When I begin a painting, I start to paint the canvas in black. Black permits me a transition between everyday life, and painting, just like making silence. Then, from obscurity, I’m looking for light. My “light” in painting is emotions. It’s nearly impossible for me to paint what never caused emotions to me.  

With horses or dogs I am very concentrated on eyes. Just a look and something very strong can be expressed. With the animals, and especially with horses, it’s a very intuitive and direct way of communication. I have always lived with horses. They learned to me how to meet myself.

I have been riding for years. My horse “Hiram” inspired me my first painting and my first sculpture. I take a lot of pictures to have the just anatomy with the right movement. Especially for a dressage scene.

 But my paintings are first motivated by an emotion I had when meeting a horse. “FRISON” is an example of that way of painting.

When I work on commission, then I use photos. But when possible, I try to see the horse and to work from life, because if you don’t have in a portrait the expression which comes through the eyes, it won’t be a good portrait.

Some other paintings are a souvenir of a moment with horses. “SED” for example was during a trip in Spain. They are mares in the pasture from a famous breed. They were waiting for water. It was a very hot end of day. This one for example, was painted from memory.

I know famous breeders of dressage horses and often paint their horses.
All paintings you chose (except “FRISON”) where inspired by a dressage competition in south of France (Iberian Masters in Beaucaire).
I often paint on commission from dressage scenes.

I am not as close to the hunting world as I am with dressage world. But I like horses, dogs and country and I have the memory of beautiful scenes.

Frédérique Lavergne February 2007