Horse Artist Interview – Katelin Henderson

Name
Katelin Henderson

Website & places you can find my work online
Website: fancythatidraw.net46.net/ (under re-construction)
Deviant Art: falloway

Where I am
Surrounded by bushland in Central Victoria, Australia

When did you first start drawing horses?
I didn’t start really drawing horses until I was about 6 or 7. It was only after I met a friends old and much loved palomino mare that I really fell in love with horses.

What is your favorite animal to draw?
Trick question? Horses obviously, but I’ve also got a love of fish, birds, deer, monsters and fantasy creatures.

Who are your main influences?
That’s a tough one; I tend to be influenced by styles rather than individual artists.

I find a lot of influences in Celtic, Medieval and 18th Century art, but I also have a soft spot for 1930’s-50’s posters and advertisements as well as anything Art Nouveau.

Do you (or did you) have an animal that is the muse behind your work?
Not as such, it’s more the movements and mannerisms of an animal that catch my attention and make me want to draw rather than the animal itself.

Do you have any secret rituals you do to help you get in the zone for your art?
Music and sunlight are always good, but if I get stuck I go and find a large piece of paper and some ink and proceed to randomly scribble, paint and splot ink around until I feel relaxed enough to go back to whatever I may have been working on before hand. Quite often I’ll find mini-pictures amongst the inky chaos that I’ll use.

Is there a particular place that brings you inspiration?
Australia in general is quite inspiring, the environmental diversity fascinates me. But I would have to say that a recent trip to Tasmania (The small triangular island at the bottom of mainland Australia) has been a huge inspiration with it’s beautiful mountains, forests and hidden waterfalls.

What effect do you think the Internet will have on art in general?
The Internet has and will make it easier for people to get their artwork out-there and noticed. People can get help and ideas from sources that might otherwise be inaccessible to them.

New techniques can be explored and built upon. Unfortunately there will always be those who abuse artworks posted online and will choose to ignore the artists wishes and rights regarding their works. But it’s a risk that many people are more than willing to take in order to gain exposure and experience.

Has it had an effect on yours?
I didn’t start taking my art seriously until I discovered the wonders of online galleries at age 13. The Internet has allowed me to expand and improve greatly.

Without it I probably would have never had the chance to speak to professional artists and illustrators and get advice on how to improve my own work, nor would I have had the opportunity to trade and sell artwork internationally.

I’ll admit that I’ve had some issues with some of my images being sold unlawfully on products via the Internet, but for the most part the Internet has been nothing but good for my work.

Which one is your personal favorite piece?
Unfortunately my favourite personal piece ‘Imagination’ has never made it online. It’s a graphite drawing from early 2004 done as a class assignment where we had to incorporate our hand into an image.

The final image showed a hand releasing a handful of torn paper into the air and as they were carried up, the transformed into various creatures and animals. It was the first piece I ever entered into an exhibition outside of school, and although I didn’t have the technique or experience to produce something as polished or correct as the other artists, I was told that I did manage to convey a strong message and emotion in the piece. I’m actually in the process of re-creating it at a higher standard.

Would you ever sell it?
I doubt it, but then again I doubt anyone would want to buy it as it currently is.

What else are you passionate about?
Where to start. I’m one of those people who’ll try everything.

Artwise, I love to dabble in graphic design, especially working on designs for print, websites and logo’s.

Outside of art, I love going out and experiencing the local roads on my motorbike, usually with my parents so I don’t get myself lost on a back road in the middle of nowhere.

Traveling in general, going out and seeing new places and finding new sources of inspiration. And animals, especially the family boxer dog Portia and my pet rat Bubo.

Working on anything new?
I’m in the process of starting to sculpt a Clydesdale mare. At the moment she’s just a series of preliminary sketches, but the clay and wire’s there waiting for me.

I’m also working on finishing countless other small and large works in progress. But they’re all personal, so I’m in no rush to get them done.

More to Come

Thanks to Katelin for answering the interview and sharing her art. Be sure to check back with her art website for information about her latest pieces.

Also stay tuned for more horse artist interviews & horse photographer interviews to come.

Are you a horse artist or do you know an equine artist you’d like to see featured? Add your name and website in the comments below or drop me a note to get involved.