able to truly pursue my passion for both the horse and art. It was the perfect combination to have the opportunity to major in Painting, minor in Equine Studies, and ride on SCAD’s IHSA Equestrian team.
Q: How did you get into painting horses?
JF: Painting the horse was inevitable for me. As a young child I simultaneously developed a love for art as well as the horse and grew up riding, which is definitely what solidified my “obsession.” I think artists that have strong passions and ideas gravitate towards those things in their artistic expression. For me, painting the horse is so natural, it’s like I can’t help myself. Once I decided to pursue a career as an artist I knew my subject would be the horse and I wanted to push myself to achieve excellence in representing them in art. Capturing such a complex and multifaceted animal is a challenge and to do this well it requires knowing your subject intricately. I am continuously studying and observing them, whether I am riding, sketching, painting, reading, or just spending time with them on the ground, it all plays a role in the sort of art I create. I don’t think it is possible to know your subject “too well” and there is always more to learn.
Q: Do you ride or compete currently?
JF: My time in the saddle has been sporadic over the past several years, as I have been building my business. Finally, after settling from my recent move to Atlanta, I am getting back into the game and am riding much more consistently. At some point I would like to buy a horse, hopefully in the next year or so. I find it highly important to continue developing my overall skill as an effective rider and would love to start competing again.
Q: Any fun summer plans?
JF: My summer has been packed full of painting, riding, and travel, all of which I would consider fun! I have been feverishly working on multiple commissions as well as preparing for an upcoming exhibition at The Grand Bohemian Gallery in Savannah September 2nd and then in Charleston October 7th. The exhibition will be titled The Art Horse: Series I as it showcases seven personal works of mine that are apart of the idea of the horse as art. Back in July I traveled to South Africa with a missions team to work with kids in a village called Vingerkraal, loving on them and teaching art. I have also recently traveled to Lexington, Charleston, and Southern California to do some pre-painting photo shoots for upcoming portraits. As the summer comes to a close I will be in the studio painting almost every day as well getting some good riding time in each week, and looking forward to my upcoming exhibition.
Q: Will your work be displayed at any horse shows or events coming up this summer / into 2017?
JF: At the moment, I don’t have any horse shows where I will be displaying my work, though I do plan to make it down to WEF again for private appointments and probably some other shows as well. I have representation at The Grand Bohemian Gallery in Savannah, where I am having my exhibition this fall, and there are several works currently on display in the gallery now.
Q: Anything extra you’d like to share that is unique about you or your art. 🙂
JF: There are so many variables to my art and how it has evolved over the years to make it what it is today. All of my life experiences go into my art because they are apart of me and affect the way I see the world and the horse. So what is art? I have learned that art really can be anything you want it to be, an idea, a concept, a viewpoint, a study, or moment in time. Art engages people and it challenges people, and above all it communicates something, it’s a universal language. The horse has been an integral part of human history since the beginning; as societies and cultures developed you find that the horse played a vital role. When I create a painting of the horse, it’s more than that, it is the idea, the mystery, the essence, as well as the rich history they have been apart of, influenced by my own personal experience. By creating works of art that showcase the horse I am communicating a message that connects with equestrians all over the world and will speak to future generations. I also aim to draw the attention of the non-equestrian, that they would be introduced to the horse in a way that fosters respect and engages their interest. My style of painting is a combination of different techniques, experimentation with color, and usage of different art principles. The paintings themselves could be placed in the category of Contemporary Realism, though I do not think they fit perfectly in any category, which is fine with me. Simplicity contrasted with complexity is an idea I have adopted into my expression of the horse, as I intentionally create paintings of just the horse, against a white background. I do not want there to be any other competition with them in the painting which is why I have found that placing them in this sort of idealistic environment of white has helped me achieve my objective. By doing this it allows the viewer to focus on the subject without distractions, leaving room for a clearer message. The symbolism attached with the horse as well as the color white fit exactly the sort of message I hope to convey. Ultimately, I am so thankful and honored to have a job that brings me such joy. I could not have gotten here by myself though and owe my success to God, for giving me my artistic gifts and blessing me with family, friends, teachers, and wonderful clients who have helped me and supported me along the way. Being an equestrian artist is something I strive to do to the best of my ability and I challenge myself to create artistic expressions of the horse that represent them well and give them the respect that they deserve.
To view and learn more about Julie Ferris’ equine art, go here.
Wow! Just wow. These paintings are amazing and so incredibly life like. In my opinion horses are one of the most difficult animals to draw realistically. Thank you for introducing her work to me.