Samantha was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Unlike her peers who couldn’t wait to graduate and leave this “boring” state behind, she had a love for the high desert. Samantha spent her time hiking through the desert landscape and riding horses along the Rio Grande absorbing not only the abundant sunshine, but a love for the beauty she found herself in. She graduated from New Mexico State University with a degree in Graphic Design, but has left behind computer controlled art for her true love – watercolor.
Statement
I’ve been artistically inclined for as long as I can remember and horse crazy since the age of eight. Horses and watercolors are one in the same in many ways; you can never stop learning and they will still surprise you when least expect it! The modern cowboy and his horse carry something of olden times with them. While glitzy shows with prize money may be a far cry from long, dusty days trailing cattle to Kansas City, the connection of horse and rider is still pivotal. People who work with horses love watching a good horse go to work whether it’s running patterns with precision or working a cow. My hope is that the same enjoyment is captured in my watercolors; good horses being brought to shine through good horsemanship.
My goal is not to create an exact replication of my photo reference, but something more: something authentic to the horse I’m painting, and believable to the viewer. I’m in awe at the power and athleticism of horses and I want my viewers to appreciate that along with me.