American sculptor Deborah Butterfield is among the most respected and acclaimed artists of her generation. Her horses, like Meijer Gardens' own beloved and iconic Cabin Creek (1999), have been the focus of great interest as much for their creative use of materials as for their craftsmanship. The horse has been the singular focus of her prolific career since the mid 1970s-most frequently focusing on the mare instead of the stallions and warhorses most commonly encountered in the history of art. This exhibition features both the installation of large-scale as well as pedestal-size horses. Each unique example is composed of a wide variety of materials from found and reclaimed metals, to branches and earth. Although each sculpture is inspired by a specific horse Butterfield has known, the works are not portraits in the traditional sense, but representations of the essence of that creature. For Butterfield, it is not merely the physical presence of such noble creatures she hopes to convey but their spirit and energy as well.

All About Horses Docent Cart
Ongoing near the Peter M. Wege Library
Stop by our docent cart to learn more about horses.

Deborah Butterfield: Dialogue with the Artist (video)
Ongoing in the Hoffman Family Auditorium
In this short film (approximately 15 minutes), witness Butterfield creating three specific horses while she candidly discusses the creative process, her relationship with horses and her philosophy of living.

Family Art Activities
Saturdays, February 4, 11 and 18, 2012
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Curator's Choice
Friday, February 10, 2012
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Book Talk: My Favorite Horse Books
Saturday, February 18, 2012
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Gallery Walk
Saturday, February 25, 2012
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Lecture: The Horse in Art
Friday, March 2, 2012
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Gallery Walk
Friday, March 9, 2012
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Gallery Walk: Perspectives
Friday, March 16, 2012
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