Appleton Museum to Open New Show, “Heart of the Horse”

The “Heart of the Horse” collection features 40 black and white photographs of horses that reflect the beauty and complexity of these exquisite animals.

Internationally acclaimed photographer Juliet van Otteren’s photographs seek more than the simple documentation of beautiful horses. Rather, her black and white images strive to capture their essence, perhaps even a glimpse into their souls. By spending significant time with a limited number of equine subjects, van Otteren is able to forge an intimate connection that captures their grace, close familial relationships, playfulness, and their ancient bond with us as human beings.

Juliet van Otteren began creating photographs when she lived in various communities in the Himalayas and the Middle East. After living in the serenity of the English countryside for many years, van Otteren returned to the United States in the late 1990s and is now based in Florida. Her work is in the collections of the National Portrait Gallery in London, the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris, among many others. Private collections include those of Gloria Vanderbilt, William Kennedy, Isabel Allende and Stephen Hawking.

Today van Otteren continues to travel the world creating unique images. The accompanying catalog, “Heart of the Horse,” with texts by astrophysicist and author Alan Lightman and a foreword by renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, was published by Barnes & Noble in 2004. The book will be available for purchase in the Appleton Store.

Upcoming Events with the Artist:

Gallery Tours

Saturday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Visit the museum on Free First Saturday and take a tour of “Heart of the Horse” with van Otteren. Both tour times are free for members and nonmembers as part of Free First Saturday. No registration required to attend.

Artist’s Outlook Online Talk

Thursday, Nov. 18, 7 p.m.

Join Curator of Exhibitions Patricia Tomlinson and van Otteren for a free talk on Zoom to discuss the artist’s work, inspirations, and more.

Meeting ID: 302 190 0088 │Passcode: 352352

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and Store are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. A campus of the College of Central Florida, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.