Sandra Meyer
Atlanta, Georgia
Professional Artist
How long have you been part of the horse world?
Horses were a big part of my childhood and I would ride bareback and Western under the sunny skies of San Diego County in California, where I grew up. If I wasn’t riding horses after school, I was teaching myself how to paint them. I have never owned my own horse, but I had horse people serendipitously around me who would let me ride and care for their horses. I was an introverted, shy child and these beautiful animals healed me from hurts, brought out my best, and were my inspiration and my muse for my work later in life.
What part do you play in the horse world?
First and foremost, I’m a painter of horses. I love them as subjects, and I love to capture how they make me feel and to capture their untamed spirit in a moment on canvas.
What’s your favorite thing about what you do?
There’s no better feeling than to create a piece of art that moves someone so much that it makes them feel deeply, bringing them to tears at times, or stirs up feelings of inspiration, joy, triumph and strength — all the qualities I think my work embodies and symbolizes. When I’ve done that, I’ve done my job as a painter.
What’s your biggest achievement?
I was always told that I could never be a full-time working artist, so I put that dream off for some time. But as I got older, I found that love for it again and that love and dream turned into a career. It wasn’t easy, and it took years of teaching myself at night, after working a full-time job. I had just lost my job, and had a new baby. Fast forward many years later, now, I show my work all around the country, I’m in several galleries, and I have many collectors who have supported my art for many years. I support my family fully on my artwork. My husband, Mark, was a big supporter and encourager of my art — he’s been my studio manager from the beginning. I have to credit him for giving me a push in the beginning years, because when I finally started, it started to pay off. I think that’s the biggest accomplishment anyone could ever do, to take a chance on themselves and make their dream a reality.
What are your goals for the future?
To open up a studio/gallery of my own someday, near the beach! How perfect would that be?
What’s the best thing about your life?
My husband, my son, family and friends. They all support me so much. And that I get to create and use my imagination for a living!
Best-kept secret about what you do?
I studied music performance in college and played classical oboe. I have since put it aside for painting. And on the flip side, I never went to art school!
For more information, visit www.sandrameyergallery.com and Instagram @sandrameyergallery
Photos courtesy of Sandra Meyer
