About

I have always been fascinated with animals of all kinds, feeling an especially deep sense of connection with horses.

I live in the beautiful Mangaroa Valley in Wellington NZ, with my family, horses, pet sheep and alpacas, and far too many dogs!

I come from a family of artists, and the signs of pony madness were there right from the start, with one of my first school reports noting that I “managed to insinuate a horse into every illustration” irrespective of the actual subject matter. I started my horse portrait business aged 12, with the older horsey girls at school commissioning me to do drawings of their ponies.

After studying fine arts at Elam for a year, I moved to Australia and worked as a sculptor and painter in the TV and film industry for around 8 years. During this time I was also involved in creating many permanent works for museums and other venues, such as this relief mural for the Victorian Racing Club (Melbourne).

_{Cast relief mural 2/3 life sized VRC – detail}

Looking for a change in pace and lifestyle, I moved back to NZ and trained to be a naturopath, previously running a successful practice in Wellington for many years.

I draw my inspiration from a lifelong love of animals, and I enjoy creating artwork that brings joy and touches people’s hearts.

Jess Ryan.