Amanda Charlton

Artist Amanda Charlton is a lifelong horsewoman and nature lover based out of South Fork, Colorado—where she lives with her husband, three adopted Mustangs, three adopted mutts, and two adopted kitties. Charlton’s work with horses, grounded by energetic connection and flow, deeply inspires the intuitive, creative process behind her art. An avid ultra-marathon runner and endurance horseback rider, her passion for movement in nature is readily apparent through her work.

Born in Long Island, New York, Charlton studied Philosophy at New York University before making the move out West when she was 22 years old. She has never looked back. Charlton’s love of working with horses in a mountainous landscape has brought her through Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. In 2017, Charlton rode 28 feral Mongolia horses 630 miles across Mongolia in the world’s longest horse race— the Mongol Derby. Following this experience, the artist began experimenting boldly with color in her art and expanding her subject matter. Charlton also subsequently developed a passion for endurance horseback riding and dreams to one day compete with her Nevada Mustang, Little Chief, in a 100 mile ride. Until then, she continues to drink inspiration in from the great outdoors while exploring with her horses or running long distances on her own two feet.

Charlton strives to communicate the deep emotional undertones that pervade Mother Nature from a highly subjective, human perspective: though her subjects stand apart from human influence, it is impossible not to relate with them and see ourselves within their expression. Her work is intended to serve as a consolation for others—that, despite deep contrasting colors and strong opposing forms, harmony, balance and connection are ever-present to provide a source of beauty between the lines. Charlton works to guide the viewer’s eye through her work by means of strategically placed contrasts and patterns… she wants your eyes to dance, bringing the energy from within her work right into your very experience.

Art is a means of communication for Charlton when words simply aren’t enough, and she believes this exploratory, creative process to be deeply beneficial for the human psyche. Art is a realm that exists for many reasons—one of which being to help us approach our insecurities and fears, work with them, and turn them into something beautiful. The artist hopes that her work will remind humans of their soulful connection to other species, planet Earth, and one another… and that she might inspire anyone who is willing to run towards their lifelong dreams.

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