Painted Pompano
I’ve been wanting to do a citywide public “animal parade” piece for quite some time. They feature multiple identical life-size fiberglass cows, dolphins or moose, hand-painted by local artists, displayed in public spaces throughout the host city. After the exhibition is over, the painted animals are auctioned off, and the money donated to different charities. My idea has always been to cover the fiberglass stock animal form with steel as opposed to painting it, which is the usual method of enhancement.
I finally found an event relatively close by in Pompano Beach and submitted a concept sketch. They accepted it and all that remains is to pick up the form (a rather awkward looking 5 foot tall top half of a fat fish emerging from the ground), bring it back to the studio, create magic, and deliver the finished fish back to Pompano Beach within 30 days.
The piece is progressing well, but dare I echo a familiar refrain, “It’s a lot more work than I anticipated!” The time was well worth spending, the final result is beautiful.
After 20 days of work on the fiberglass fish form the Steelhead is complete. He’s bolted onto a pallet for shipping back to Pompano Beach. In realizing this project I finally got the idea of transforming an animal form in a “cowparade” exhibit, out of my system.
