I found the reference image for this painting on a stock photography site, and I was captivated by the photographer’s capture . Something about this horse and it’s powerful effort to shake off the rider really struck a cord with me. I knew this painting needed gold flakes mixed in the background and blending in with the mane of the horse, but I didn’t realize why until I began writing the story of this painting. Gold can represent divinity, and here is this divine and wild being doing its best to live according to its own natural laws while being held in the egoic environment of man. I think a lot of us can relate to an angry powerful animal that’s being used for something it doesn’t want to do, fighting against some thing that won’t yield, having freedom taken away and being told it’s for the best because, being in your full power and glory and shining bright with divine purpose is too threatening. We must be broken.