Sheona Hamilton-Grant

Classic refined and timeless, pencil portraits are gems to be cherished. 

Simplicity at it's most beautiful. 

By showing animals in a range of different circumstances — in repose, in action, with other animals, with people - my work illustrates many of the fundamental reasons humans find animals so alluring. 

Drawing humans and animals together, behind the scenes, is a beautiful way of capturing some of the qualities that make us all human. Avoiding backgrounds adds focus to these vital qualities. Respect, gentleness, love take centre stage. 

All extraneous details are rooted out, reflecting an aesthetic of purity.  Every drawing (and each compositional element within) expresses a powerful authenticity on multiple levels: emotional, pictorial, and perceptual.

Dogs have a big part in my life and my art, they have shaped it with their waging tails and puppy eyes

I believe the perspective in capturing speed and racing drama is key.

The simple composition highlighting all the little details about the horse, the rider and the tack creates authenticity.

I bet if I told you these horses are bay you would not be surprised. Pencils can do that. Render colour in black and white.

P:S: a massive thank you to Linda Shantz and Juliette Harrison for going out early one morning and capturing these moments and letting me use their eyes (and photos) as a reference.

No matter what your point of view, dressage with horses takes dedication, skill and focus. Once that is achieved there are many moments of memorable beauty.

These drawings depicts this in detail.

Using a harsch crop, the muscle definition is highlighted, the rider gently pushed to the background and the horses allowed to shine.

Drawings depicting the power of one ps and more.

Combined driving (also known as horse driving trials) is an equestrian sport involving carriage driving. In this discipline, the driver sits on a vehicle drawn by a single horse, a pair or a team of four. The sport has three phases: dressage, cross-country marathon and obstacle cone driving, and is most similar to the mounted equestrian sport of eventing. It is one of the ten international equestrian sport horse disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI); combined driving became an FEI discipline in 1970. (source wikipedia)

Show jumping, the competitive sport of riding horses over a course of fences and other obstacles in an arena, with penalty points for errors.

Also an great source of study for action, tension and power.

A series of graphite drawings that tentatively touch the third dimension.

Ever wondered if, we artists, like writers, have to tackle the notorious "page blanche" syndrome?
The big white gaping blank page hole?
We do.
Sometimes.
These infuriating times, times when everything you know goes blank, do plague our creative muses.

Paper Clone is a series of studies that result from these moments.

Nothing is quite as it seems.
Real paper or just an illusion...

Getting in close, creating landscapes of unexpected detail, analysing...