In the family where I, Jan (Maria) Peeters (Amstelveen, 1963) grew up, a lot of attention was paid to photography, drawing and painting. The series 'Schoonheid van ons Land’ (‘Beauty of our country') with it’s fabulous black and white photographs was an endless source of inspiration in terms of atmosphere and composition. My interest in (military) history led me on the trail of  Rien Poortvliet  (1932-1995) and military painters like Jan Hoynck van Papendrecht  (1858-1933) and  Hermanus Willem Koekkoek  (1867-1929).

Around the age of fifteen I saw Scotland forever with which  Lady Elizabeth Butler  (1846-1933) immortalized the scots greys' illustrious cavalry attack at Waterloo. I started dreaming about being able to paint like this one day myself, especially horses. Although I studied books like 'How to draw Horses' and George Stubbs’ ‘The Anatomy of the Horse’, it seemed far beyond my reach.

Initially I followed, albeit in pencil, the example of my brother Nico  (1949-) who began to develop as a military aviation painter. When I got more experienced, I tried successfully to draw a racehorse and it’s jockey. From there on I concentrated on drawing horses. I am still grateful to the Utrecht mounted police for the hospitality and expert-critical look with which my drawings were looked at.

And because those beautiful animals just begged for the use of color I took the first steps with watercolor (pencil) and a single time with oil paint. But in the end, I prefer watercolor.

Professional painting, however, seemed unfeasible back then and that's how I ended up in journalism. Due to the hectic nature of work and having a family, I could only dream of painting. But I did take pictures, though, "for maybe one day". That day didn’t come until 2017, when I had the irresistible lust and the peace to paint some horses. Not long after, a reorganization and resignation freed up head and hands to focus on a career as a horse painter.

The spectacular of the charge with which Elizabeth Butler enchanted me at the time, I try to catch in turn with up-and-coming polo players, galloping mares and storming trotters. Horses forever!

Jan Peeters