Friesian abandons show career to become artist
The abstract impressionist works of four-legged painter Justin have garnered comparisons to Jackson Pollock and Vincent Van Gogh and sell for upwards of $2,500.
Top photo: artistichorses.com
Owner Adonna Comb’s discovered Justin’s talent two years ago when he would grab her dressage whip and use it to draw in the sand.
Adonna writes on Justin’s website, “As an artist and equestrian, I saw the creative possibilities that Justin could offer with his inquisitiveness. He is a horse who has his nose in everything. I ‘harnessed’ his creative energy through painting. He loves to use his big lips to move or pick up objects. I thought teaching him to paint would keep him interested and out of trouble. As it turns out, he enjoys ‘playing’ with the brushes and making brush strokes; sometimes he wiggles his lip in the paint on the paper. The abstract painting process is collaboration between us. I choose the colors and brushes and he spontaneously paints them to the paper or canvas. Each painting is unique and expresses Justin’s equine energy.”
Justin hosted his first art exhibit at his home studio in Columbus, Indiana, last weekend.
Prints and original paintings by Justin The Artistic Horse are available for purchase here.
- Send an email to wylie, the author of this post at wylie@horsenation.com
Awesome! I’ve heard of many other species, from cats to elephants, who express themselves through painting, but Justin is the first equine I’ve come across. I love getting a glimpse into another being’s soul that way
Time to teach my horse to hold a paintbrush in its mouth.