An Interview with Melody DeBenedictis: "Painter of the West and Its Wild"

How Moving to the West and Wild Horses Have Influenced Her Paintings

High Plains Glory 24" x 30" Oil on Gallery Wrap

EquuStyle: Where did you move from? And, how does living in the West affect your work? 

Melody DeBenedictis: I grew up in Florida, and from there made my way up to South Carolina, North Carolina in the mountains and a short time in the Tennessee mountains before making my move west. The landscape of the west is incredibly inspiring by its vastness. The smells, the sights, the sounds… it's an incredible experience that keeps drawing you in to the wild.

Tree Hugger 36" x 48" Oil on Canvas

EquuStyle: How would you describe yourself as an artist?

Melody DeBenedictis: I have been called prolific. I would say that I am disciplined and motivated.  Having two galleries teaches a great discipline to just paint. I used to wait for this euphoric high, and would be up for days straight painting.  As I had a retail gallery, early on it taught me the value of discipline.  Even if I wasn’t ‘feeling it’…I learned over those early years, that if I would just ‘show up’ at the canvas, whether I felt it or not, the creative would come as the brush hit the canvas. It's been a liberating experience to know that as I show up, so does the creativity within.  The motivation, that comes from the work itself, knowing the work is created in hopes of bringing positive change as each painting tells the story of our wild land, wildlife and the wild mustang.

EquuStyle: How do you hope to evolve as an artist? 

Melody DeBenedictis: Constantly growing in skill level. My work has come a long way over these 14 years. I paint on an average of 5 or 6 days a week. I have purposely not used aids, such as grids or projectors in my work. I have desired to continually push my skill level, working from eye to hand to canvas.

I have a greater understanding of the art industry itself, though that is constant ebb and flow, and am always learning. Staying flexible is essential to success. If we become rigid as an artist, it can limit our growth creatively and from a business perspective. I always say, ‘I don’t want to be famous, I just want to be rich’.  Obviously I am not there yet, Lol…  it takes money to do great exploits.  Can I be happy if I don’t reach a level of fame, of course, but I paint to bring change. So of course the money would give me a greater ability to ‘give’ in ways that I would love to help in so many ways.

At Copper Pond 30" x 30" Oil on Canvas

EquuStyle: Which artists have influenced your work the most?

Melody DeBenedictis: There have been many, but over the last few years, I would say Mark Maggiori has captured my attention, as he has many others. His work is amazing and he has reached a level of ‘fame’ in his work that gives him the freedom to do what he desires to do around his business and his work. 

I think when musicians, artists, other creatives reach a level of fame, opportunities open to drive the direction they want to move in. Art is fickle, so pleasing your audience while staying true to ourselves in our craft is always a challenge. As I watch other artists, it's not just the work they create, or the skill level of their craft, but I watch to learn. To learn how to be a better business person along with constantly working to increase my creative skill level.

Wide Open Wild 24"x 30" Oil on Canvas

EquuStyle: What is it about the West that most informs your paintings?

Melody DeBenedictis: Well, obviously wild mustangs are foremost. The grandeur and size of our western frontier is always desirable to paint the landscape as much as the wild mustang and wildlife. Light play is a huge factor in creating compelling art. 

Composition is next on my list. And, I love color.  When you travel across the west, it’s the diversity of the range that is moving. You have the desert, the plains, the mountains, the big skies above. Depending on the season, it literally comes alive; even the smallest rainfall can bring vivid life to the landscape.

I would hope that my work showcases the beauty of our western landscape, and the wild that call it home. I feel extremely fortunate that I get to do what I do, see what I see, experience what I experience, and then come back to the studio and recreate those experiences on canvas to share with the general public, giving them the opportunity to enjoy the wild in their own home.

EquuStyle: Where will you be traveling to take reference photos or paint on location during the coming months?

Melody DeBenedicitis: We’re in conversation about that even now, lol.  I am looking to go north into Wyoming and perhaps up into Montana before shooting back down home into Colorado. There are several roundups of wild mustangs which are very disruptive to herds, family bands and even the land itself, the timing of planning may be interrupted depending on where we choose to travel. That conversation is on to make some decisions on where to go.

Storm A Comin" 30" x 40" Oil on Canvas

EquuStyle: Are there particular wild horses that you have come to know and enjoy painting?  

Melody DeBenedicitis: I love the Sand Wash Basin of Colorado, of course because that was my first introduction to wild mustangs and to wild lands. But Wyoming, the Dakotas, areas of New Mexico, Nevada are also favorites on my list of favorites.

EquuStyle: What is the story behind “Meteor, Stallion of the Sand Wash”?

Melody DeBenedicitis: Meteor has a special place on the basin as he is the only of his color. After losing ‘Picasso’ who was known worldwide, it will be interesting to see which stallion is next to reach the acclaim that Picasso did.

Meteor has a beautiful color and countenance on the range.  He remains a bachelor stallion at present, it will be fun watching as he continues to mature to see how he does as a stallion with his own band of mares. To date, he seems content running  as a bachelor with his guy friends, lol.

EquuStyle: How has the work of wild horse advocates, such as Ginger Kathrens of The Cloud Foundation and wild horse photographer and advocate Carol J. Walker impacted your work?

Melody DeBenedicitis: We can learn a lot from them. They have been in the field a very long time. Ginger is a wealth of information as she has dealt with the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) for years.  Her documentation of herds and input is invaluable for the preservation of our wild herds. 

Carol , I met early on as well and have a great respect for the work she does, keeping the public informed and showcasing the beauty of our wild mustangs and the land. There are so many out there doing their part to make a difference. Supporting the work of advocacy is an important part of bringing positive change. In a way photographers and painters are the ‘eyes’ of what is currently happening on the range as they spend so much time out there. They know the herds, they see the landscape, they are the "catalog" of keeping a record of our wildlands in a way that the BLM doesn’t have the staff to do.

EquuStyle: How are you promoting your wild horse paintings as a “bridge” to educate the public about the plight of America’s vanishing wild horses? 

Melody DeBenedicitis: The raw beauty of "wild" compels people to want to know more. Traveling, doing shows, events, having a galleries…wild horses are not a "hard sell". Few people know much about wild mustangs.  The paintings are my way of "introducing" them to the public. The stories always come as folks ask questions.

There is a lot of propaganda out there, it's one of the biggest reasons I started traveling myself, I wanted to know first hand about the dynamics that surround the plight of our wild lands and the wild mustangs. It’s a politically driven issue that doesn’t have one solution to the diversity of issues that surround our wild mustangs and burros. It will take compromise on both sides to find solutions to assure wild mustangs, burros, wildlife, and the land itself can flourish. The demand of competitive industry on our landscape is fierce, it will take a willingness on both sides to bring sustainable resolutions to preserve the land and the wild.

Watchful Drinker 30" x 30" Oil

Wild Connection 36" x 36" Oil

Snow Cat 36" x 48" Oil

EquuStyle: What is most important for people and collectors to know about you and your work?

Melody DeBenedicitis: I am convinced that Art can bring change. Art is a form that from its beginnings has always told a story. Art is timeless. I am committed to being one of those artists with a passion to make a difference on behalf of our wild lands and those that call them home.

The importance of preserving our wild places is essential.  To lose the land and the wild would be a loss that cannot be described.  Sanctuaries and preserves are great to have, but the element of "wild" doesn’t exist there like the true wild. Once animals no longer have the social dynamics of "family" etc. between them, they are changed. It's important to recognize "wild" and do our very best to preserve it as it is with as little intervention as possible.

Bays And Blues 30" x 40" Oil on Gallery Wrap available at https://www.melodydebenedictis.com

---

Melody DeBenedictis

Facebook

Instagram

EXHIBITION/AWARDS:

2011 MUSTANG MAKEOVER, FORT COLLINS CO

2011 EXTREME MUSTANG MAKEOVER, FORT WORTH TX

2012 MUSTANG MAKEOVER, WY

2011 CHERRY BLOSSOM GALLERY SHOW, CO

2012 SPIRIT OF THE WILD HORSE SHOW, SANTA FE NM

2012 LOVELL MUSTANG DAYS, WY

2012 TERRITORIAL DAYS, NM

2012 STABLES GALLERY “HORSES” SHOW, TAOS NM

2013 WILD HORSE ART SHOW, MAYBELL AND CRAIG CO

2014 LAS VEGAS NM STUDIO TOUR

2015 THUNDERING HOOVES, BEVERLY HILLS CA

2015 THUNDERING HOOVES, TX

2016 THUNDERING HOOVES, MARFA TX

2016 THUNDERING HOOVES, SANTA FE NM

2016 CELEBRATING THE HORSE SHOW, SANTA FE NM

2016 LAS VEGAS ARTS COUNCIL STUDIO TOUR NM

2018 ANGEL FIRE STUDIO TOUR NM

2018 ANGEL FIRE ART UP NM, SECOND PLACE AWARD

2019 THUNDERING HOOVES, FORT DAVIS TX

2019 EQUUS FILM AND ART FEST, SEDONA AZ

2019 WILD MUSTANG SHOW, LIVERMORE CO

2020 SANGRE ART GUILD WESTCLIFFE, FIRST PLACE

2020 EQUUS FILM AND ART FEST, WINNER

2021 EQUUS FILM AND ART FEST, WINNIE WINNER

2022 EQUUS FILM AND ART FEST, RUNNER UP

2022 SANGRE ART GUILD WESTCLIFFE, SPECIAL AWARD

2022 EQUUS FILM AND ART FEST, HONORABLE MENTION AWARD

2022 SANGRE ART GUILD WESTCLIFFE, PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

2022 SANGRE ART GUILD WESTCLIFFE, FIRST PLACE AWARD

2022 EQUUS FILM FESTIVAL, WINNIE WINNER

2022 SANGRE ART GUILD WESTCLIFFE, FIRST PLACE AWARD

2022 VALLEY HARVEST SHOW, BECKWITH RANCH, WESTCLIFFE

2022 SANGRE ART GUILD WESTCLIFFE, SECOND PLACE AWARD

2023 ROCKY MOUNTAIN HORSE EXPO, DENVER CO

2023 COWGIRL GATHERING FORT WORTH STOCKYARDS

2023 MUSTANG SUMMIT, EQUUS FILM AND ART FEST, SECOND PLACE AWARD

2024 365 ART&COLOR ONLINE EXHIBITION/COMPETITION, ARTIST RECOGNITION

OTHER OUTSIDE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

"THEIR LAST RIDE” DOCUMENTARY FILM 2016

MEMBERSHIPS:

PRO MEMBER "CGA"- COWGIRL ARTISTS OF AMERICA ASSOCIATE MEMBER "WAOW"- WOMEN ARTISTS OF THE WEST ASSOCIATE MEMBER SANGRES ART GUILD, WESTCLIFFE CO

PAST GALLERY REPRESENTATION:

2012 GRAND TETON GALLERY, JACKSON HOLE WY

2012 CREATIVE SPIRITS GALLERY, FORT COLLINS CO

2014 THOMAS GALLERY, TAOS NM

2016 RUNNING HORSES STUDIO, LAS VEGAS NM

2023 MELODY DEBENEDICTIS FINE ART GALLERY, WESTCLIFFE CO

All images Copyright Melody DeBenedictis -all rights reserved. Cannot be reproduced for any purpose without permission from Melody DeBenedictis.

#melodydebenedictis #wildlifeartist #award-winningwildlifeartist #wildhorseartist #wildmustangartist #horseart #equineart #equinefinart #wildmustangs #wildhorses #wildhorseadvocate #horses #equustyle #equustylemagazine

Prolific Impressionist Painter William "Bill" St. George & His Equine Artistry

The spirited and inspiring life of talented artist, teacher, gallery owner, and former art director William "Bill" St. George 1939 - 2015

"Petit Rhone" Oil on Canvas 30" x 40"

Few artists are able to proficiently paint a variety of subjects both in watercolor and oil. William "Bill" St. George confidently painted Boston cityscapes, portraits, floral landscapes, and dynamic horses, often running through water which was a favorite theme of his to capture on large-scale canvases.

St. George liked to share, “I wasn’t always a full-time painter. I worked as an art director and a graphic designer for many years. While doing ads and creating logos was satisfying, my desire was always to paint. On weekends, or any other time I could slip away, I’d paint. I even moved my schedule around to take classes at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Finally in 1991, after the success of my first one-man show, I decided to follow my dream and made the switch from advertising to painting”.

William "Bill" St. George & "Mediterranean" Oil on Canvas 36" x 48"

All along I felt that art chose me and not the other way around. It may sound like a cliché, but it really has given me a way to express my inner feelings and emotions.

"More than anything, I try to give the brightest and purest notes to my color, as if the entire personality of the painting could be found in a single brush stroke. Painting is a process of discovery. Paint, as a medium, lends itself to many surfaces. In a single painting I will use brushes, palette knives, paper towels, any method to get my feelings onto canvas. When I create, paint is the master, and I am its vehicle to the world’s eye.”

"Spain" Oil on canvas 36” x 36”

From a young age, William St. George was drawn to the power and beauty of horses. By fifth grade, his sketchbooks were filled with drawings of them, and when time was available, he rode as often as possible. Now that early love of horses has been translated into powerful paintings that capture the beauty, strength, movement and mythical nature of these magnificent creatures. “You have to know what a horse is, not just the anatomy,” says St. George, “but you need to have a feeling for the spirit of the horse.”

While the love of horses started at a young age for St. George, the animal took a back seat while working inside Boston offices for several decades. During this time, the subject matter was the Boston Public Garden with its Swan Boats and all the surrounding brownstone style buildings. It wasn’t until his fifth grandchild, Sophie, took an interest in horseback riding at the age of five that the artist’s passion for this majestic animal was rekindled. The two would spend hours at the barn taking pictures of the various breeds. These photos would serve as the subject matter for dozens of his later paintings. The more confident St. George became with painting the animal, the larger and brighter the paintings became.

"Halfinger" is an 18” x 24” Limited Edition Signed Giclee Print

You have to know what a horse is, not just the anatomy, but you need to have a feeling for the spirit of the horse.

In 1999 William St. George established the St. George Gallery on Newbury Street in Boston, Massachusetts in a 19th century brownstone building. The same building where John Singer Sargent, the leading portrait painter of his era, once maintained a studio. St. George was both inspired and influenced by Sargent's later landscapes. His gallery received first prize in the storefront category of the Boston Mayor's Garden Contest on several occasions, including three years in a row. According to short article in BostonCatalog.com, he "approached his Gallery's garden with the same imagination and striking use of colors as he does in his paintings."

William "Bill" St. George painting "Vaccares"

For more than 20 years, impressionist painter William "Bill" St. George St. George hosted his own television show "Impressions" on Walpole Cable TV. He taught on location and inspired countless artists and students. St. George’s son Mike said that his father was a lighthearted, encouraging teacher, who told his students not to be afraid, but to dive right in to painting.

Comments posted online by friends, former colleagues, collectors of his work, and former students reveal the depth of their appreciation for his generosity, humanity and talent. One student named Rachel posted, "I can't paint without thinking of Bill. He was a wonderful man and a gifted artist and teacher." A former advertising associate named Paul shared, "Besides painting which came later, Bill was also a great art director to which I owe a debt of gratitude for inspiring me early on in my career."

As the cover artist of Horses in Art in the article "Inspired Brushwork" by Sarah Crampton, St. George shared, "The ability to produce hundreds of successful watercolor and oil painting is most fascinating to me." He also expressed, "Some people might think that working with speed would be a negative for an artist, but I find it a real positive."

"War Horse" Oil on Canvas 48” x 36”

More than anything I try to give the brightest and purest notes to my color, as if the entire personality of the painting could be found in a single brush stroke.

Painting is a process of discovery. When I create, paint is the master, and I am its vehicle to the world's eye.

Liz Ichizawa, Reporter for The Town Common wrote this excerpt in the Menlo Charity Horse Show Guide, 2005 about the sensations she experienced after viewing St. George's horse paintings:

“You can almost hear the horses snort, chomp and whinny in the oil paintings by William St. George. With thick strokes of luscious color, the artist brought to life not only the horses, but the whole atmosphere in which they move. You can see sunlight and water glinting and almost hear the sound of the wind.”

On February 7, 2024 the Walpole Public Library held and opening reception "Impressions"A Retrospective-William “Bill” St. George, 1939-2015.

Click on any painting above in the article or below in this gallery to be redirected to the painting, giclée or canvas print on the page of St. George Gallery for pricing information and to purchase the artwork.

Three Graces 58" x 82" Oil

Homeward 36" x 48" Oil

Storm 30" x 24 Oil on Canvas

Trio 40" x 30" Oil on Canvas

Poseidon 40" x 30" Oil

Pthalo 36" x 48" Oil on canvas

Hermosa 18" x 24" Giclée Print

Media Links:

Facebook

Instagram

Awards

• Special Recognition: “Impressions” - Cable TV producer and host for over 20 years

• Owner of the St. George Gallery in Boston for over a decade

• “Who’s Who” in American Art, 2008-2009

• Menlo Park Charity Horse Show - Artist of the Year, 2005

• WGBH Two Collection Best of Show, 2005

• Appeared in The Best of Acrylic Painting, Quarry Books

Corporate Collections:

• Executive Office of Citizens Bank, Boston, MA

• The Boston Globe, Boston, MA

• Mass General Hospital, Boston, MA

• Blue Cross Corporate Collection, Boston, MA

• Baupost Group, Boston, MA

• Colonial Management, Boston, MA

• Grill 23 Restaurant, Boston, MA

• The Bank of Canton, Canton, MA

• Kuhns Brothers Investment Banking, New York, NY

• Related Urban Development, New York, NY

• Executive Offices of Ackerley Communications, Seattle, WA

• The New World Power Corporation, Lime Rock, CT

• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

• Office of the Undersecretary of Finance, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

St. George Gallery

---

EquuStyleArt & Travel magazine appreciates Mr. Michael St. George, son of the late artist William "Bill" St. George and owner of St. George Fine Art, for providing us with information, awards, and beautiful photographs.

All images Copyright St. George Gallery -all rights reserved. Cannot be reproduced for any purpose without permission from St. George Gallery.

#stgeorgegallery #billstgeorge #williamstgeorge #fineart #equineart #horseart #equinefineart #horses #equustyle #equustylemagazine

Tony Stromberg: On Light and Fine Art Equine Photography

A rare interview with one of the world's top fine art equine photographers.

---

Unicorn

Where are you from and how does that affect your work?

I grew up all over the west. My dad was a geologist for an oil company, and we moved constantly. 18 homes by the time I was 18. Very nomadic lifestyle, which is probably why I relate so well to the American wild horses… nomadic by nature. Because of all the moving, I became a loner at a pretty

early age. I am sure this has affected my work in many ways. I work best alone. In fact, when I was doing advertising photography, I would go back into the studio after everyone went home at night, and that’s usually when I did my best work. I get distracted when other people are watching and expecting me to perform, to the point where I can’t really focus.

3 Brothers

Who are your biggest artistic influences?

That’s a hard one. There are not specific artists or photographers that I get inspiration from. Rather, I think it is an accumulation of everything I have seen, read, or heard throughout my life that has informed my artistic sensibilities. I also get a lot of inspiration from nature, and being

immersed in nature. I think all good art imitates nature in some way. We live in a very technical world and spend an inordinate amount of time in front of a computer screen or a phone. I think all the technology dampens creativity, and sometimes the best way to connect with our creative self is to unplug from all the technology and sit in silence so we can actually hear ourselves.

3 Stallions

How has your style changed over time?

It’s always a process. When I started doing advertising work, I was all over the map. I did fashion, food, technology, architecture, still life, catalog work, special effects, landscapes, because I didn’t really know who I was and had not defined my creative voice yet. I experimented a lot. I am completely self-trained in photography, and never went to school. I tried by doing, and by making a lot of mistakes, and learning what NOT to do. Over time, my personal style developed, but it took 20 years to find that. I spent years emulating the popular photographers, only to realize this was not me, and it was not coming from within. What I ultimately came to learn was that I had a deep appreciation for lighting.

Luminous

When I teach workshops, I tell people that they are not photographing a horse, they are photographing the light falling onto the horse. It takes a fundamental shift in understanding to really grasp that concept, but it is all about lighting. Photographers start with a black canvas, and we add light. We literally “paint” with light. After 20 years of studio photography, I learned how to “see” light. I am always looking for the light, so to speak. After I shifted my focus to horses, I realized I could take 20 years of experience in lighting and apply it to something I truly loved.

When is your favorite time of day to photograph horses?

Late afternoon, for sure. Magic hour. The last hour of sunlight is the best. In fact, in that late afternoon light, it is hard to take a “bad” photograph.

What motivates you to continue photographing horses?

I just love horses. I was burned out after 20 years of advertising work. I had lost myself after trying to be so many things and trying to please so many people. It’s a long story for another time, but when I started spending time with horses, they showed me a way back to my authentic self, and that was a huge gift to me. My work, I believe, continues to be an “homage: to the horse". I showed my true self to the horses, and in return, they shared with me their true essence, and that is what I try to convey through my work.

How do you define success as a fine art equine photographer?

When I was doing commercial work, it was constant marketing and it always felt like pushing a boulder uphill. When I started working with horses and started building a body of work with my equine photography, doors would open in front of me without much effort. The sense of struggle was gone. The 4 books I have published all came with little effort. When I started teaching workshops, I created them and people signed up, and it’s been going strong even efter 20 years of doing them. I think “success” is being able to do what you love and also make a living at it, without having to commercialize it or change it to fit someone else’s desire. I have a dream job. I travel the world photographing some of the world’s most beautiful horses, in some very beautiful places, and I get paid for it !!!

What have critics and collectors said about your work?

That’s an odd question. People that collect my work do so because it speaks to them on some level, and they love the work. I don’t think I have any critics, and if I do, I don’t really care what they think. At one point in my life, I would do whatever I could to please them, but not anymore. I know who I am, and I know my work has value. If someone does not like it, they do not have to look at it!

Why do you offer workshops and how do you benefit or find meaning from sharing your artistic mastery with other aspiring equine photographers?

After my first book was published, along with calendars, people started to ask me if I would do

workshops, so I thought “why not”. I started doing a few in my hometown of Santa Fe, and it just grew from there. I am happy to share my photographic experience. It gives me joy to see people learning what I have to offer them, and I love to watch them grow artistically, and to find their own voice with their equine photography. They come to me because we all have a shared love of horses and photography and want to share our vision with the world. What’s not to like?

Click on the button to see more of Tony Stromberg's equine images

along with his stories behind these gorgeous photographs.

Gallery of Images

---

All images Copyright Tony Stromberg Photography -all rights reserved. Cannot be reproduced for any purpose without permission from Tony Stromberg Photography.

#tonystrombergphotography #fineartequinephotography #horsephotographyworkshops #tonystromberg #horseart #fineequineart #horses #equustyle #equustylemagazine