Denise Horne-Kaplan • Studio Stories

Women Artists of the WestColorsPaintersmall worksWestern LifeWestMiniature PaintingsLarge paintings

Jul 7

Written By WAOW .

Denise Horne-Kaplan

I've been drawing and painting most all of my life but the past 12 years I've been focusing on miniature fine art. I love the challenge of painting fine details of a complicated subject and capturing an emotion that draws you in.
My heart is being pulled further into the Western genre which for me, requires the study of everything from horse anatomy to period historical Western and Native Am. Indian clothing. One time I couldn't see the cows' teeth in my lousy reference photo, so I researched it and to my amazement they don't have upper front teeth! I love discovering what the Native Indian symbols that they paint on their war ponies mean as well as the feathers; correct placement and colors used on the horse or Native Indian, a notch or red paint on a feather can mean wounded in battle or what manner in which he killed his enemy. I enjoy getting it right, but if it's not, that's okay, it's art and it doesn't have to be perfect. It's all about the passion of creating it.