LELAND NEFF, AN ABIDING LOVE OF HORSES, OFF TRACK THOROUGHBREDS, SUSAN SALK

OFF TRACK THOROUGHBREDS

AN ABIDING LOVE OF HORSES, LELAND NEFF, BY SUSAN SALK

JET-SETTING FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER LELAND NEFF RODE TO THE HIGHEST PEAKS IN A CAREER THAT CARRIED HI AROUND THE WORLD, AND FILLED HIS DAYS AND NIGHS WITH DAZZLING IMAGERY AND BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE. AND YET AT HIS CORE REMAINED A ROCK-SOLID PASSION FOR WHAT HE FOUND TO BE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL INSPIRATION OF ALL.

THE HORSE.

SINCE NEFF WAS 3 YEARS OLD AND GROWING UP IN TEXAS, HE IMMERSED HIMSELF IN THE SHEER JOY OF BEING NEXT TO THEM, RIDING THEM, AND EVEN BECOMING A TALENTED RODEO RIDER IN HIS YOUTH.

BY AGE 6, LELAND ALSO DISCOVERED HIS NATURAL TALENT FOR DRAFTSMANSHIP AND WENT ON TO CREAT A 200-PIECE EXHIBIT OF HORSE DRAWINGS FOR HIS FIRST SHOW.

"MY MOTHER HAD BOUGHT ME THE WALTER T. FOSTER SERIES HOW TO DRAW A HORSE," LELAND SAYS, CREDITING HIS AWAR-WINNING FINE ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY CARER, IN PART, TO THOSE FIRST TENTATIVE BEGINNINGS.

IN THIS WEE'S CLUBHOUSE Q&A, LELAND TALKS ABOUT HIS CAREER AS THE OFTEN PRAISED "FINEST EQUESTRIAN ARTIST PRACTICING TODAY," AND HIS ONGOING EFFORT TO HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR HORSE CHARITY THROUGH DONATED HORSE PORTRAITS.

Q:YOU RECENTLY HAD TO DECIDE BETWEEN DIPPING YOUR PAINTBRUSHES IN BAY-BROWN OR NEAR BLACK PAINT TO RENDER A PORTRAIT FOR OLD FRIEND EQUINE TO AUCTION FOR A FUNDRAISER. HOW DID YOU DECIDE WHICH FAMOUS RACE MARE TO PAINT?
I FELT BOLD ENOUGH TO ASK BARBARA LIVINGSTON (FAMOUS RACE HORSE PHOTOGRAPHER) FOR A PHOTO OF ZENYATTA AND OF RACHEL ALEXANDRA.

I DECIDED TO PAINT RACHEL ALEXANDRA BECAUSE I LIKED BARBARA'S IMAGE. IT HAD A VERY CLEAN BACKGROUND AND A GOOD LIGHT, A DIRECT GOLDEN LIGHT, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO MY FAVORITE WAY TO PAINT, WITH A SHADOW OVER MY SHOULDER.

I ALMOST NEVER PAINT FROM OTHER PEOPLE'S IMAGES, BUT I REALLY LIKED THE SHADOW AND THE DIRECT LIGHT SHE USED.

THE PORTRAIT RECEIVED THE TOP BID AT THIS YEAR'S OLD FRIENDS FUNDRAISER AT OHEKA CASTLE, AND EARNED $7500 FOR OLD FRIENDS.

Q.YOU MADE ANOTHER PAINTING TO HELP THE RETIRED RACEHORSE TRAINING PROJECT, WHICH SEEKS TO RE-TRAIN AND RE-HOME RACEHORSES. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE NONPROFIT STARTED BY TRAINER STEUART PITTMAN?

I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING STEUART PITTMAN'S WORK FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS. I WOULD READ HIS ESSAYS ON HOW TO RIDE AND HAVE BALANCE. HE HAS A STALLION SALUTE THE TRUTH (JC NAME: BOY DON GOOD)...AND I ACTUALLY GOT ONE OF MY MARES FROM STEUART.

SO HE ASKED ME ONE DAY IF I'D DONATE A PAINTING TO BE USED AS ONE OF THE GRAND PRIZES FOR THE WINNER OF THE RETIRED RACEHORSE TRAINING PROJECT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND I THINK HE DIDN'T EXPECT ME TO SAY YES, BUT I DID.

I PAINTED ERIC DIERK RIDING HIS FAVORITE THOROUGHBRED FROM A F BY 5 PICTURE. ERIC IS A GREAT RIDER, AND HE WON THE FIRST TRAINING PROJECT, AND THE 30 BY 40INCH PAINTING WAS HIS GRAND PRIZE.

Q: EVEN BEFORE YOU HAD A HERD ON YOUR NEW YORK FARM, HORSES HAVE BEEN CENTRAL IN YOUR LIIFE.

I GOT INVOLVED WITH HORSES WHEN I WAS 3. THEY WERE MY FIRST BIG LOVE. GROWING UP IN TEXAS I RODE IN RODEOS, AND DID BARREL RACING, WESTERN PLEASURE, AND WAS INTERVIEWED ON A TELEVISION TALK SHOW FOR HAVING WON SO MANY RODEOS. MY FATHER, A NAVAL AVIATOR, TOOK US ON HORSE ADVENTURES EVERY WEEKEND.

Q: WHEN YOU BECAME A TOP FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER BY YOUR MID 20S, YOU STILL NEVER QUITE FORGOT YOUR FIRST BIG LOVE.

AT ONE POINT I WAS WORKING WITH THE FAMOUS MODEL SARA KAPP, AND SHE WASN'T AN EQUESTRIAN, BUT SHE LOVED HORSES. . AND SHE ACTUALLY ACCEPTED ASSIGNMENTS BASED ON WHICH HORSE EVENTS THEY WERE NEAR, AND WE REALLY BONDED OVER THAT.

I STARTED MAKING MY OWN PHOTOGRAPHY DECISIONS BASED ON WHERE THE HORSES WERE, TOO. I LIFE PARIS BECAUSE OF THE HORSE THING AND WENT TO ARGENTINA TO PHOTOGRAPH THE ARGENTINEAN GAUCHOS AND POLO PLAYERS.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT NATIVE PEOPL.E, AND NO-SUBURBAN LAND... AND MY ARTWORK REFLECTS MY APPRECIATION OF LIFESTYLES THAT ARE CONNECTED WITH THE LAND. I BELIEVE PEOPLE, NO MATTER WHAT, SHOULD DO A LITTLE MANUAL LAVOR EVERY DAY, FOR THEIR OWN STATE OF MIND.

Q:AFTER A STELLAR PHOTOGRAPHY CAREER THAT WENT FROM 1985 TO 2011, YOU CREATED A UNIQUE EQUESTRIAN PORTRAIT NICHE FOR YOURSELF, WHICH IS INFORMED BY YOUR YEARS OF TRAINING AND YOUR DAILY LIFE WITH YOUR OWN HORSES AND THOROUGHBREDS.

IN MY WORK,I APPLY COLOR THEORY AND TRY TO INCORPORATE SOME OF MY BIGGEST ARTISTIC INFLUENCES, INCLUDING THE VISION OF MARY BUCKLEY, WHO WAS THE MAIN COLOR TEACH AT PRATT INSTITUTE. AND I ALSO VERY MUCH ADMIRED DUTCH LANDSCAPE PAINTERS AND THE WORKS OF ANDREW WYETH AND GEORGE INNESS.

Q: COLOR THOERY AND IMAGERY MARRIED PERFECTLY IN ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE PAINTINGS, OF A GRAY RACEHORSE, WHICH YOU DID FOR JUDDMONTE FARMS.

THIS WORK IS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COLORS, YELLOW, RED AND BLUE, AND ALL THE COLORS THAT COME FROM THOSE THREE, TO CREATE LIGHT AND SHADOW OF THE OPPOSITE COLOR.

THE GRAY HORSE IS ABOUT COLOR AND FORM AND MOOD, BUT IT ALL APPEARS AS HAPPENSTANCE.

VISUAL BEAUTY STIMULATES ME ON EVERY LEVEL. MY WORK ISN'T SO MUCH ABOUT THE SUBJECT, AS IT IS ABOUT LIGHT AND COLOR.

Q:Q: YOU ARE BRINGING ALL OF YOUR EXPERIENCES, WITH HORSES AND WITH ART, FULL CIRCLE WITH THE CREATION OF THE LELAND NEFF FINE ART GALLERY AND SCHOOL.

I'M PLANNING ON OPENING OF THE LELAND NEFF FINE ART GALLERY AND SCHOOL AT MY FARM AS WELL AS A SERIES OF ONLINE CLASSES IN DRAWING, PAINTING AND PHOTOGRAPHY. THERE ARE A COUPLE LESSONS NOW ALMOST READY TO POST TO THE INTERNET, STARTING WITH "HOW TO PAINT A HORSE? RACHEL ALEXANDRA."

8 RESPONSES TO "Q&A: LELAND NEFF, AN ABIDING LOVE OF HORSES

ROBIN HUMMEL-JOHNSON

DESPITE ALL THE WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES AND TALENTS THAT HAVE GRACED LELAND'S LIFE, FEW PEOPLE I KNOW HAVE PERSEVERED THROUGH SUCH ADVERSITY TO FOLLOW THEIR DREAMS AND CONVICTIONS. HOW LUCKY WE ARE THAT HORSES ARE AMONG THOSE DREAMS AND PASSIONS.

FRANMAN WEASEL

A TRUE ARTIST HE IS, IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE...

TBDANCER

I CANNOT WAIT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LELAND NEFF-INTERNET SEARCH HERE I COME:O) WHAT AN AMAZING STORY SAUSAUN AND WHAT BEAUTIFUL PAINTING, MR. NEFF. HIS USE OF COLOR IS PARTICULARLY OUTSTANDING:O) I CAN'T WRITE MY NAME SO I CAN READ IT, SO MY VISUAL ART SKILLS ARE LIKE ZIP, BUT I KNOW WHAT I LIKE WHEN I SEE IT, AND I LOVE MR. NEFF'S WORK.

MICHAEL BLOWEN, OF OLD FRIENDS

LELAND, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY, YOUR TALENT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. HOPE TO SEE YOU SOO...ALL THE BEST, MICHAEL.

MARY WILSHIRE MAGNUSSON

LELAND IS THE KIND OF ARTIST WHOSE HEART AND INTELLECT ARE INSEPARABLE FROM HIS MASTERFUL SKILL AS A DRAFTSMAN: A VERITABLE MEDIUM WHO CAN CAPTURE HE SUBTLETY AND POWER OF LIGHT, ATMOSPHERE, EXPRESSION, AND EMOTION WITH UNCANNY SIMPLICITY.

HIS BRILLIANCE IS NOT LIMITED TO PRECISION IN THE WAY HE BRINGS SUBJECTS TO LIFE IN TWO DIMENSIONS. HE NEVER FAILS TO CREATE AN ENERGY AND SPIRIT WITH HIS PAINTING WHICH I BELIEVE IS ALMOST AKIN TO MINISTRY: IT FORCES ME TO LOK AT ANY NORMAL IMAGE AND SEE IT WITH FRECH EYES. I HAVE NEVER SEEN HORSES- OR PEOPLE OR EARTH AND NATURE PAINTED THE WAY LEE DOES IT. HE IS EXTRAORDINARY.

ALMA SUR

LELAND NEFF HAS A SPECIAL LIGHT IN HIS EYES. WHEN HE WALK INTO A ROOM HE LIGHTS UP THE SPACE. THIS SPECIAL LIGHT HE CARRIS WHEREVER HE GOES AND IT SPECIALLY SHINES THROUGH IN HIS ART. HIS ART IS A TRUE BLESSING TO NATURE AND LIFE.

NANCY DAYNARD

I REALLY ENJOYED THIS INTERVIEW. I ADORE LELAND'S GREAT LOVE OF HORSES, AND ANIMAL LIFE IN ALL FORMS. I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES TO HAVE HIS MASTERY OF ART HANGING IN MY HOME. HIS IMMENSE TALENT KNOW NO BOUNDS AND WE ARE SO LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY HIS ARTISTRY. DO NOT PASS UP ANY OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IN HIS VISIONS!

JEFF VANZANDT

LOVE READING ABOUT LELAND NEFF....SUCH AN INTERESTING, TALENTED ARTIST....

COMING HOME, LELAND NEFF, in COUNTRY AND ABROAD, WRITTEN BY JAYNE KENNEDY

COMING HOME, LELAND NEFF, IN COUNTRY AND ABROAD MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY JAYNE KENNEDY


AS A JET-SETTING FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER, LELAND NEFF SNAPPED SUPER MODELS AND ARGENTINEAN GAUCHOS, DESIGNER-CLAD ARISTOCRATS AND WEATHER-WORN RUSTICS. AS A PAINTER, HIS CLASSIC COMPOSITIONS IN OIL HAVE IMMORTALIZED NUMEROUS FINE HORSES AND THEIR OWNERS IN STATELY SERENITY, EVEN AS HE ALSO CREATES KINETIC, IMPRESSIONIST TABLEAUS OF HORSE RACES, HUNTS AND WILD PONIES ON THE HOOF. AFTER DECADES CHASING BEAUTIES AND BEASTS ACROSS SEVERAL CONTINENTS, THE INTREPID LELAND HAS FOUND A NEW WORLD ON HIS 140 ACRE FARM IN BLENHEIM, NEW YORK.

PURCHASING THE LAND IN 2004, LELAND HAS WEATHERED STORMS, GOTTEN TO KNOW THE LAND, THE TOWN AND HIS NEIGHBORS, AND SECURED THE BARNS FOR HIS GROWING COLLECTION OF RACE HORSES. LELAND'S NINE HORSES ARE FROM THE BLOODLINES OF CHAMPIONS, AND HE IS CULTIVATING A SMART LITTLE FILLY NAMED "ISABEAUTY" HE HOPES TO HELP TRAIN FOR GREATNESS AT NEARBY SARATOGA. SOME OF LELAND'S HORSES CAME TO HIM IN BARTER FOR HIS FINE-ART PORTRAITS, OR IN GRATITUDE FOR THE ARTWORK HE HAS OFFERED AT CHARITY AUCTIONS FOR SUCH ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS AS THE NEW YORK HORSE RESCUE, BLUE CHARITIES, THE TRA, AND EQUINE ADVOCATES.

THE MAIN HOUSE, BUILT IN 1850, SITS ALONGSIDE ROUTE 30, A GREEK REVIVAL STYLE STRUCTURE WITH GOOD BONES, STILL IN NEED OF SOME TENDER CARE AS LELAND RESURRECTS IT INTO HIS STUDIO AND GALLERY. MOST OF HIS VERDANT AND VARIED LAND LIES JUST A STONE'S THROW AWAY - FOR ONE WITH A GOOD ARM THAT DOESN'T MIND A LITTLE SPLASH. TO VISIT HIS PASTURED HORSES, LELAND MUST CLIMB INTO HIS TRUCK AND MAKE HIS WAY SEVERAL MILES DOWN THE ROAD, ACROSS A NARROW BRIDGE, AND THROUGH AN EASEMENT ON A FARMER'S LAND TO GET TO HIS OWN. SPLIT BY SCHOHARIE CREEK, LELAND'S LAND IS AN APT METAPHOR FOR HIS VARIED AESTHETIC, WHICH CONTINUALLY COMBINES DISPARATE ELEMENTS TO NEW EFFECT. HIS ENTHUSIASM FOR HIS PICTURESQUE HOME-STAKE IS AS BOUNDLESS AS THE FLOWING, FLOODING, FREEZING, FREEING WATERS, AND AS WIDE-RANGING AND UNPREDICTABLE.

LELAND GREW UP A NAVY BRAT, HIS FIGHTER PILOT COMMANDER FATHER STATIONED AT SUCH FAR FLUNG OUTPPOSTS AS NAPLES, ITALY, THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, AND THETHE BRITISH WEST INDIES. AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, LELAND'S WORK TOOK HIM TO NEPAL, TAHITI, PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA, AND HIS PHOTOGRAPHS APPEAR " IN VOGUE, GQ, L'UOMO VOGUE, ELLE, FORTUNE MAGAZINES. THESE RESTLESS DECADES HONE LELAND'S ART AND EYE, BUT IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, AS HE HAS SURRENDERED TO THE CARE OF HIS BELOVED HORSES, LELAND HAS GROWN MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE RHYTHM AND PACE THEY SET. AFTER LIVING IN THE HAMPTONS FOR SYEARS, CARIG FOR HIS HORSES AT A RENTED STABLE AS HE WORKED ON PORTRAIT COMMISSIONS FOR THE LOCAL LANDED GENTRY, HE CAME TO REALIZE IT WAS TIME TO CREATE A PLACE OF HIS OWN.

STATES LELAND, "ALL THROUGH MY CHILDHOOD AND ADULT LIFE I TRAVELED AND NEVER FELT ROOTED. I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE OLD FRIENDS THAT I'D GROWN UP WITH. BEING A I MILITARY BRAT, AND THEN A FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER, LEFT ME WITHOUT THE FEELING OF HOME OR HOMETOWN. ALL OF THE ARTIST THAT HAD LOOKED UP TO DOCUMENT THEIR OWN ENVIRONMENT, ANDREW WYETH, MONET. NOW AT LEAST I HAVE THE HOPE TO REFLECT THE HOME AROUND ME,"

THE MOVE TO BLENHEIM IN THE LUSH LANDS OF NEW YORK STAT'S FABLED LEATHERSTOCKING DISTRICT EAST OF ALBANY HAS KEPT LELAND BUSY. HE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH AREA FORESTERS, FARMERS AND GALLERY OWNERS TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF HIS LAND, PRESENT HIS WORK TO THE REGIONAL ART SCENE, AND FEED HIS HORSES AND HIMSELF. ON A RECENT VISIT, GUESTS HARVESTED GREEN TOMATOES, SAGE, AND SQUASH BLOSSOMS TO PAN GRY AND ENJOY. THE STARTER PLANTS CAME FROM A GENEROUS GIFT FROM A LOCAL GROWER, BUT LELAND'S CONSCIENTIOUS CARE OF THE ON THE RICH SOIL OF HIS OWN LAND IS WHAT BROUGHT THEM TO THE TABLE.

LELAND'S LEARNING CURVE HAS BEEN STEEP - HE'S FACED FIERCE FLOODS, MASTERED THE DANGEROUS ART OF CHAIN SAWING, AND LOST SEVERAL DUCKS TO A HALF-FERAL ODOG OVER CHRISTMAS. CITYSLICKER FRIENDS, NEW NEIGHBORS AND FAMILY RELATIONS ALL HAD OPINIONS ON THE MANY CONSIDERATIONS LELAND HAS SUDDENLY FACED WITH AS A FARMER, AND LELAND ENDEAVORED TO KEEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. HE NOTES WITH A MERCURIAL LAUGH, "I KEPT REMEMBERING A LINE FROM A POEM I HAD TO MEMORIZE AS A CHILD, 'KEEP YOUR HEAD WHEN ALL MEN DOUB YOU, BUT MAKE ALLOWANCE FOR THEIR DOUBTING TOO!'

SEVERAL MONTHS INTO HIS ADVENTURE, LELAND NOW HAS A FEW GUARD GEESE ON DUTY TO PROTECT HIS NEW DUCKS, A BARN READY TO ACCOMMODATE HIS HORSES, AND HAS MADE HIS HOME A COZY SPOT, ENJOYING PAINTING FROM THE FRONT PORCH - AT PRESENT A SIMPLE CONCRETE SLAB OUT FRONT, WHERE THE LIGHT IS STRONGEST.

LELAND'S WORK CAN BE FOUND AT HIS OWN GALLERY, THE LELAND NEFF FINE ART GALLERY, WWW.LELANDNEFF.COM, HTTP://LELANDNEFF.BLOGSPOT.COM CROSS GATE GALLERY AND MANY TOP SPORTING ART GALLERIES AROUND THE WORLD.

FROM HIS LAND LELAND HAS FOUND NEW INSPIRATION, AS THE SEASONS YIELD UP NEW VIEWS OF OLD VISTAS, AS EVERY STORM SHIFTS THE COURSE OF THE RIVER, AND AS HIS PRIZE FOAL HIGH-STEPS HER WAY TOWARDS FUTURE FAME. SHE, LIKE THE LAND, "ISABEAUTY," AND AFTER YEARS OF INTREPID GLOB-HOPPING, CAPTURING CONTINENTS AND CULTURES, NOW, ON THESE ACRES OF FOREST, FIELD AND FLOWING WATER IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, LELAND NEFF HAS FINALLY COME HOME.

HONORING THE ARTIST: LELAND NEFF, DAN'S COVER PAINTING BY LELAND NEFF

HONORING THE ARTIST:LELAND NEFF, DAN'S COVER PAINTING BY LELAND NEFF Looking through Leland Neff's assorted notecards is like gazing through a candy store window: each photograph on the notecards duplicates a luscious, delectable nature painting that we immediately want to touch or smell. (The art on this week's cover is similarly attractive, the bouquet of flowers begging to be picked up and caressed/ sniffed.) A penchant for nature comes easily to Mr. Neff - whether this "nature" is beast or man. While horses have served as a prominent subject for his paintings, the human figure has also been important in Mr. Neff's career as a fashion photographer for clients like Bloomingdales and Barneys. The two seemingly unrelated subjects, horses and humans, have other things in common, according to the artist: "When I'm working on a horse race, for example, I have to have hand-to-eye coordination and accuracy, just like in fashion photography. Also, at the end of the day, I have to be done with the project. You have to pull it off." Mr. Neff's particular love of horses started at an early age along with his interest in art. "My father was a naval fighter pilot, and I grew up all over," Mr. Neff explains. "Wherever we went, we became involved with the local activities, so when we lived in Texas I started riding when I was three year-old." Mr. Neff continued to get involved with other local life styles around the world. After graduating from Pratt Institute with a painting degree, he toured Europe by train, finally ending up in the Caribbean to visit his parents. "I inteneded to stay only six months" he recalls, "but ended up living there for a year and a half. I became best friends with the native fishermen, doing a series of paintings about them that were exhibited at the hotel on the island." Mr. Neff's wonderlust took him to Argentina, near Cordoba as well, where his love of horses again took hold. "I never felt like a city person,"he notes. "I loved living in the countryside of Argentina, where people ride horses into town and hitch them up in front of a store. There was no TV and only one telephone. The people had no idea of wanting to be a 'star.' They were very rooted. I bought some horses and of course, painted them and their riders. I want to go back; I still have horses thee." While Mr. Neff has since moved to East Hampton from Manhattan, horses are still very much a part of his life: he keeps very busy doing commissions from all over the world. For example, he'll soon be going to Belmont to paint the favorite to the Triple Crown. Then it's off to Middleburg, Virginia, where he'll photograph Steeplechase. (Mr. Neff says that he also plans on training for the event while he's there, although he he won't participate.) Neing the horse enthusiast that he is, Mr. Neff also used the winter here to good advantage, taking lessons in jumping. Future plans call for his exhibiting works at the upcoming Hampton Classic Horse Show, paintings that cover diverse aspects of equestrian culture, like polo events in England and the country fairs in Massachusetts. We can't help but wonder if Mr. Neff had some famous cobowy in a past life, given his love of horses. "No," he answers with a laugh, "but one of my relatives was Wild Bill Hickok. No kidding." -Marion Wolberg Weiss Mr. Neff will be teaching landscape courses at The Art Barge this June/July.

LELAND NEFF, FREQUENT FLYER

PHOTOGRAPHER AND ARTIST LELAND NEFF TRAVELS THE GLOBE CAPTURING THE CONNECTION OF PEOPLE TO THEIR HORSES. Not mane equine artists can say they had a public showing of more than 200 drawings at the age of six. Leland Neff can, and his stories of adventures from around the globe weave an amazing, almost unbelievable tale that arrives full circle back to his roots -- horses. He's just as at home with the gauchos of Argentina as he is with the fashion world's supermodels and high profile clients like Reebok, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barney's and Bloomingdale's. Leland is the son of an adventuresome naval fighter pilot who landed in various locales across the U.S. and abroad and encouraged his son to embrace the local lifestyle. As a result, Leland is an avid horseman, swimmer, skier, wrestler and a black belt in judo for pleasure, not to mention an accomplished international photographer and artist. It started in Texas, where Leland was placed on a barrel racing horse and taught to ride at the age of three. When he asked his father how he had learned to ride in rodeos, he said that the great horse he had taught him everything he needed to know. After the family moved to Rhode Island when Leland was still young, he competed against adults in horse shows because there were no children's classes at the time. He recalls riding western in outfits hom handmade and attracting quite a lot of attention from the local media. The next move to Naples, Italy forced Leland to sell his horse. Dressage became his dad's interest but Leland hated the training and quit riding for several years. A high school friend, with whom Leland still keeps in contact, invited him to go riding and that very night he came home and asked his father for another horse. One horse grew to five that were kept on farmland a lady donated to Leland as pasture to care for his horses. He continued riding western and took lessons in hunt seat only to discover he was riding a jumper by heart. His horse kept approaching jumps while he was taking lessons and finally flew over a five foot jump with Leland on bare back. They proceeded to train for competitive open jumper classes. All the while, Leland was adept at drawing and art which started with that first showing of horse drawings, which he largely credits to Walter Foster's book How to Draw Horses. He left Italy and the horses behind to attend art school at Pratt Institute in New York where he graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of fine arts degree. He then left to tour Europe and wound up in the Caribbean, painting while living amongst fishermen. A showing of his works from the Caribbean found Leland back in New York, where he stayed doing commercial fashion illustration and photography work for the next 15 years. The photographer lifestyle of jetting from New York to Paris and Milan didn't allow for Leland to have horses of his own but it did connect him with some interesting people, even a few horse people. He would read any book involving horses and attend as many horse shows as possible to pursue this passion from Childhood. He marveled at one of the first supermodels he worked with- a fellow horse lover- who would book modeling jobs based on major horse events around the world. Leland would like to think he's following a bit in her footsteps today. Through a fashion connection in Paris, he jumped on the opportunity to move to the horse country of Argentina six years ago where he had a macrobiotic health spa. (with the famous model, Pelito Galvez) But Leland's attention was really on buying a horse there. "It was completely horse country where I lived in Argentina. They didn't even pave the roads because everyone rides horses. There are hitching posts in town," he describes. "They have this thing called 'envidia' which means a sort of jealousy for good horses. They keep their good horses to pass along to the next generation like a dowry. I couldn't speak Spanish at the time so they kept bringing me these three-legged horses and mules and old, ancient horses. Finally, I saw this race horse that was being washed in the river. It was the most beautiful horse I'd ever seen." After 6 months, he ended up buying the bloodline of this horse, which he still keeps today. Leland began his current "horse project' - a series of equestrian photographs and paintings while living in Argentina. He captured the commitment and reverence the Argentinean people have for their horses in dramatic images he encountered there. "if they have a saddle on the horse, it's very unusual because they have such little money. Gauchos (ranch hands or cowboys" are lucky if htey have shoes. They take a foam pad and they have a bicycle inner tube tied around the girth and that's their saddle. You might see parts of a jockey unifor here or there, but then they are racing these amazing thoroughbreds." Leland sold his property but still owns horses in Argentina and makes the long trip to ride whenever possible. He has plans to return and photograph gauchos on an estancia (ranch) and the spirited "competition" among them with their 12 color-matched horses - "fabulous subjects for portrait work," he envisions. He'll snatch up any horse-related projects that come his way commercially like a recent polo photography assignment for GQ magazine or the invitation to attend the more traditional version of England's hunt in full color. He's done 13 portrait commissions in the last year, most notably one of Athena Onassis, and is in the collection of Isabella Rossellini, Jeremy Irons, and Brigitte Bardot. Perhaps they're attracted to the fast, finished style Leland describes as realistic in the sense of his idol John Singer Sargent. "I left the city over a year ago. I never felt like a city person or that I was really emotionally there." A more relaxed Leland now resides in the rural Long Island countryside of East Hampton, New York. He's taking the summer off to complete the horse project and to enjoy exhibiting with the Hampton Gallery at the Hampton Classic. "I'm very in tune with nature and the seasons in East Hampton. In the city, I had the constant feeling of unrest. Here, I'm a different man." But don't think Leland's feet will be planted in the Hamptons long. After the Classic, he's headed out west to Utah and then back to Argentina. He may wind up in Mongolia shooting their version of the hunt on horseback to round out his collection of people connecting with horses for the series- which he hopes will expand to include postcards, a calendar and a book documenting horse stories and his frequent flying around the world. The Equine Image, written by Nancy Ann Thompson

LELAND NEFF: HORSEMAN/ NORTH FORK CLASSIC ARTIST

LELAND NEFF: HORSEMAN/ NORTH FORK CLASSIC ARTIST. Artist and horsemen are a unique combination, and East Hampton resident Leland Neff can certainly claim each propensity his passion. At the age of six he was riding in rodeos and headlining his first art show. Leland was born in Virginia. His father, a naval fighter pilot, brought his family where ever he was stationed. At the age of three Leland was riding horses in Texas. He studied horseback riding when his family was in Italy. Leland finally settled down and studied art at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, majoring in photography and fine art. He's been on photo shoots in Argentina (polo - for GQ magazine), traveled to England to photograph fox hunts, practiced dressage then switched to jumping - while constantly drawing, sketching and painting horses and their owners, "I've always loved horses and art, so I've always participated in both," said Leland. The artist sometimes barters his talents for riding lessons. He once painted a 4 ft. by 6 ft. portrait of an East End horse farm owner for jumping lessons. "I've painted many Long Island owners and their horses' portraits," said Leland, who also bartered a portrait session for riding lessons on Paperchase Farm in Middleburg, Virginia. "Everyone seems happy with the paintings, and I get to have these terrific teachers give me lessons,: he explained. "It works out for everyone." Leland's beautiful portraits will be reprinted in a book, soon to be published by Simon and Schuster. One of Leland's greatest joys is his thoroughbred mare, Scarlett, which he adopted through the New York Horse Rescue in Manorville, LI. The 17 hand three year old is a wonderful jumper, and her sire won $1.6 million at the track. "She's great, and I've had no problems with her at all," said Leland, who cares for three horses at his three- acre East Hampton home. Leland enters his work in the Hampton Classic poster competition, and garnered second place three years in a row. Ironically, it was Leland who suggested artist Janet Crawford enter her work in the annual competition,( which she won by tracing one of Leland's paintings) which she one this year's honor. Leland said he is threilled to have his artwork at this year's North Fork Classic poster, but is striving for a special goal next year. "Next year, I not only want to win the Hampton Classic poster contest, (which is totally political), I also want to compete at the Hampton Classic Horse Show," he said. With Leland'd strong combined talents, there's an excellent chance that he'll achieve that goal.