Mirrorball Gallery Presents EQUINE: A Year of the Horse

A Multi-Artist Equestrian Exhibition Opens February 18 in Tryon, North Carolina

Mirrorball Gallery announces EQUINE: A Year of the Horse, a multi-artist equestrian exhibition opening February 18 at 6 PM in downtown Tryon. The curated group show brings together contemporary artists and photographers whose work explores the horse as subject, symbol, and spirit, offering a refined take on equestrian art for collectors, designers, and culture-minded viewers.

Print by Artist Phil Garrett

Spanning fine art photography and contemporary painting, EQUINE: A Year of the Horse celebrates the enduring power of equine imagery—where movement, mythology, and modern aesthetics converge. The exhibition is designed for those seeking gallery-quality equestrian wall art, collector-ready horse photography, equine paintings, and Western North Carolina fine art rooted in place, tradition, and contemporary vision.

An Equestrian Exhibition Rooted in Place

Situated in the heart of Tryon, North Carolina, a town internationally recognized for its deep equestrian heritage, Mirrorball Gallery provides a natural setting for an exhibition honoring the beauty, presence, and intelligence of the horse.

EQUINE: A Year of the Horse highlights the role of equestrian imagery in luxury interiors, sporting culture, and contemporary collecting, while positioning Tryon as a destination for equestrian lifestyle, arts and culture, and fine art tourism.

Featured Artists

Monica Stevenson — Photographer
Monica Stevenson’s fine art photography captures the emotional intelligence and physical poetry of the horse, focusing on gesture, light, and the subtle relationship between animal and environment. Her work balances strength and softness with a clean, contemporary sensibility, resonating with collectors seeking elegant equine photography for residential and hospitality interiors.

“Photographing horses is an exercise in presence,” Stevenson notes. “The camera can only follow what the horse is willing to reveal.”

Phil Garrett — Artist
Phil Garrett creates expressive equestrian work centered on movement, character, and momentum. Rooted in observation and driven by bold mark-making, his pieces connect traditional equestrian art with modern collecting.

“Horses are pure momentum and memory,” Garrett says. “I try to make work that holds both.”

Lauren Bergrud — Artist
Lauren Bergrud’s equestrian paintings explore atmosphere, composition, and narrative. Her work emphasizes balance and visual rhythm, offering contemporary equestrian wall art that feels both timeless and current for collectors and designers inspired by the equestrian lifestyle.

Caroline Young — Artist
Caroline Young presents equine-inspired work that channels intuitive color, expressive energy, and emotional resonance. Her contribution expands the exhibition beyond representation into mood and spirit, aligning equestrian tradition with contemporary fine art expression.

Taylor Bareford — Photographer
Atlanta-based artist and educator Taylor Bareford works primarily with historical and alternative photographic processes, creating conceptually driven images across a range of subjects. His practice brings a process-forward, archival sensibility to the exhibition.

David Underwood — Photographer and Mixed-Media Artist
David Underwood’s mixed-media photographic work pushes beyond single-frame imagery, combining original photographs with text, drawing, painting, and collage. His work contributes to the broader continuum of contemporary mixed-media and image-text practices.

Debbie Rubin — Photographer
An award-winning landscape and fine art photographer, Debbie Rubin maintains studios in southern Florida and the mountains of Western North Carolina. Her work adds a sense of place, atmosphere, and quiet observation to the exhibition.

Event Details

Opening Reception: February 18, 2026 | 6 PM
Exhibition Dates: February 18 – March 8, 2026
Location: Mirrorball Gallery, Tryon, North Carolina
Admission: Open to the public

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