I always joke that Kandinsky paintings look like my kids ate crayons and barfed on the canvas. I’m definitely thinking about feeding my kids some crayons after this.
Metro the Painting Horse
Come on, kids. You want to go to college, don’t you?
Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order
The Most Misunderstood Writing Rule: Write What You Know by #1 Amazon Best Seller Aaron Patterson of Stonehouse Ink.
Forensic Fridays: All About Autopsies by Garry Rodgers.
Emily Cannell takes us on at trip to see the Terracotta Warriors in China. A Forced March to the Terracotta Warriors – Xi’An China
How James Bond Won the Second World War by Colin Falconer.
Our PBS history question for the day. Did Black People Own Slaves?
Jenny Hansen asks, What Lights Your Creative Spirit On Fire?
Horses aren’t the only animals exceeding the limitations of society’s concepts. I only wish I could skateboard like this dog does.
Campaign Poll Daddy Question of the Week:
All the best to all of you for a week of exceeding society’s limitations.
Piper Bayard
Think they should have dipped Meteor’s tail in paint and had him flick it at the canvas. Then they could say the artist was a horse’s ass. Which might describe the buyers, too.
That autopsy piece is interesting. Thank goodness there are individuals in our society willing to do that important work. But I’m not one of them!
Have a great weekend, Piper.
What a great idea, Chase! I would hate to clean up the mess or the horse afterward, but perhaps adoring art fans would volunteer for that job. 🙂
OK, I’m totally madly in love with that horse now. What a cutie pie. 🙂
Thanks for the linky love, Piper!!
Seriously. Talk about personality!
OK. I’ll risk touching some sensitive art nerves. I see several improvements over Picasso here. The horse is not depicting women in a hateful way. The horse is not a cruel individual. The horse seems to have a better sense of color then Picasso did during the second half of his career. I would not turn down a Rembrandt or Velasquez in favor of a piece by Metro Meteor or any other horse but the few pieces shown in the video were easier on my eyes than a Picasso or an RC Gorman.
I’m sure that the loyal Picasso deciples will tell me that I’m just not “cool enough” or “spiritualy developed enough” to appreciate the more “advanced artists” like Picasso. Be that as it may, that horses work is less painful to view than the work of some very famous artists.
Oh, giggles. A major Picasso show here at the museum. During a visit I remarked how many viewers were going around being intellectuals and praising stuff to impress others.
Picasso is an odd one – and smart – and arrogant and careful with his brand. He was a skilled realist, but bored and did some experimenting with points of view and perspectives and anger.
Made a bit of money and did what he pleased.
Doesn’t mean anyone has to like it.
Sometimes animal tracks in the sand are more insightful. There’s enough ugliness in the world, so like you I’ll just wander over towards something full of wonder and delight.
Very true, Jay.
Just you wait, the horse’s paintings will become more valuable after its death… Trust me, this horsie will outsell any Rembrandt easily
Hey, there’s no accounting for taste. I appreciate art. But I know dreck when I see it. Maybe a horse, chimp, elephant or your neighbor’s eighteen month old can smear paint, but the real art is in selling it to those who want to be on the cutting edge.
You nail it, Tom. The real art is in making the sale. 🙂
You seem to be missing the point. It’s a gimmick to raise money for charity and the horse’s medical costs.
I get the point. I love it that this horse is so happy with his occupation. You can see from the video that he is joyful. I also think it’s great that he’s raising money for charity. I’m being lighthearted about it. 🙂
Love Tillman (the dog), he’s already a star on TV. Great story about the horse! And while the man does the color choices, the horse truly does have some sense of style.
I can see he’s really enjoying his studio time, and it warms my heart to see a horse so happy. 🙂
The painting horse is awesome! He pays his own way and donates 1/2 of his earnings to a VERY good cause. You are just jealous that you didn’t think of it first
I agree that the horse is awesome. No question about it. I had horses for decades in my youth, and I love Metro’s spirit and personality. And you’re right. I am jealous I didn’t think of it first. 🙂
Even the perfect cash cow has to be milked…
I agree with Chase. Although it might because I was briefly an Art major until a professor told me I would starve. Thanks for the highlight Piper! And love your gravatar. Cute!
Thanks, Emily. 🙂
In case you didn’t know, the horse started painting because he had a head tossing issue (common to stalled horses) and his owner decided to do something with it instead of the usual stall toys and distractions. Half the profits for his paintings go to rescuing other former racehorses, and the other half goes to paying his incredibly high medical bills, thanks to his long years of racing which destroyed his knees. I think it’s wonderful that he’s using a behavior caused by one thing to help others in the same situation.
I am aware of his story, and I’m delighted that Metro has such a perceptive and imaginative pet human. I adore horses, and I can see that Metro is quite special. I certainly rank his paintings above Picasso and Kandinsky. I’m just not a fan of abstract art. 🙂
I have viewed a number of paintings by this horse. There are ones I would definately purchase due to the lovely color combinations on them. I believe this horse and his owner are doing a truly valuable thing in donating half of the proceeds to horse rescue. Off the track thoroughbreds are wonderful to train for other careers after their racing career is finished. Metro must be doing something right. All of his painting sell out as soon as they are completed, and the waiting list is so long for a personal one( using colors you choose) that no more names can be added to it until Metro gets caught up.
I adore horses and in my youth, my family adopted a retired racehorse whose knees were shot. A wonderful animal. I’m actually delighted that he can raise money for his own medical expenses and the expenses of other horses. And as many people enjoy Kandinsky, I’m sure they enjoy Metro’s works. They are certainly better than Kandinsky’s. 🙂
Love it or hate it the main purpose of Metro’s paintings is to raise money for ex-racehorses. THAT is a noble cause. I happen to love his paintings.
I agree. I think it’s wonderful that Metro is raising money for a noble cause. I am not a fan of abstract art. 🙂
I own a painting that was done by an elephant. Yes, I saw her paint too. So, a painting horse seems quite normal to me. LOVE the skateboarding dog too. 😉
There is an elephant down at the zoo that my kids and I watched painting one day. I think it’s awesome that animals can enjoy the arts. 🙂
We do not approve comments making personal attacks of any kind toward ourselves or toward other commenters.
To be clear, no insult to Metro is intended. I adore horses and have had experience with a retired racehorse, myself. I think it’s wonderful that Metro can raise money for his own medical expenses as well as the expenses of others. Friday is the day I share unusual or interesting articles with our readers. This is intended to be lighthearted. From the joy Metro exhibits in his painting, I’m sure he would have a great sense of humor.
As far as I’m concerned, all abstract art looks like my kids ate crayons and barfed on a canvas. That speaks to my taste in art, not a lack of compassion for horses or any insult to Metro or his cause.
Wonderful cause. Way better than in the UK, where it appears superannuated race-horses are being surrepticiously (and illegally) turned into pies and ready-meals. Euugh. Hope heads roll over that one!
Have to agree about modern art. I understand the way the visual side of it can be used to provoke an emotion. But after a point that’s lost amidst intellectualised status-assertion for small and self-referential in-crowds, all of them quietly ignoring the point that the Emperor, once again, has sallied forth in new clothing.
LOL. Well said, Matthew. It’s a great novelty item, and I would certainly buy one before I would buy a Kandinsky, but I’m not cutting the artist any slack because he’s a horse. I love and respect horses far too much for that, and I’m genuinely floored that so many people have taken offense on Metro’s behalf. It is a great cause, and I think Metro is very lucky in his fate of a pet human. 🙂
Cool! I want to buy a painting and the horse!
🙂
I went to the horses website, http://www.paintedbymetro.com, and the owner makes it very clear that he is not calling it art. Metro has no vision or hidden meaning to his paintings. Just coordinated color applied to a canvas by a horse. Nothing more than a novelty and conversation piece. I think the intent is more to raise money and bring awareness to horses needing homes, than it is to be considered a great art. So instead of classifying it as abstract art, call it a colorful wall hanging that was painted by a horse.
LOL. Okay. A colorful wall hanging painted by a horse. Metro appears to be an outstanding personality, and I think it’s great that he’s got this kind of a productive outlet. 🙂