Melissa DiNino captures the powerful yet silent communion she finds between humans, horses and the landscape.
by Kristin Hoerth
This article is a short excerpt of a feature article which appears in the Spring 2025 issue of Watercolor Artist. Read the rest of the article—and discover other inspiring artist features and columns—in the print or digital edition.
When it comes to portraying horses and figures, self-taught artist Melissa DiNino takes a somewhat unusual approach. “Historically, horses haven’t always been depicted in the most humane ways,” she says. “When I look at certain paintings of them, I see signs of pain and fear. I want to present the human-horse relationship in a way that feels more compassionate. I try to be very conscientious about the subtleties in their expressions.”
DiNino often crafts compositions in which horses and women are interacting in original yet natural ways. In works like Reverie and Liberation, for example, a woman lying in a field gently reaches her hand toward a horse standing above her. The pose evokes a strong sense of relaxed connection and mutual trust.
The artist also conjures a compelling balance in her work between quietness and drama. “I’ve lived in vast rural landscapes by myself and there’s a great deal of silence,” she says. “At the same time, there’s always some sort of conversation happening between humans, horses and the landscape. I like to narrow in on that quiet communion people might miss or might not know how to hear.”
Keeping It Simple
The artist’s creative process begins with a photography session to gather reference material. Sometimes she has a specific idea in mind, but not always. “I need the photos because I love to capture the light,” she says. “I also want to paint a certain level of detail that I don’t trust my mind to hang onto.” She’ll often use Adobe software to make a few adjustments to her reference photo, such as tweaking the background to her liking.
Working on her trusty drafting table, DiNino’s next step is to create a rough, freehand pencil sketch on Arches 300-pound, cold-pressed watercolor paper. Then it’s time to mix her paint. She limits her palette to five colors (cobalt blue, burnt sienna, Chinese white, yellow ochre and alizarin crimson) and prefers Grumbacher Academy watercolors. “I still use the same brand of paints that I bought the first time I went to a Michaels store for materials,” she says. “Sometimes I’m tempted to experiment with other brands, but I’ve been very happy with this one.” For brushes, she relies on Rosemary & Co. sable pointed rounds in various sizes. “For detail work, I’ve got some of the tiniest brushes you can find,” she adds.
The artist describes herself as “a slow, methodical painter.” She often works wet-on-dry, especially when it comes to more detailed parts of her compositions. She also does a lot of glazing, adding many layers to get as much depth and dimension as possible. Her smallest pieces might involve about a week of work, while her largest can take a month or two, depending on their complexity.
A New Adventure
These days, DiNino is learning to speak the language of an entirely new landscape: the Northwoods of Wisconsin, along the south shore of Lake Superior, where her husband’s family owns land. The couple moved there in late 2023, and hope to build a home and studio of their own before long. “My work has always stemmed from the landscape I’ve lived in and the experiences I’ve shared there with people and animals,” says DiNino. “I’m in the process of adjusting how I see the world, and I’m eager to discover what that will mean for my work going forward.”
About the Author
Kristin Hoerth is a freelance arts writer and the former editor-in-chief of Southwest Art magazine.
About the Artist
Melissa DiNino is a self-taught watercolorist. After earning a degree in biology and a certificate in conflict resolution, she spent years working as a biologist and range rider to mitigate livestock-predator conflict before turning her attention to fine art, in 2018. Her works have won awards in numerous competitions and been shown in exhibitions across the United States, as well as publications such as Big Sky Journal and Southwest Art. DiNino is represented by Mixx Atelier, in Telluride, Colo., and Ghost Ship Gallery, in Washburn and Bayfield, Wis.
