Gallery Wild | February 19-28, 2026 | Jackson Hole, WY

Full of Fire

By Alyssa M. Tidwell

The 2026 Chinese Zodiac is the Year of the Fire Horse, and Gallery Wild is celebrating the event with an exhibition devoted to equine art. The Year of the Horsewill showcase a wide range of styles and mediums from gallery artists such as Patricia A. Griffin, Carrie Penley, Sandy Graves, Taryn Boals, Nealy Riley and Julie T. Chapman.

Patricia A. Griffin, I Am a Ferrari, oil on linen, 84 x 60 in.

“The horse is one of the most iconic subjects in Western art, and that legacy is at the heart of our excitement for this upcoming Year of the Horse exhibition. For generations, artists have looked to the horse as a symbol of strength, freedom and the unbreakable connection between humans and the West. What makes this show special is how our artists honor that tradition while updating it through a distinctly contemporary lens,” says artist and gallery owner Carrie Wild. “Some artworks celebrate the familiar posture and power of the horse, while others abstract or reinterpret it to reflect a changing West and the momentum of 2026. This show feels like a bridge between eras, honoring the past while embracing a new, modern vision of an enduring Western icon.

Carrie Penley, Rides Again, acrylic and collage on canvas, 40 x 30 in.

Carrie Wild, Rendezvous History Equine.1, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 72 in.

Among the new works, which range from oil and acrylic to bronze and mixed media, is Penley’s Rides Again, an acrylic and collage portrait of a horse.

“Rides Again is an equestrian painting with American historical imagery and Western colloquialism. When you look at this piece I want the viewer to feel a connection not only with the horse but of America and the West. Jackie Kennedy and her sister Lee Radziwill on horseback, a famous Indian Chief, couture fashion brands such as Chanel or Hermes that often tailor their marketing around equestrian themes, [or] Gary Cooper from the epic western film High Noon,” says the artist. “The phrase [‘rides again’] has a distinctly American, frontier feel. It is rooted in cowboy culture, Westerns and rugged individualism. It suggests someone who keeps moving, keeps working, keeps showing up regardless of what happened before.”

Griffin’s dynamic I Am a Ferrari features a horse rearing up on its hind legs. “I Am a Ferrari is a powerful affirmation of excellence and good luck. I paint with the knowledge that the work will shift the viewer,” says Griffin. “Moving into this new year of the Fire Horse, we are asked to experience passion and enthusiasm, take bold steps and be dynamic; the wild mustang embodies all of these. By harnessing this unbridled stallion in paint, my wish is that it shares its strength with all who see it.”