Anna Cher, an equestrian and canine artist from the UK, is a rising name under the Katerina Morgan Horse Polo Art Gallery roster. The new online art gallery, dedicated to both traditional and contemporary equestrian art, collaborates with more than 30 artists from around the world—including this artist.
Passionate about painting animals, Anna is particularly interested in their distinct personalities and the overall beauty of nature. Her artwork frequently incorporates equestrian activities, particularly horse polo, which showcases a balancing act between realism and abstraction.
As a horse rider herself, it’s only inevitable that ponies become a highlight of her art. “I have always loved horses since I can remember myself. There is something magical about them – their strength and grace simultaneously are just mesmerizing. I was a passionate rider when I was younger and only ride from time to time since then. But I am so happy I’ve chosen horses as one of the topics of my art research.”
She points out these four-legged beasts’ beauty that attracted her the most to them. Meanwhile, as someone who’s also fond of dogs, the artist is amazed by dogs’ social nature and variety of characters. “They are just as different in terms of temperaments as we are humans. I liked their spontaneity and true emotions. This is very fascinating and for me as an artist, it is exciting to depict,” she points out.
In terms of her style, Anna thinks that hers has become looser and more gestural than when she was starting, as she has never stopped experimenting.
On putting a focus on horse polo for her works, she describes the speed, power, and unpredictability make it “simply mesmerizing”. “I am just hypnotized by the combination of the beautiful horsepower and mastery of the riders’ coordination. That is a kind of controlled chaos of grace and strength, rules, and unpredictability,” Anna muses.
While she also has painted other equestrian sports in the past, the creative believes that polo is much more dynamic and unpredictable. “I just recently realized how much I am inspired by the courage and the confidence of polo riders and it makes my art much bolder as well,” she says about her latest work. “I’ve noticed that I spontaneously let more immediate paint strokes and splashes build those expressive emotions on the canvas.”
When asked about her future work, she keeps her doors open. “I’ll keep painting horses as well as playing with painting techniques. Hope to find some new visual ways to convey all the palette of emotions of this spectacular sport,” Anna ends.
