The Cowgirl Project.
A project dedicated to painting women with horses and real stories.
The Cowgirl Project is a public call for women to share their stories through photographs of themselves—or the women before them—with horses.
I believe being a cowgirl isn’t about titles or skill levels. It’s about resilience, grit, determination, hard work, and passion. These are the traits I’m drawn to, and the stories I want to paint.
This is an ongoing project inviting submissions of women, daughters, mothers, and great-grandmothers pictured with horses. If you have a photo that captures a meaningful moment or a life well lived, I’d love to see it. Painting primarily takes place from January through May, with select works exhibited publicly, including plans to showcase pieces during the Calgary Stampede.
At its heart, The Cowgirl Project is about community—honoring real women and the quiet strength we carry together. If your story resonates, I’d be honored to paint it.
Why the Cowgirl Project?
In 2023, I started focusing on painting historical photos, using my work to tell stories of the past. As I painted, I realized something important: there were almost no cowgirls portrayed the way I know them—the way I see them in my own life on the farm. I was seeing my friends and me working alongside the men in the field, kids in tow, fully part of the operation.
But in movies and media, cowgirls were usually shown in supporting roles—the cook, the helper, the one standing in the background. There’s nothing wrong with those stories, but they weren’t the stories I wanted to tell. The women I know are just as passionate, just as capable, and just as integral to the lifestyle as anyone else on the ranch.
That’s why I started The Cowgirl Project—to paint the women I see, hear their stories, and celebrate the resilience, grit, and determination that make up real cowgirls.
