Native to the Pacific Northwest, Erica Nordean is an internationally known painter recognized for her stunning depictions of horses and horse racing, as well as haunting landscapes and vibrant still life. 

She began exercising racehorses at Long Acres, in Renton, Washington, while attending school. Working with horses throughout Washington, Erica was a fixture at such lauded locales as Long Acres, Yakima Meadows, and Emerald Downs, where she was an exercise rider for various stables.

Primarily self-taught, Erica has studied a variety of artistic styles. She says, “I found out that drawing came so naturally.” In her mid-thirties Erica embarked on her career as a professional artist and never looked back. 

Erica Nordean’s art career took off when she began showing at Kirkland’s Gambados Gallery, where her paintings were enthusiastically received. With a powerful national presence in the national horse racing world, Erica’s paintings have shown at the prestigious Del Mar Thoroughbred Club where she was the 2010 featured program artist. Erica’s art hangs in galleries from Seattle, Washington to Saratoga Springs, New York. In California, her work has been shown at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, Del Mar, and Bay Meadows racetracks. 

 “In a world of literal-minded racing painters and patrons, Erica Nordean is one who dares to flirt with the abstract. Her horses are unmistakably horses, but they have a vibrant, native feel…” - Columnist Jay Hovedy, Daily Racing Form

“Katz Towers” by Erica Nordean