Horses in Art - An Equine Vision Magazine

Painting with Confidence and Style - Margo Mitchell

by Jo Auburne

When painting animals, Margo Mitchell’s goal is to portray them frozen for just a moment, made to seem as if they will suddenly move on the canvas, return to grazing, or shift their heads suddenly. Mitchell considers herself simply an oil painter who can’t seem to resist painting animals and humorously admits that this may be an obsession.

Early Light
Oil, 16 x 18, by Margo Mitchell.
Mitchell explains, “Actually, I do not select my subjects. They select me. It is not a conscious choice I make, to paint horses or cattle. It is more an irresistible urge that tells me these guys are going to be what I paint.”

“I’ve done landscapes,” she continues, “but when I first painted animals, I was hooked but good and have never looked back. If I had to give up painting horses and cattle, I would seriously consider giving up painting altogether.”

A year ago Mitchell moved to Cottonwood in the red rock country of northern Arizona. She comments, “I am still stunned daily by the gorgeous views. The change of scenery has spurred my enthusiasm for painting barnyard animals, since I see them everywhere in this small community. The local fairs and 4-H events are a treasure trove, and my camera is a constant companion. Everyone should be having as much fun as I am.”

Margo’s style of painting is representational but drifts towards impressionism, and is still evolving. She explains, “An artist working in a representational style typically starts off painting in extreme detail, as photo realistic as is possible. As time goes by, the artist’s confidence increases, as well as confidence in the paint and canvas. In my case, I began to find more joy in seeing exaggerations of the actual color of the subject than in duplicating the color exactly.”

Mitchell would like the viewer to feel the same connection, the same punch that she feels when looking at her canvasses. And she knows it’s a challenge since she gets a real wallop from them.

She says, “There are a lot of rascals out there, waiting to be painted. Can I capture that little bit of mischief?” Margo Mitchell feels that she has succeeded if the painting brings on a smile.

Margo Mitchell is a member of Oil Painters of America and the National Acrylics and Oil Painters’ Society. Galleries in Oregon, Illinois, Arizona, and Texas represent her work. She will exhibit at the Draft Horse Classic this September in Grass Valley, California. View more of her paintings at www.margomitchellstudio.com.

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