Some of comic creator Alan Langford’s stunning equestrian art is included in the New Forest Painters Exhibition taking place Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th October 2025 at the Lyndhurst Community Centre in Hampshire.
Alan, previously profiled here on downthetubes, should need no introduction to many downthetubes readers, whose comic work includes his much acclaimed creator owned graphic novel, The Secrets of the Aesir, as well as past work for British comics such as 2000AD, Warlord, New Eagle and Supernaturals, and providing cover art and illustrations for many fantasy game books.
Alan, whose book, Welgora, will be on sale, is a full member of the Society of Equestrian Artists, exhibiting alongside greats like Sir Alfred Munnings and Lucy Kemp Welch. But, as Dee Cooper notes in a recent article for Travellers Times, “unlike many before him, his focus is not aristocratic portraits or racing stables; it is the working horse, the community fair, the intimate partnership between human and animal.
“What makes Langford’s art compelling is its authenticity. His horses are not idealised symbols but living, breathing beings. The flick of a tail, the dust rising beneath hooves, the quiet weight of a draught horse pulling its load, all are rendered with the eye of someone who has not only looked but truly seen.
“… At a time when modern Britain risks losing touch with its rural and cultural roots, Alan Langford’s work stands as both art and archive,” Dee adds. “Through his brush, the traditions of the New Forest, the Romany Welgoras, and the enduring bond between people and horses are preserved for future generations. In every line and wash, there is a reminder that heritage, like art, is alive only so long as someone keeps telling its story.”
Alan’s work features alongside art by a host of artists creating work in a wide variety of styles, including his wife, Janet Langford, as well as other talented artists including Courtney Legget, Peter Frost, Jenny Pitt, Hilary Tratt, Sue Kerrigan-Harris, Barry Mills, Pam Baker and Richard Tratt.
Known as the capital of the New Forest since William the Conqueror established it as a royal hunting ground in 1079. Lyndhurst has been visited by kings and queens staying at the Royal Manor throughout the centuries. Today, it is still the administrative heart of the New Forest.
• New Forest Painters Exhibition Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th October 2025 Lyndhurst Community Centre, the Main Car Park, Lyndhurst, Hampshire SO43 7NY | New Forest Painters Facebook Page
Head downthetubes for…
• Travellers Times: Alan Langford: Painting the heart of Horse and Heritage – article by Dee Cooper
• Alan Langford is online at alanlangford.co.uk | downthetubes Comic Creator Spotlight: Alan Langford
• downthetubes presents… “Doomed Covenant” a comic strip by Alan Langford
• The Secrets of the Aesir by Alan Langford is available from Little Knoll Press | AmazonUK | Waterstones | GetMyComics | Read our review
• There’s more about the book at thesecretoftheaesir.com
- About the Author
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Art and Illustration, downthetubes News, Events, Exhibitions, Other Worlds
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