Forever Loved

This is one of those paintings that took everything out of me. I cried more doing this than I have ever wept doing anything, with the exception of a portrait I did of my pup.

Horses teach us so much. They forgive so much that we put them through when we are just beginning to learn about them, and then they look after us as much as we do them once they’ve accepted us as part of their herd. They want to please us and nuzzle us to say thanks for loving them. Their breath is warm and earthy, and even though they could trample us without really thinking about it, they can give the best, most gentle hugs.

Horses make us better than we could ever be without them. And, at the end of their lives, we say goodbye—all while hoping they take with them the way our hearts love them.

This painting captures that deep connection and the cycle of life and nature. The horse lying peacefully in a bed of flowers, with its body transitioning into the roots of a large, blooming rose, symbolizes the bond we share and the beauty they leave behind. I hope it resonates with you as much as it does with me.