always greener wild horse fence grazing bev doolittle art

Fences are made to be gone over, under, or around — that is, if we’re free. Always Greener, original stone lithograph — remarque, by Bev Doolittle

Whether it’s a mustang in the Southwest desert or a dray horse pulling a wagon, horses retain a sense of their wild side.

They may be circumscribed by fences, but that doesn’t keep them from jumping over, or even just nudging under to nibble grass. In their eyes, when they look at you, horses exhibit an intelligence and awareness that says,

“You may think you can tame me. Maybe you’ll put a harness on me. You’ll probably ride me. You can even say that you ‘own’ me. But the essence of who I am will always be wild and free.”

While taming animals is important to humans, because we need their strength, their abilities, or even just their companionship to add to our lives, it’s always wise to remember that the most domesticated animal retains an unexpected, wild side — a side that we cannot fully control, nor should we want to.

The issue becomes even more important when we consider the concept of taming humans — so that their strength, their abilities, their creativity, can be made available for the use of others. In some times, in some places, this becomes slavery, a disregard of dignity that reduces people to work animals. In more “enlightened” times, societies and corporations can use people without thought to their independence and freedom, their essential wild side that keeps them unique, individual, and precious. But humans are not, nor ever will be, just an employee, a taxpayer, a citizen, a unit of obedience, a social security number.

Fences? They’re Made to Be Climbed or Jumped Over

Always Greener, an original stone lithograph by Bev Doolittle, shows the innovation and determination that living creatures exhibit when they encounter obstacles. In this case, a horse reaches through the slats of a fence to access the grass — which is indeed greener — on the other side. For now, poking its head through is enough. Some day, when the green grass within reach is all nibbled and that left in the paddock trampled, the horse may decide to take a more radical, wild move and jump the fence altogether. It will never be fully tame, and in a way, would we really want it to be?

Stay Wild — You’re Not a Farm Animal

The featured image to this article is Always Greener by Bev Doolittle. You may purchase the print online at this link. Always Greener is beautifully framed and ready to hang.

More works by Bev Doolittle are at this link.

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More About Bev Doolittle

One of America’s most collected artists, Bev Doolittle has combined hard work and determination with a love for the world and wildlife. Her resulting artwork, known for its intricate attention to detail, resonates with collectors across a broad spectrum.

Bev Doolittle and Her Love for Nature and the West

Bev Doolittle Earth Is My Mother Camouflage Art

The Earth Is My Mother, an example of the camouflage art of Bev Doolittle, incorporates pictures within the picture to add depth and meaning to the total image.

“My love for nature, as well as man’s relationship with it, is the driving force behind all of my artwork,” Doolittle says. Nearly all of Doolittle’s prints have been sell outs at her principle publisher, the Greenwich Workshop, and the first book of Doolittle’s art, The Art of Bev Doolittle, sold more than a half-million copies in its hardback edition.

A graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, Doolittle and her husband, Jay, began their careers as art directors for an advertising agency. After five years of the city life and urban pace, the couple decided that they wanted to do something different with their lives and talents. They took their savings and traveled through the west, living in their camper as they painted their way across the western United States and Canada.

Bev Doolittle Develops Her Signature Style

A year of this Bohemian lifestyle gave Bev the time and freedom she needed to develop her unique style, and when she was discovered by Greenwich, she had found her niche. Her first limited edition print, Pintos, sold out at the publisher within weeks of its 1979 publication.

“One time when Bev Doolittle visited Wenaha Gallery, there was a line of people stretching outside the gallery and down the block,” remembers Lael Loyd, former manager of Wenaha Gallery. “She was gracious, kind, and funny, and she took time to listen to each person’s story, and to personalize her signing of the work they purchased.”

earth mother book bev doolittle camouflage

Emerging from the blue field of wildflowers, a woman’s face is hidden, and yet not hidden, in this Bev Doolittle painting

Especially popular with fans are the artist’s camouflage paintings, in which she tucks other images, such as horses, into the landscape elements of the image. Especially popular with fans are the artist’s camouflage paintings, in which she tucks other images, such as horses, into the landscape elements of the image. An example of this can be seen on the title page of Doolittle’s Book, The Earth Is My Mother, in which the face of a woman emerges from the wildflowers in the meadow.

In Doolittle’s composite painting of the same name (above), a woman’s face is prominent as the central image, yet is composed of a series of smaller drawings, all complete within themselves. The overall effect is one of fun playfulness, with a serious attention to detail, beauty, and the meaningfulness of life and nature.

Bev Doolittle Artwork at Wenaha Gallery

At Wenaha Gallery, we carry a pleasing selection of Bev Doolittle’s works, ranging from art prints of her original watercolor paintings to her books, as well as a series of her original lithograph prints. Timeless and treasured, Doolittle’s art conveys an appreciation of nature, a respect for the world around us, and an awareness of the fragility of life.