The Story Behind My Kentucky Derby & Horse Paintings
There's a particular magic that happens in Kentucky every spring — the kind that fills the air with the smell of fresh bluegrass, the thunder of hooves, and the anticipation of something truly extraordinary. As an artist born and raised in Ashland, Kentucky, I've spent years trying to capture that feeling on canvas.
Growing up in the Bluegrass State, horses weren't a novelty — they were part of the landscape, part of the culture, part of who we are. From the rolling pastures of Eastern Kentucky to the iconic twin spires of Churchill Downs, the horse is woven into the very fabric of Kentucky identity. And for me, that identity became the heart of my art.
Why Horses?
People often ask me what draws me to equine subjects. The honest answer is that horses are one of the most challenging and rewarding subjects an artist can paint. They demand precision — a misplaced muscle, a wrong angle of light on a coat, and the painting falls apart. I love trying to find a balance with realistic and expressive, poetic mark-making. The power and the grace of nature compliments the personality of each individual animal.
My equine work spans from intimate sketch studies of quiet single horses in pastures to sweeping race scenes that try to bottle the kinetic energy of the Derby itself. I paint with oils, which gives me the ability to build up rich layers of color — essential for capturing the way light plays across a chestnut coat or the deep shadow of a horse in full gallop.
The Kentucky Derby Connection
The Kentucky Derby is more than a race — it's a two-minute poem. Every year, I watch it the way a writer reads a great novel: looking for the story within the story. Which horse surges from behind? Which jockey makes the impossible move? What does it look like when an animal is running at the absolute edge of its capability?
Those questions live in my Derby paintings. I'm not just documenting a horse race — I'm trying to freeze a singular moment of athletic and natural beauty that exists only in Kentucky, only at Churchill Downs, only on the first Saturday of May.
My Process for Equine Work
Every horse painting begins long before I touch the canvas. I spend time with reference material — photographs, sketches, sometimes visiting local farms and stables around the Ashland area and across Kentucky. I study the way a horse carries its weight at different gaits, how its ears telegraph emotion, and how its musculature shifts in motion versus at rest.
From there, I work in oils on stretched canvas, building the painting in layers. I start with a toned ground, then block in the major shapes and values before refining the details. The final painting can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks depending on the complexity of the composition.
Bringing Kentucky Horses Into Your Home
My equine paintings are available as original oils and — for those who love the subject but want something more accessible — I offer sketch studies and high-quality prints. Whether you're a lifelong horse person, a Derby enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of these animals, I'd love for one of these pieces to find a home with you.
You can browse my Equine Works collection to see available originals and prints. And if you have a particular horse — a beloved pet, a champion racer, a family farm resident — that you'd love to see immortalized in oil, I also accept custom commission work. There's nothing quite like seeing an animal you love rendered in paint.
Thank you for reading — and for sharing in this love of Kentucky, of horses, and of the art they inspire.
— Michael Sexton, Ashland, Kentucky