Self-taught equine artist, Sarah Schryver was born and raised in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. She grew up without her own horse, but a country lifestyle was always a large part of Sarah’s household. Being a bootmaker’s daughter, Sarah learned to make her first pair of western boots at the age of twelve. Having an artistic influence and a fascination for horses, Sarah was continually drawing and trying to improve her work.

In 2006, Sarah was introduced to reining and working cowhorse, and has been attending shows ever since. In addition to reining and cowhorse, Sarah has taken up team roping during the winter months and has recently competed in ranch horse versatility. Having ridden for a horse trainer for the past five years, Sarah has been greatly exposed to the behaviour and movement of horses, and the lifestyle that surrounds them.

During the 2009 NRHA Derby in Oklahoma City, her graphite drawing, "Sit and Say Whoa," was voted 2nd Place in the National Reining Horse Association Art Contest. In December of 2010 Sarah’s charcoal drawing "Black Velvet" was a finalist of over one-hundred and seventy works in the Infinity Art Gallery's International All-Media Juried Competition & Online Exhibit. In June of 2011, one of Sarah’s charcoal drawings, “Teamsters,” was awarded with a Juror’s Choice during the “Hooves, Ploughs and Planting Fields” Agricultural Exhibit at the Langley Centennial Museum in Fort Langley. She was also presented with an Honour in the Arts for achievement in the field of drawing, by the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan.

“My lifetime of interest and fascination for horses has always been the inspiration for my art. In my work, I strive to portray their powerful movement, captivating stance and touching emotions. My primary focus is to capture a moment in time that connects people, on a primal level, to the equine essence.

My drawings are created in charcoal, which is rich in contrast and has its own unique layering. I use various shades of charcoal to create the textures of reflective metal, pliable leather and soft, silky hair. Using shadows of light to highlight these textures, I aim to create depth and realism in my art.”

| Welcome | Prints & Originals | Commissions | Schedule | Links | Contact Sarah |