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The official Hampton Classic Poster is a highly sought-after souvenir, and to have a work featured upon it is a dream-come-true for many artists. This year, the honor goes to Kelly Wilkinson Coffin, who has been selected as the 2019 Official Poster Artist for the 44th annual Hampton Classic Horse Show. The nation’s top horses and riders will set the stage for thrilling competition at the esteemed event when it returns to Bridgehampton, NY on August 25-September 1, 2019. The new poster is currently available for pre-order on the Hampton Classic website, for shipping after the show. It will be available onsite during the event in the Hampton Classic shop.
Coffin’s selected artwork, “Passing Traditions Along,” is a painting of a grandfather and grandson entering the show ring together, which Coffin describes, “is rooted in the concept of the oral tradition of equestrian sport.” Coffin said “I hoped to capture the timeless quality of the equestrian tradition and that of the Hampton Classic Horse Show that has been, and continues to be, shared by multiple generations. Like riding, painting is an oral tradition, where there is innovation within the classic enduring principles and we artists, as well as riders, stand gratefully upon the shoulders of those who came before.”
A lifelong horsewoman, Coffin is an avid fox hunter, and a lover of nature and traditional outdoor sporting life. She is married to Tad Coffin, who won double gold medals in Eventing at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Coffin lives and paints on their farm in Ruckersville, Virginia. Many of her subjects and inspiration for her paintings are derived from life on the farm. “I am very much inspired as a painter and rider by my husband’s riding skills,” said Coffin. “He is in fact the model for this painting. A double Olympic gold medalist by the age of 21, he was the beneficiary of an extraordinary and classical education from some of the world’s finest teachers. As a rider, I am a grateful recipient of the oral tradition upon which our sport depends. Though not born in to a “horsey” family, there were a number of adults who generously spent the time to teach me and bring me along in the equestrian traditions. In fact there are few, if any, horsemen and women who were not helped along by a mentor, parent or grandparent to achieve this skill set and follow their riding dreams. These mentors act as translators for the patient horse that endured our first attempts at riding; for me, it was a palomino pony named Starlight. Additional inspiration came from our involvement with a recent effort to bring C.W. Anderson’s book, “Billy & Blaze” to the silver screen. In the film, my husband plays the role of Billy’s grandfather and mentor,” added Coffin.
Coffin is a native Virginian and graduate of the University of Virginia. Prior to pursuing painting full time, she served as a Naval Aviator for ten years, including two tours in the Middle East. Coffin later flew as a First Officer with US Airways. After to the tragedy of 9/11, she left commercial aviation to pursue her love of painting as a full time career, while continuing to serve in the Naval Reserve for an additional ten years.
After completing three years at the Ingbretson Studio of Drawing and Painting in Manchester, NH and a semester studying portraiture and figure painting at the Charles Cecil studio in Florence, Italy, Coffin returned to Charlottesville, VA to open her own studio. Coffin’s atelier-based training is grounded in the Boston School tradition, which combines the drawing and discipline of the 19th Century Academies of Paris, with the color and light effects of the impressionists. “I owe a special thank you to Alexandra Jackson of the Bainbridge Island Riding School, a gifted teacher of children, who encouraged me to submit my work for consideration of the Hampton Classic.” kellywilkinsoncoffin.com
The 2018 Hampton Classic hosted riders from twelve nations – including Olympic and World Cup champions – competed at the world-class event, which culminated in a brilliant victory by McLain Ward in the $300,000 Hampton Classic Grand Prix CSI presented by Douglas Elliman. This year the 44th Hampton Classic Horse Show runs from August 25th to September 1st, 2019.
Set amidst the splendor of The Hamptons on Long Island’s famed Atlantic coast, very near some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, the Hampton Classic is the culminating event of The Hamptons’ famed summer season. Considered the event ‘to see and be seen,’ A-list celebrities, business leaders, and socialites are spotted among the approximately 50,000 attendees every year – including Jennifer Lopez, Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi, Jerry Seinfeld, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, Sofia Vergara, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Julianne Moore and Michael Bloomberg.
The Hampton Classic showcases more than 1,600 horses competing in 200 hunter, jumper and equitation classes in six show rings. The schedule features competition for horses and riders of all ages and abilities, ranging from children’s leadline classes all the way up to the grand prix show jumping with Olympic veterans that come from all across the U.S. and abroad. The Classic, which also hosts classes for riders with disabilities, offers five FEI classes, culminating with the $300,000 Hampton Classic Grand Prix CSI4* Presented by Douglas Elliman on Sunday, September 1st. hamptonclassic.com
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