Splash by Martin Mobbs

When I first looked at Martin's, 'Splash', I was struck by Martin's artistic confidence. Traditional equine art, focuses upon the head or body of the horse, but Martin takes us to the place where the rubber hts the road - or where the hooves pound the earth.

There's so much in this work that grabs the viewer's attention. The action we see is empowered with dramatic splashes of water.  Small bubbles fly everywhere.

I like how Martin focuses on the legs and feet of the horse. Martin doesn't need eyes or a flying mane, or a froth filled mouth to tell his story.

Martin focuses his artistic lens tightly onto, hooves, legs, flying water and earth.  That's about all.  But yet, so little tells so much.

Look at the wet sheen on the animals' legs. It not only highlights wetness and light but it emphasizes the drama within the animal.

The light phtalo blue creates a surface halo effect. The contrasting temperature values between the upper oranges and the light blues emphasizes the tension within the horse. You can see the inner struggle of energy and power working its way through muscle, tendon and bone outwards into external action and then moving to the point of contact with the earth and disippating itself into flying bubbles - where energy bursts into air.

The leftward tilt of the animal and its loose inverted triangular shape with the apex in the bottom right corner and the minimalism of the work contribute to its overall impact.

I don't think that it will be long before this work finds the right home.

To view this and other works by Martin, please click here.