Textbook Love Affair: Girl meets Horse

In the interest of full disclosure I will begin by telling you that I'm a pretty easy sell for anything with a horse on it. I keep my [ehm] problem it a bay (Ha, sorry that was totally  unintentional (p.s. I just realized that's only funny if your a horse person)) most of the time and limit myself to only the occasional indulgence- a dress here, a pair of socks there (no sweatshirts though. I draw the line at sweatshirts).

Danielle Hession, Cotton Candy Cloud,  Mix Media, 30x 30

I've discovered that my particular predilection is especially dangerous when it comes to art. I'm not sure if it's because there are just so many damn pieces with horses or if I just happen to notice them more. Either way it makes certain artists petty dangerous for me. Danielle Hession's work is rich with horses and pretty colours. I've had to pinkie swear not to buy any more of her pieces (i had my fingers crossed behind my back though).

Last year, on a trip to Montreal, I discovered  Andre Petterson at Galerie Le Royer. Petterson is from Vancouver (via Saskatoon and Rotterdam) and has been rep'ed by Baux Xi (Vancouver) since the 70s.  His work is primarily photographs overlaid with paint and scratches. According to his bio, Petterson uses photography to capture a single moment in time and then overlays the paint and other elements to communicate movement.

Andre Petterson, Macula Spill, Mix media

So point number 1 - there are horses so i was completely captivated from the moment i saw these pieces. In fact a year later and I still find myself thinking about them.  I wonder if Petterson's "moment in time" is made exceptionally impactful given the subject. Horses are about movement and grace. They are not a subject i would associate will stillness. Yet if you have ever spend time with horses you will have probably experienced a moment where you are both still and looking at each other. just for a moment the sound a soft breath is all you hear. And then the moment is broken. But there is a beauty to it. It's like watching an amazing film that suddenly stops on just one captivating frame.  Knowing that there was movement before, and that there will be movement again,  makes the stillness of the moment all the more wonderful.
Petterson's work is excellent, across the board. Check out his Flemenco series

Andre Petterson, Trickle, Mix Media, 36x36