Gazing

Sharon Crute is an equine painter known for thoroughbred racing scenes built from firsthand experience inside the industry. She earned a BFA in Painting from the Swain School of Design (now part of UMass Dartmouth) and, alongside her art training, spent decades working at racetracks in roles that included hot walker and assistant trainer. That insider background shows in her work, where the horses’ structure, movement, and track-side moments feel lived-in instead of staged. 

Crute’s paintings focus on the real life of the thoroughbred, morning training, backstretch routines, and the intensity of racing, with an emphasis on accuracy and observation. She’s been featured in arts coverage connected to Saratoga and has been recognized for bringing a rare combination of professional art training and professional racing experience to the genre.