Esther Towler Captures Britain's Rare Horse Breeds and Wild Landscapes
Artist Esther Towler, who began riding in her late twenties as an escape from personal hardship, has spent six years photographing all thirteen of Britain's rare native horse breeds for her monograph 'Wild Hearts'. Her work spans photography, Van Dyke brown printing, photo-encaustic, and cyanotypes made directly on Saddleworth Moor using moorland grasses, heather, ferns, and peat bog water. The Elemental series involves a year-long commitment across all four seasons; after a moorland fire, she gathered charcoal from burned ground and drew with it onto prints. Towler's practice is rooted in observation and presence, aiming to capture wildness without diminishing it. Her limited edition prints include 'Suffolk Horse', 'Dales Pony', 'Newforest', 'Tailwind', 'Carneddau Ponies', and 'Titan's Horses'. She invites followers on Instagram and Facebook.
Key facts
- Esther Towler began riding in her late twenties when her daughter was ill.
- She studied photography at university.
- Her monograph 'Wild Hearts' documents all thirteen of Britain's rare native horse breeds.
- The project took six years and covered remote areas of Scotland, England, and Wales.
- She uses Van Dyke brown printing for warm, earthy tones.
- Photo-encaustic embeds photographs into layers of molten beeswax and resin.
- The Elemental series uses cyanotypes made on Saddleworth Moor with local materials.
- After a moorland fire, she used charcoal from the burned ground to draw on prints.
Entities
Artists
- Esther Towler
Locations
- Britain
- Scotland
- England
- Wales
- Saddleworth Moor