Jay Kirkman is a British equestrian artist recognised for his psychologically attentive portrayals of horses. Born in Los Angeles in 1958, he moved with his family to England in 1973 and has remained resident since. He studied at the West Surrey College of Art and the Camberwell School of Art, completing his degree in 1979. From the early 1980s, Kirkman committed himself almost exclusively to the equestrian genre, finding in it a subject that allowed both formal experimentation and sustained observation of character and mood.

Working primarily in oil and chalk or pastel, Kirkman’s art ranges from scenes rooted in the tradition of British sporting painting to more introspective studies focusing on the horse in isolation. His approach draws upon the historical depiction of the relationship between horse and rider, with acknowledged affinities to Degas and Géricault, while remaining firmly grounded in the lineage of British equestrian art associated with Stubbs and Munnings. His works are particularly noted for their sensitivity to anatomy, movement, and psychological presence.

Kirkman has exhibited regularly in Britain and Ireland since the early 1980s and was represented by Jonathan Cooper from 1991 to 1999. His work is held in important private collections in the UK and internationally, including those of the Duke of Roxburghe, Lady Juliet Tadgell, and Bamford Collection. In recent years, much of his practice has focused on commissioned works for private patrons.