Janet Crawford Captures the Moment - Horses in Art Magazine

Janet Crawford Captures the Moment

by Sarah H. Crampton

The Greeting – Oil on canvas, 18 x 18, by Janet Crawford. This painting will be part of Cross Gate Gallery's Master of Foxhound touring exhibit during 2007.
The classic portraiture tradition continues with the simple and striking compositions that are distinctive to the oil paintings of Janet Crawford. She often captures her equine subjects while at rest, waiting to begin, or taking a break from the equine sports of hunting and showing. Yet the peaceful and relaxed moments she portrays away from the action are gently brushed with an air of formality. Aided by the uncomplicated backgrounds, her portraits softly shine a spotlight on the subject, giving them recognition yet still representing them in a truthful manner.

The painting of the horse and hounds titled The Greeting is a mastery of the fleeting moment. The dark bay hunter has taken notice of the hounds, and they to him. It looks as though it just happened, not contrived. Crawford gets the viewer close to the subject, so that right away we are riveted by the immediacy and character of the horse and hounds. We also get the feeling the artist has developed an affection for her subjects.

Janet Crawford lives in Massachusetts with her husband, Rodney Hicks, who has trained Hackney ponies for more than twenty years. She is in a part of the country where she can attend various equestrian events. Crawford comments, "Old Chatham Hunt has been very gracious about allowing me to photograph the hounds. It's an amazing pack with top-notch staff, and I'm very lucky to have access to them. I love the hounds too. I look forward to opening day with the blessing of the hounds. That's where I get photos such as the one that I referred to for The Greeting."

The Red Coat – Oil by Janet Crawford.

After completing her Bachelors of Fine Arts at the Rhode Island College, Crawford began to paint professionally, specializing in portraits of horses and dogs. Her paintings have been on the covers of magazines, horse show programs and promotional posters. She has also illustrated for equine publications.

Besides the world of fox hunting and show hunters, Crawford also includes Saddlebreds, Hackney ponies, and Morgans among her frequent equine subjects. From her upstairs studio located at Sebring Stables in the heart of the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts, Janet Crawford continues to record glimpses of the diverse equestrian world around her.

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