On The Bit By Joanna Zeller

Artist Joanna Zeller said capturing the essence of a horse’s personality is a matter of looking. “The tilt of the head, the position of the ears, the look in an eye,” she said. “Most horses will tell you who they are if you give them a chance.”

Zeller grew up in Naperville, Ill., and has been studying horses since she was a child. She began riding at an early age and quickly began spending every available minute at the barn. At age 11, she completed her first portrait of a beloved horse for a friend, and her career was born.

She graduated from the Ringling School of Art and Design (Fla.) with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. She’s currently the head of an art publishing company in Sarasota, Fla., where she resides.

This week’s cover, On The Bit, is a 14″x 22″ oil on paper.