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Saturday, February 20, 2010

JOCKEY SHORTS...my jockey project for Churchill Downs



Life is full of ironies. A year ago I was finishing up installation of my sculpture of horses called Brazos Freedom at River Haven, and beginning one of the most frustrating episodes and lingering periods in my art career, as they were eventually cut down and dispersed.

One would think that horses, or at least art about them, are almost a peculiar curse for me. Since that job, another small job with a horse featured in it ended in failure, my customer unpleased and me with little compensation. Then a few months ago, a client contacted me to bid on a life-sized horse for a store in Louisville, KY. I did not get the job.

Then a few weeks ago, the same client hired me... to come to Louisville to fix the sculpture. Originally the job was mainly about painting the jockey to meet the customer's advertising needs. The customer? CHURCHILL DOWNS!

But the designers had purchased a less expensive alternative... The saddle cloth was so short that there was no room for the Churchill logo. The horse and rider will be unveiled soon, at the Louisville Airport. Now I can say, at least for a little while...

"I was commissioned to help create a sculpture of a racehorse and jockey for Churchill Downs."


That should send my critics into a tailspin!

1 comment:

Cindy said...

Russell, I loved Brazos Freedom at River Haven and was sad to see that piece go. I cannot fathom why someone would want what is there now over your piece - but each to their own taste ...