Hi, I'm Emma.

I was the girl who dreamed of having a horse.

I was also the girl whose loving but practical parents said no.

So, I drew horses instead.

And cats. And birds. (I tried dogs, too, but those didn't turn out so well back then.) In time, art became my way of dreaming. Of seeking adventure and a bit of magic.

All the way until college, that is, when I set art aside in pursuit of a different dream: becoming a professional violinist.

I always knew I would return to art someday. But as the years passed, the old spark faded. Music and new interests consumed my time. Drawing skills grew rusty.

Me and Shiloh a few weeks after this story

Don't get me wrong—I loved those college years. But they took their toll. By summer 2024, I was burnt out and disillusioned, wondering what the heck I was doing with my life.

Somehow, for the first time in fifteen years, my weary soul found its way back to a horse barn. A barn whose owner generously let me do chores in exchange for riding lessons.

One evening, I paused to peer into the pen of a half-wild mustang mare named Shiloh. Normally, she was skittish. This time, though? Curiosity or bravery took over, and Shiloh came and put her nose right up to my face, breathing softly.

I started crying.

It was as if someone was calling the lost little girl in me home.

That experience lead me to pick up my pencils again. To draw horses and other animals once more. And a year later, to start Emma McNeely Art—ensuring that this passion never becomes a sidelined hobby again.

Today, art is my haven. My place of stillness. My space of wonder and joy. While I do draw other subjects, I still focus mainly on animals because of their grounding influence in my life. Using colored pencils and a few other mediums, I render realistic portraits that capture the unique spirit and beauty of both pets and wildlife. My hope is that my art will bring others a measure of the light and peace I find in making it.

And yes—I still want a horse someday.