Meredith Hudes-Lowder
“I believe in presenting the Mustangs as I saw them. I shoot and edit without artifice, embellishments or filters so that the viewer feels as though they were standing next to me at the moment the photo was taken“. When she isn’t busy photographing and editing mustang photographs, Meredith can be found performing pro-bono scientific research for wild-horse advocacy, playing her 42-string Lyon & Healy concert harp, practising Okinawan Kobudo, learning Korean, and seeing patients at her busy NYC medical practice. Meredith completed her Doctorate of Nursing Practice with a focus on Women’s Health, menopause, & racial disparities in medicine.
Karen McLain
Karen McLain is a third-generation Arizona native. Growing up in Arizona, she developed a deep appreciation for the outdoors and for the rural and ranching lifestyle. Karen graduated from Arizona State University with a B.A. in Studio Art. Karen can usually be found drawing or painting en Plein air. These landscapes and life studies of wild horses are then developed into larger works in her studio.
”Painting from life not only reveals nature’s beauty first-hand, but it also challenges me to focus and see clearly the light, form, and wonderful color present. Time spent in the saddle, and painting en Plein air results in an outlook that McLain describes as “Drawn from life, and inspired by life”, which is reflected in her work.
Benjamin Lowder
Ben likens photographing the mustangs to fishing; an apt analogy. Ben says ‘when we go into the Horse Management Areas, we never know where they will be, how they will behave, and how well we will capture the moment.’ He said it is the same adrenalin rush when you see the horses off in the distance; it is similar to seeing the tip of your fishing rod bend over. You need to have a solid background in horse (or fish) behaviour and take into account all the environmental factors. In the photo on the left above, Ben was photographing a stallion at Sand Wash Basin. He quickly moved out of the horse’s way but not before getting some outstanding shots. Ben is an honor student, a NY All-State tuba player, and will begin his sophomore year this fall 2023 at Skidmore College majoring in Music and Biochemistry.
Abigail Lowder
‘I love being out with the wild horses and I know it is an amazing privilege. That’s why I want to do all that I can to keep these amazing animals free. I hope my children have the same chance I did to see the horses running free. In the photos above, Abby is photographing wild horses at Sand Wash Basin with the iconic ‘Bears Ears’ in the background. Abby is honor student, her high school graduating class salutatorian, and will begin her junior year at Hamilton College majoring in Neurosicence in the Fall 2023.
Bruce Lowder ( In memoriam)
Below is the paragraph about my beloved late husband Bruce. He was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer June 2021, and he died July 7, 2022. He was a brilliant environmentalist, a wonderful father, and loving husband. He is the reason our family went out to the horses ranges beginning in 2009, at McCullough Peaks. He is dearly missed.
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Bruce (aka Dad) is the navigator, designated driver, and wildlife biologist specializing in herpetology and environmental science. Bruce was in the Peace Corp in Ecuador, worked for U.S. Fish & Game Department, and was the senior naturalist at a nature center for over a decade. When Bruce isn’t busy running the largest Reptile Expo in the Northeast, he is often found teaching wildlife conservation and biology to schools, scout troops, and other organizations. He believes teaching the next generation about environmental conservation and protecting our natural resources is a critically important topic.
