The Hampton Classic Horse Show, which returns August 23 through August 30 in Bridgehampton, has announced that Johnathan Hallgrey, a native New Yorker, has been selected as its 2015 poster artist.
“The Three Hunters” has been unveiled as the 2015 poster art for the Hampton Classic, which will celebrate its 40th season this summer.
The selected artwork, "The Three Hunters", is an oil pastel done on paper that Mr. Hallgrey created in 1987. The image was also used for the self-published book cover of the “Sir Thomas Tattletales Equestrian Counting” book.
"It's a great honor and privilege to have been chosen to join the ranks of outstanding equestrian art representing The Hampton Classic Horse Show," said Mr. Hallgrey, who is an equestrian himself and rides both English and Western styles of riding. "I remember admiring one of the posters as a child while visiting my aunt in New Haven. I thought it was just magnificent."
A self-trained artist, Mr. Hallgrey traveled throughout Europe in the 1980's admiring great art and architecture. Upon his return to New York City, he worked for the Museum of Modern Art in books and posters. Being surrounded by art was the catalyst he needed to create images that are reminiscent of people and places he enjoyed reading about as a child and abroad.
"I was inspired by the graceful stillness of the equine and the exquisite equestrian attire of dressage and hunt fashions," described Hallgrey. "My equestrian style paintings were inspired by the ancient art of the Egyptians and Etruscans combined with a Modern French Art Deco theme."
For more information about the Hampton Classic Horse Show, visit hamptonclassic.com. To learn more about the artist, visit johnathanhallgrey.com.
on May 19, 2015