"Growing up it was expected that I would following in my family's footsteps and become an artist. My grandfather had been a successful artist in Europe and Australia, my uncle was a photographer and art teacher and my father owned a design agency. But the pull towards horses was too strong. I abandoned art and started learning to train horses at 15 and began pursuing a career in horse training with the hopes of becoming a professional performance horse trainer.

​

During this time I studied Graphic Design at college to supplement my horse training business while I desperately tried to claw my way into the competitive western horse industry. I dabbled in reining, then moved into cutting until I finally was able to settle in my heart sport, cow horse.

​

In an unexpected turn of events, I found my way back to art one day when I was looking for some cow horse art for my home. I couldn't find quite what I was looking for, so I decided to make it myself. That's when I realised that all of my experience up until now had helped me find my place in the art world. It gave me the understanding I needed to be able to portray the passion and athleticism these performance horses express.

​

Today I love to share my knowledge and passion of performance horses through many forms of creative expression like painting, illustration, graphic design, product design and writing."

 

 - Leah Van Ewijk