The art of the horse has long been a staple of Western art, with many artists not only admirers of the majestic and steadfast beasts, but also caretakers, horseback riders and ranchers. The annual Hold Your Horses! Exhibition & Sale at the Phippen Museum celebrates the beauty of the horse through the works of 45 talented Western artists, which includes this year’s featured artist Marlin Rotach, who won the Hold Your Horses! People’s Choice award in 2020 for his painting Buck and a Quarter. 
Don Weller, The Buffalo Search, watercolor, 17 x 24”
Barbara Meikle, Splashing Across the Salt River, oil on canvas, 20 x 30”
Among the artists included in this 2021 event is Barbara Meikle, who creates colorful depictions of animals that capture their vibrant energy and spirit. “I call my work ‘expressive impressionism’—the color expresses emotion and the brush and knife-work gives the impression of the animal or landscape,” says Meikle. Splashing Across the Salt River captures three horses playfully trotting and dashing across the river. “I’ve endeavored for over 20 years to create my own way of seeing the world, wanting to liberate the viewer from preconceived notions of what painting ought to be, and freeing them to explore what it can be.”
Marlin Rotach, When It Rains, watercolor, 24 x 18”
Barbara Meikle, Friends and Family, oil on canvas, 12 x 24”
The exhibition and sale runs from August 7 to September 26. A special Opening Reception & Member’s Preview is set for Friday, August 6, at 5:30 p.m. On August 7, the museum will hold a day of “Horsing Around” beginning at 10 a.m. with participating artist Elena Eros, who will give a demonstration of her painting techniques. Also on August 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., education coordinator Neal McEwen will offer a sculpting demonstration. —
Hold Your Horses! Exhibition & Sale
August 7-September 26, 2021
Phippen Museum, 4701 AZ-89, Prescott, AZ 86301
(928) 778-1385, www.phippenartmuseum.org
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