About Kathryn
Growing up in Montreal, Iowa City, and Philadelphia, Kathryn Shagas studied music for
16 years before receiving a BFA in design from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Music continues to influence her work.
On walks near her home and studio in Baltimore County she is drawn to horses grazing in fields—their sensitive, quiet companionship and thunderous counterpoint of gallops, kicks, and snorts. She paints this scene in plein air and from memory,?expressing the… more
16 years before receiving a BFA in design from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Music continues to influence her work.
On walks near her home and studio in Baltimore County she is drawn to horses grazing in fields—their sensitive, quiet companionship and thunderous counterpoint of gallops, kicks, and snorts. She paints this scene in plein air and from memory,?expressing the… more
Jump to a project:
Horse Series
The earliest known horse artists worked in the Chauvet cave 30,000 years ago and it has been said that no animal contributed more to the spread of civilization. Today, horses are no longer needed for farming, transportation or war. Many have never seen a live horse, and paintings are often traditional depictions of racing or the American West. However, the horse continues to be a universal symbol of beauty, freedom and power. I am interested in the feelings that still exist in our collective unconscious after 30,000 years.
As a former musician I’m fascinated to watch horses in fields on the outskirts of
Baltimore. The contrast of sensitive, quiet companionship, graceful movement, and the force of a 1,200-pound horse thundering down a hill has the energy and rhythm of music.
In this continuing series I paint in plein air and from memory, happily crossing the border between realism and abstraction to express the feeling of a particular moment. Connecting with the grace, spirit and dynamic movement of horses still has the power to unleash emotion and free us from subconscious restraints.
As a former musician I’m fascinated to watch horses in fields on the outskirts of
Baltimore. The contrast of sensitive, quiet companionship, graceful movement, and the force of a 1,200-pound horse thundering down a hill has the energy and rhythm of music.
In this continuing series I paint in plein air and from memory, happily crossing the border between realism and abstraction to express the feeling of a particular moment. Connecting with the grace, spirit and dynamic movement of horses still has the power to unleash emotion and free us from subconscious restraints.
The Rhythm of Horses
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Hot Day2013, acrylic and oil on paper, 22" x 30"
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Blue Field2011, acrylic and oil on paper, 22" x 30"
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Two of Us2012, acrylic and oil on paper, 22" x 30"
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Untitled #62012, acrylic on paper, 22" x 30"
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Evening2010, acrylic and oil on paper, 16" x 23"
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The Race2013, acrylic and oil on paper, 22" x 30"
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Shade2013, acrylic and oil on paper, 30" x 44"
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Early Spring2013, acrylic and oil on paper, 30" x 44"
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Into the Light2012, acrylic and oil on paper, 22" x 30"
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Horses Whispering2012, acrylic and oil on paper, 27" x 42"