Anwen helps out at Berrima Horse Trials
In NSW eventing circles and beyond Anwen Keeling is well known as being a bright bubbly personality who is always happy to muck in a help at an event in whatever way she can. She is also known for her great works of art, not just the paintings that hang in galleries, but for the more personal paintings that now decorate several fences at Wallaby Hill and other events. We should also mention that Anwen is best known as the rider of Black (opps that should be Brown) Cavier - the Clydesdale cross love of her life!
This year Anwen is involved with Sydney three day event in a unique way as one of her paintings in being offered for sale in an online auction. The original painting in question is of the internationally acclaimed KWPN stallion Jazz, ridden by Kirsten Beckers of Broere Stud.
How would this painting look on your wall?
“This is just my way of contributing to the event and I love that I can do that creatively,” Anwen told us when we caught up with her at Berrima Horse Trials where she was busy helping as part of the show jumping crew. “At Wallaby Hill I try to ‘do’ a different fence each year and this year at Sydney there are going to be some wonderful wood carvings at various jumps which I’ll be painting too. I think from memory there’s a duck, some eggs and a trout … I’m pretty good at painting ‘old trouts!’”
A couple of the Wallaby Hill fences painted by Anwen
Anwen’s enthusiasm for not just her chosen sport but life in general is infectious and she is particually excited about an upcoming move where she will leave her Sydney base and move down to the Southern Highlands area of NSW. “I’m coming to the Southern Highlands because there are just so many wonderful people down here that I really like being around! I also feel that at the moment I’m spreading myself out a little bit too much with my painting, my horse and my teaching comitments so I just need to consolidate things. I’ve problably spent a bit too much time lately focusing on my large cart horse and I really need to get back into the studio and focus on my art, which at the end of the day is my work. At the moment my weeks are pretty unorganised and I do a lot of juggling. Trying to keep a cart horse fit enough to event takes up a fair bit of time, especially when I have to travel a distance to be able to ride. After the move my horse will just about be on my doorstep, which should make life easier.”
Brown Cavier and Anwen just love to jump
As well as being involved with Sydney International Horse Trials from fund raising point of view, Anwen is also hoping to ride Brown Cavier in the pre novice class. “We’ll have to see how we go at Albury this weekend and I’m a little concerned about his ‘airs above the ground’ that he seems to be enjoying at the moment. The fences are generally a problem but sometimes getting from one fence to another can be a bit interesting.”
Rose Read from Sydney International Horse Trials said she was delighted and extremely grateful to Anwen for the donation of her painting. "We think this painting will appeal not just to bidders in Australia but to equestrian art lovers worldwide. Everything is gearing up towards the three day event where we will also see the running of the Trans Tasman competition. With all the other equestrian attractions that are happening over the weekend it's going to be a great event."
If you are planning on making a bidding you’ll need to make sure you find a spot on your wall for this beautiful work of art because it’s not small. Indeed it measures 91.5cm x 132 cm and is valued at $8,500. All funds raised from the sale of the painting will go to the ongoing development of the Sydney International Horse Trials cross-country course.
Bidding is now open on Anwen’s painting so CLICK HERE if you would like place a bid. Bidding ends on Wednesday 24th April 7.00pm EST.
More details can be found at HERE
More about this beautiful painting
In true Keeling style this painting captures the horse and rider alone defining their individual personality. What makes this particularly interesting is the clarity of attitude the horse presents to the viewer. The result is mesmerising, in that an instant anthropomorphic reading takes place, where the horse’s intent is clear and marked. The eyes in particular drive this home casting a look that is thoroughly cognisant of the viewer’s adoration. And while adoration is certainly part of the equation, the underlining force of the work is the physicality of the horse as object, refined, statuesque and epitomising excellence.
More about Anwen Keeling
Anwen Keeling has a Bachelor of Fine Arts (First Class Honours) Australian National University. She was a finalist in the Sulman Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 2010 and 2011 for her paintings of the horses Parodie and Copabella Visage. In 2007 Keeling was awarded the ABN AMRO Emerging Artist Award (Employee’s Choice). Anwen is also a lecturer in painting and life drawing at The College of Fine Arts, UNSW and The National Art School, Sydney.
