Fresh Paint
Michael J Austin
The new Equus series by Michael J Austin is a masterclass in creating a small, tightly focused set of paintings. These five equestrian portraits have immense variety of character, yet they are tied together by their subject matter, as well as the use of plain one- or two-colour backdrops and the unusual portrait-format composition.
“The mainly profiled aspect, nose down, I find perhaps the most serene and dignified equine portrait view,” says the Devon artist. “The sharp and solid nose bone provides a hard, sculptural edge to contrast with the soft yet taught muscles and tendons visible on the rest of the head.”
Michael’s aim with the collection was to focus upon “all that is best about the horse as a sentient
