Helen Scanlon, Equine Artist
expressive equine portraiture

Equine Art For Sale click here

Equine Gallery | Pet Portraits | About | Process | Studio Journal | Links | Contact

Bio:
Equine Artist Helen Scanlon of Sound the Bugle Studio has been drawing and studying horses since she was a small child.

Growing up on a farm gave Helen many opportunities to draw horses from life. In college, she studied dressage and worked as a groom at a large dressage facility. She was able to draw extended trots, collected canters and horses "on the bit" directly from the source. One of her greatest joys was the hours spent in study of training sessions and clinics.

A Connecticut native, Helen Scanlon had her equine artwork published in an Arabian horse journal at age 13. As an undergraduate in 1990, Helen had her first gallery show with other accomplished artists, which received excellent reviews and was listed in Connecticut magazine. Sound the Bugle Studio was founded in 2003, marking the official start of Helen's career as an Equine Artist.

Helen opens her personal studio in Connecticut several times a year to sell her originals. She prides herself on capturing individual equine character as well as an image and her loose, expressive pencil drawings are popular as is her vibrant, fun watercolor and ink work. She also welcomes commission inquiries for custom portraits of horses and pets.

Helen holds a BA both in Art History and in Sociology from the University of Connecticut, with minor concentrations in drawing and design.

Helen Scanlon's work is in private collections in the United States, Canada and the UK. Her artwork has also been featured in Polo Players' Edition magazine and she is a longtime member of the internationally acclaimed Equine Art Guild.

Artist's Statement:
The equine form is a masterpiece of art and science: beautiful, complex and intricate.

As an equine artist, I cannot simply put an image on the paper. I must somehow try to feel the fire and soul of the horse and convey it with line and texture.

Capturing the ancient nobility of the horse has long fascinated and inspired the artist. The challenge that is presented is no small one: record with art the pulse-quickening beauty and power of the equine; staying true to the complexities of their anatomy, the precision of their movement and their myriad of expressions.

The muse is ever changing: one day, a powerful stallion may appear, another day it may be a kind-faced mare. My line is quick; striking while the feeling is fresh, and leaving when the energy is imparted. I don't always stay in the lines, much like my subjects.

I don't cover up the process. You can see lines, ghosts of lines erased and re-drawn, blending and re-working: it's all there. Memory and imagination are not static and the lines reflect that. Original expressive artistic interpretation is very important to me as I strive for the connection that engages your eyes as well as your heart.

I aim to show some humble gratitude for all that the horse has given us.