Artwork by Montana sculptor, regional artists on display

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By Katie Vaughn | Monday, March 12, 2007 1:52 PM CDT | () comments

The cast-bronze sculptures by Deborah Butterfield resembling pieces of wood are Figge Museum visitor Judith Malone’s favorites. (Photo by Jeff Cook/QUAD-CITY TIMES)

They stand like a close-knit herd strewn across a prairie. A few flick their tails, some look at one another and one even lies on the ground.

But, really, these horses are 16 found-metal and cast-bronze sculptures displayed on the third and fourth floors of the Figge Art Museum.

The works are the creations of Montana artist Deborah Butterfield, who has studied and sculpted the horse for nearly 30 years. An exhibition of her art runs through May 27 at the downtown Davenport museum.

Figge staffers have created a special atmosphere for the horses, curator Michelle Robinson said. They’ve removed most of the interior walls, leaving wide-open exhibition spaces on the two floors. And they’ve installed soft, upward-shining lights and opened all of the window shades, further enhancing the out-of-doors feel.

The simple setting keeps the focus on the horses, which vary greatly in material, color, size and personality.

“Rondo” is a looming brown horse, a combination of twisted, weathered scraps of metal. “Palma,” by contrast, is made up of flat planes of metal painted in bright shades of orange, blue and yellow.

Butterfield created such works from pieces of metal she found and fashioned together in horse form. The other type of sculpture she creates appears to be made out of driftwood. But they’re actually the result of a complex cast-bronzing process that replicates the look of wood.

“Hera,” a cast-bronze horse mimicking pieces of whitened, weathered wood, exemplifies the appeal of Butterfield’s sculpture, Robinson said. The artist uses an economy of supplies to create her elegant forms.

“There’s no excess,” she added.

Visitors to the Figge starting the week of March 18 likely will notice some other horse-inspired artwork. Ranging from paintings to photographs to stained glass, the works are part of a new “Follow the Horse” exhibition running in conjunction with the Butterfield show.

The exhibition represents a collaboration between the museum and a handful of local arts organizations. The Figge partnered with MidCoast Fine Arts, Quad-City Arts and the Artists Advisory Council to create the secondary show of artwork by local and regional artists.

Bill Wohlford, chair of the Artists Advisory Council, said the exhibition is the best joint project he has seen between the museum and the arts organizations.

Figge events coordinator Mary Davidson came up with the idea for “Follow the Horse.” She wanted a program to help bring attention to the museum’s first fundraising gala, to be held March 24, and she thought of a spin-off to the Butterfield exhibition using local artists.

Representatives from the museum and the organizations selected works by 12 artists — seven from Davenport, Moline and Rock Island, and five from elsewhere in Iowa — to be included in the show.

Davidson said she was glad the artists employed a wide range of media as well as styles, adding that some are significant departures from Butterfield’s art.

“Some of them are closer to her works,” she said. “There’s something in the 12 pieces for everyone.”

The 12 artists will donate their pieces to be auctioned at the Figge’s fundraising gala. However, the works will remain on display through the end of the Butterfield exhibition in May.

Wohlford said another important purpose of “Follow the Horse” is to bring public awareness to the art being created locally. He hopes viewers appreciate the top-notch work being done by local and regional artists.

“I want them to see that the quality of art produced in this area is equal to the quality of art known nationally,” he said.

“They don’t need to go out of town to get really good art.”

Katie Vaughn can be contacted at (563) 383-2282 or kvaughn@qctimes.com.

If you go

What: “Deborah Butterfield” and “Follow the Horse”

When: Butterfield’s horse sculptures are on display through May 27. Work by regional artists will be showcased from about March 18 to May 27.

Where: Figge Art Museum, 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport

How much: $7 for adults, $6 for senior citizens 60 years and older or students with an ID, $4 for children 3-12 years old.

Information: (563) 326-7804 or www.figgeartmuseum.org

“Follow the Horse” artists

Emily Christenson, painter, Moline

Catherine Jones Davies, oil painter, Anamosa, Iowa

Diane Dexter-Wall, stained glass, Davenport

Sara Jane Fellini, mixed-media artist, Davenport

Kristin Garnant, sculptor, Camanche, Iowa

Ulrike Goerlich, sculptor, Iowa City

David Heffner, photographer, North Liberty, Iowa

Heidi Hernandez, oil painter, Davenport

Nancy Lindsay, oil painter, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Jim Riesberg, photographer, Davenport

Bruce Walters, graphic artist, Davenport

Peter Xiao, oil painter, Rock Island