Challenging Myself..

A couple of years ago I was discussing with some friends, well, whining really, that my sculptures often are hard to photograph.  This lead to me realizing I'd never formally released any standing horses. .. and at the time I'd had only one standing pose seriously in the works (Johann).

Above "Johann"
This lead to me assigning myself an exercise, much like we all got in college;  find a way to make several different standing horses completely different from one another, yet in essentially the same foot pose.  In addition it became a bit of a mission for me to impart as much personality as possible to a standing work as well - very active and yet, standing AND frozen still for a moment.

Thus my next work to become bronze soon is the culmination of this personal goal;  two extremely different horses in the same foot stance but with hardly even muscle shapes the same (due to varied levels of fitness, or more to the point, lack thereof at least on the part of the pony!). ;)  This work I'm calling "The Odd Couple".

Above "The Odd Couple" comprised of "Kipling" (left) and "Max" on the right.
When sculpting them they were side by side on my bench and really they gave off these vibes of interacting, the pony in this rather pushy (overly inquisitive) fashion and the Criollo stallion in a slightly affronted (or perhaps a bit more bemused) demeanor.   It added another level of goal setting to strive for, works that could both stand alone and yet interact well with each other too.  I'm tickled to see that customers have found the pony similarly fun to play with!

So the progression was Johann, bulgy robust little package of fire, proud and yet frozen in a moment of looking haughtily about (after a real boarder I'd had at my barn).  Then onto Kipling the nudge.. and then Max (who was actually roughed out earlier than Kipling but really not "formed" in my mind yet), followed suit in this stance.   I figured I was done and then Wendy of Destriers by Design commissioned me to do a standing horse in this pose as well.  Ironic but it must have been meant to be.

Above "Nemo" 
Nemo, is in a different scale and was the result of looking at many a Spanish stallion about to launch into a bull fight or speed equitation competition;  and a whole different body type as well again. 

It should almost be no surprise that I'm reverting however to my preference of horses with legs-wildly-akimbo after these four.  Well in fairness in the midst of it I sculpted a laying down foal that was very popular but AGAIN -> he had a the foreshortening photogenic issue I guess I'll always be plagued with;  just doesn't play nice in photographs!   People will probably always get on my case about this, and I'm .. not very sorry I guess.  :)  I really enjoy making works that force a viewer to look at them from a few angles to get the gist of what's going on (half passing,  striking out, flopped on the ground, swimming, even galloping is a bit interactive with the viewer it seems).    As I wrap up the latest challenge I've given myself I wonder about what to do after swimming which led me to thinking about this 'exercise' I've been doing these last few years... and how I never really mentioned it here (at least I don't believe so, buuut I could have, don't throw tomatoes at me if I have!).

Anyhow, off to put up my pre-order page for this bronze of the Odd Couple!  My web site needs several updates tonight!

(& A quickie ps to those that remember, there is a standing foal too - he isn't written off.. but I wouldn't say I've given him any consideration in the last few years either... maybe this is a good time.. hmm!!)