When I’m with horses, I experience a sense of exuberance and awe. I find that same feeling behind an easel, paintbrush in hand, and a kaleidoscope of colors before me. Bringing these two passions together is at the heart of my work.
I’m captivated by the horse as a creature of contrasts: grace and strength, sensitivity and resolve. As Ronald Duncan writes in his poem The Horse, “Here, where grace is laced with muscle, and strength by gentleness confined.” Through prismatic color and expressive form, I seek to capture not only likeness, but presence and spirit.
Lauren Beights is an equestrian oil painter born and raised in rural Virginia with her three siblings. She never outgrew her childhood love of horses and art. While it remains unclear which came first, the two have remained inseparable. Growing up in the Virginia countryside, Lauren spent much of her time riding and drawing horses.
A self-taught artist specializing in equestrian oil portraiture, Lauren discovered oil painting as a teenager. When she found herself wondering what to paint, her mother offered a simple piece of advice: Paint what you love. Lauren painted a mare and foal, sparking a passion for the subject and medium that has endured ever since.
After graduating from the University of Virginia, Lauren continued to develop her artistic practice. Her paintings have since found homes in private collections and exhibited in galleries and venues across the country, reflecting a lifelong fascination with the horse and an enduring devotion to her craft.
Through her work, Lauren hopes to leave a unique hoofprint of her own.
