As a seasoned sculptor, Horton, Vail Valley’s favorite artist two years running, has had plenty of opportunity to create the bronze likeness of local wildlife. This is different. His goal is to create not just a likeness, but an experience to allow others to visualize the magic he’s seen.
“Seeing a mountain lion cross the trail in front of me, leap up an embankment and turn to look me right in the eye was an incredible experience,” said artist Jesse Horton, “the challenge is how do I capture the awe of this cat’s energy and movement—the magic of this moment—in bronze?”
To accomplish this, Horton has decided to do, not just one, but five sculptures, each following in the footsteps of the other. The fluid motion and power of the animal becomes apparent as it bounds from one side to the other. This multiplies the difficulty of the sculpting, but in Horton’s mind it’s worth the effort.
See the sculpture today at Horton Fine Art Friday between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. to visit with Horton and see his artwork in progress.
