TDN Weekend December 2016 Issue 9
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1099087
"I left the army in 2016," he says. "Things have skyrocketed since then, but being in the army definitely helped matters – just the discipline, getting up in the morning, struc- turing everything. I'd struggle otherwise." It was the army that also gave Paske his break into the art world. "I was sketching whenever I could on tour, and I met another artist out there who kindly offered me some gallery space back home," he recalls. "So I put up some watercolors that I had done from my tank [laughs], and they went down really well and I sold them all, and it started me thinking, maybe there's a career in this. "I know it's not your everyday transition, but it's funny how those first pieces are simi- lar to what I'm working on now. I feel that my work, whatever it is, has a sense of urgency, and that comes from the army – I always had such limited time for my art on tour, so I had to be quick, and speed is important if working with racehorses to capture their line and form." Paske chose horses as his focus early on, as he had enjoyed their company since youth, with riding and art both equally important to his childhood. "I'm from a very horse-orien- tated family," he admits. "My mother rode in point-to-points and my father rode in the Household Cavalry [mounted ceremonial regiment in the British Army featuring hors- es], and now my little sister rides in the GB Junior European Eventing Squad. It was like an unofficial family policy – you rode before you could walk!