Lisa Cueman's Island Grazer, Sepia Fine Art Horse Photography

Island Grazer – 2018

Horses have evolved to graze almost continuously throughout the day and, in the Outer Banks, can be observed for hours with their heads down, necks swaying rhythmically, snapping off long, thin stems of sea grass . While I am rarely inspired by this common sight, this was one of those rare days of inspiration. As this wild stallion’s gloriously flowing forelock and mane stretched down into the late fall grasses, I was transfixed by the interconnectedness of the environment and the life it sustains. The only separation in the vertical wisps was the contrast of vigorous greens against sun-bleached browns. In reducing the image to an earth tone palette, we can more fully contemplate the wisdom of the celebrated author and conservationist Rachel Carson who, in her groundbreaking book Silent Spring, writes “In nature, nothing exists alone.”