Featured Artist Tori Gagne

Tori Gagne’s photography captures the power and grace of horses in the wild at various locations around the world. See more of her work by visiting her website.

 

 

I am a digital photographer mainly focusing on capturing the unique qualities and beauty of my equine subjects. I also have a love of the abstract—blur, lines and movement are a thread running through my work.

 

 

My series, Moonlit Dance, shows the horse in a dreamlike environment to depict the horse in a less representational way, merging the familiar and abstract.

 

 

These images were taken at the Return to Freedom Wild Horse Sanctuary and Preservation in Santa Barbara California. You can see the entire series on my website.

 

 

I grew up with a darkroom in my home, where I loved experimenting with developing film and prints. I was influenced by my mother and brother who were both professional photographers. I spent my early career running a garden design firm where I developed an eye for design, shape, color, texture, line and form. Later in life, I returned to college and earned a BFA in fine art photography.

 

 

I have been an animal lover since I was a child and later developed a love of horses. I travel to take imagery of wild horses in the American west and hope to inspire others to take an interest in the plight of our United States wild horse and burro populations. They are threatened by competition for natural resources from mining, ranching and water rights interests.

 

 

Observing the social behavior of wild horses is of great interest to me, especially the ritual posturing of stallions in the herd.

 

 

Parts of the whole are fascinating to me as well as focusing on texture, gesture, details, curves and lines. These elements stand out in my work and often lend a contemplative feel to the images where one can get lost looking at the details and suggestions of the whole.

 

 

Traveling to create unique imagery is a passion. I studied French for many years and fulfilled a dream of shooting the white horses of the Camargue region of southern France. The “Gardiens” (French Cowboys) herded the horses for me at dawn through the brackish waters at the edge of the sea.

 

 

My goals are to work with interior design firms, businesses and galleries and to focus on getting my photographs introduced internationally. I have recently been featured on the Feature Shoot Blog, shortlisted on the Communication Arts photography competition and have a solo show this fall at Lipton Fine Arts in Ketchum, Idaho.

 

 

I am continually inspired by the natural world, music, art, architecture and design.

 

Artist Tori Gagne invites you to follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

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