Shadow and Embers

This piece is a deeply personal journey into memory, inspired by a majestic, purebred Arabian horse I had the privilege of caring for in my young adult days. He was a creature of beautiful contradictions—fiercely proud yet profoundly gentle, wild in spirit but exceptionally intelligent. In my mind, his untamed energy has always been intertwined with the wild winds of the Far North and the long, dark winters of Caithness, where I have lived for 24 years. This portrait channels that powerful presence, evoking the atmospheric warmth of intimate, magical folklore shared around the hearths of old croft houses while the gales howl outside. Crafted with rich, dramatic colour, it is a tribute to a horse that embodied the very soul of the northern elements: untamed, ancient, and deeply intelligent.