Featured Artist Clea Witte

Inspired by equine beauty, South African artist Clea Witte creates stunning and graceful horse portraits, capturing their essence with each brushstroke. To see more of her work, visit her website.

 

 

My love for art and my love for animals has been part of my life from childhood. Being able to combine the two is the driving force behind my inspiration.

 

 

There is never a dull moment as I have two dogs, five bunnies and a snake at home. The biggest inspiration behind my art, though, is my horse, Bo, a one-ton Percheron draft horse who lives with his herd on the Outiniqua Moon farm, near Mosselbay, South Africa.

 

 

I specialize in equine art—it’s the heart and soul of my work. Seldom do I paint anything else but horses. Both commissions and paintings are up for sale.

 

 

I love working with clients. I go out to meet their horses, and take photographs. Once I am home, I work on finding a connection in order to portray them in a way that brings out their essence. I find the energy I get working with the horses is an energy that I bring to my paintings.

 

 

My favourite part is showing the details in the eyes. After all, isn’t that the window to the soul?

 

 

My preferred medium is oil on canvas, although I normally start with an acrylic undercoat. This is a fabulous medium that I use to create textures, a rich palimpsest of marks that come alive when I add my oil glazes to bring out their depth.

 

 

I never follow a “recipe.” Each project follows its own path, seldom ending up looking like what I originally had in mind. I find that’s part of the excitement. The piece may have started out light and airy, and end up being dark and mysterious.

 

 

I absolutely love studying art, attending workshops to expand my knowledge, and of course playing around in my studio with my own ideas.

 

 

More recently I have added other animals, such as birds and bunnies, to my paintings. I am fascinated by the connection animals have in nature, and the kindness they seem to lend each other. Having spent a lot of time with my horse and bunnies, I witness the tolerance they show towards the birds around them, sharing their food and simply living in harmony. I look forward to working with this concept in the near future. Who knows where it will take me?

 

 

I’m a qualified graphic designer based in Cape Town, South Africa, and after many years in the corporate world, I opened my own studio, The Trotting Trestle in 2011. I now find myself blessed being able to paint on a full-time basis. Even though it’s a small business and takes a lot of dedication, time and commitment, it never feels like work.

 

Artist Clea Witte invites you to follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

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