Few subjects have carried as much meaning throughout Michael G. Booth’s artistic life as the horse. Rooted in the artist’s earliest memories, this series of paintings and sculptures stands as a testament to a bond that runs far deeper than admiration; it is a lifelong connection shaped by lived experience, reverence, and artistic mastery.
Michael’s fascination with horses began during his early years on a working cattle ranch. It was there, as a boy, that he first became captivated by the strength and intelligence of the family’s team of workhorses. Those early moments around the barn sparked the beginnings of a creative journey. His very first artworks were simple yet expressive drawings of horses, hinting at the thematic thread that would run through his entire career.
Later, while attending college, Michael spent his summers working for the U.S. Forest Service, packing horses and mules into what is now known as the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, one of the most rugged and remote areas of the American West. These long journeys through untouched landscapes offered quiet moments of connection between man, horse, and nature. The visual poetry of those experiences would resurface time and again in his artwork. Michael didn’t just observe horses, he lived alongside them. Over the years, he raised and bred both AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association) quarter horses and APHA (American Paint Horse Association) paint horses. As an artist, he was especially drawn to the paint horses’ unique and dynamic spot patterns. These natural markings became more than surface decoration, they were integral to the identity and spirit of each horse, and Michael captured them with boldness and precision in both watercolor and acrylic paintings, monumental cement and bronze sculpture.
The Horse Series showcases the full range of Michael Booth’s artistic talent:
• Acrylic and Watercolor Paintings filled with expressive energy, sensitive detail work, and dramatic western landscapes.
• Bronze Sculptures, many of them monumental in scale, that portray horses not as static figures, but as moving, breathing beings frozen in powerful motion.
• Life-sized Cement Sculptures placed in public spaces, where they invite viewers to experience the grace and stature of these animals up close.
Whether working in two or three dimensional art, Michael’s attention to anatomical accuracy is matched only by his ability to convey the intangible loyalty, spirit, and a quiet strength that speaks directly to the viewer. His horse series doesn’t just capture the image of the animal; it honors the deep bond between horse and human, forged through labor, companionship, and trust.
To explore the full collection of original paintings in this series, visit the Horse Collection on Michael’s official website.