Nichola Eddery shares an inner peek at the world of sporting art

Eddery later carved her own path into the arts. Her training reflected this dedication to technical excellence, having studied in renowned ateliers, particularly the Charles H Cecil Studios in Florence, Studio Escalier in Paris; she also experienced painting renowned racehorses in the United States, among others. Throughout her career, she went beyond her initial intention to paint representational art drawn from the techniques of Old Masters by allowing her understanding of light, texture and form to conjure modern takes.

This rigorous schooling manifests in her technique, particularly the indirect layering process of oil painting. She fondly recalls studying with the late Ted Seth Jacobs, who taught her the crucial skill of “understanding how light interacts with form” and, specifically for her recent series, “how to paint silk.” This unseen effort is the foundation of her portraiture, allowing her to capture the vivid luminosity of racing silks in a way that is both precise and emotionally resonant.

Her fifth solo exhibition, Silks, Horses & Hounds at the Osborne Studio Gallery in Belgravia, London, was a rich, evocative celebration of her heritage and her dedication to technical mastery. More than a mere showcase of equestrian subjects, Eddery’s latest work is an articulate conversation between classical art, personal memory and the enduring spectacle of horse racing and hunting traditions among British people.

In the said series, she ventures beyond the traditional equine portrait, often challenging the format through classical inspiration. A key series, the Jockey Silks, was born from her residency at the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket, a studio that welcomes a view of the historic Rothschild Yard, a haven for revered pieces in sporting art—from George Stubbs to Sir Alfred Munnings—and the acclaimed steeds relishing their retirement.

One of the most compelling pieces in the series is The Illustrious Blue and Orange Silks, which presents the jockey Colm O’Donoghue in the racehorse owner Michael Tabor’s distinctive colours, which have seen innumerable victories. Inspired by the mysterious allure of Parthenon sculptures at the British Museum, particularly the Elgin Marbles, the artist suspends the jockey in a crouched riding position without a fully rendered horse beneath him, departing from the traditional sporting art’s approach of delivering a more abstract perspective of the subject’s enduring success no matter which horse he had throughout his career.

Beyond the turf, the exhibition also included a striking series of dog portraits, specifically sighthounds. Having grown up immersed in the country’s hunting culture, Eddery was always drawn to these animals. For her, what weaves them together with the racehorses is their grace in athleticism and statuesque quality.

This series draws inspiration from another historical sporting artist, Sir Edwin Landseer, who captured dogs so beautifully. Eddery’s piece, Noble Hunter, portrays a whippet set against a section of the 13th century V&A Devonshire Hunting Tapestry. Through Landseer’s composition, Eddery comments on the historical depiction of the special dogs as loyal companions for royalty and nobility, providing a magnificent backdrop for a modern, elegant sighthound. Another painting, The Study of Eos, is a transcription of Landseer’s famous painting of Prince Albert’s favourite greyhound.

For around two years now, Eddery has been affiliated with the said horseracing museum, not only teaching equine drawing about the works of sporting artists who came before her. It has allowed her to study the techniques of the masters, observing up close “how Munnings depicts motion and how he constructs his compositions,” for instance. This connection to history has proven to be essential in her work, capturing the enigmatic personalities and finesse of some of the most revered jockeys today like James Doyle, Jamie Spencer and Ryan Moore, to name a few. Among the racehorses she has painted, Honor Code, stands out; the animal is renowned for being a Champion Older Dirt Male, a winner of the Whitney Cup in the United States and now serves as a stud in Japan. Another notable racer was the late Saddler’s Wells, the world’s leading sire of all time, for his owner Mr and Mrs John Magnier.

Eddery believes art is an essential luxury, not just a decoration. “Any art is a way of escaping, isn’t it?” she quips.

Ultimately, she hopes that through her works, viewers and collectors find a sense of peace, happiness, even mere connection or resonance with these creatures she describes as incredibly kind and magically beautiful. By combining her technical rigour with a profound emotional connection to her subjects in pursuit of freezing in time their grandness yet in a subtle, meditative manner, Eddery contributes to the continuation of the timelessness of sporting art.

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