Art

Item Description

Art that is Straight from the Horse's Mouth. Talk about Unique!!! This purplish-blue and white painting on canvas of a horse was done by Murphy, an 11 year old Pinto horse, whose favorite treat is peppermints! This artistic creation represents a true collaboration between horse and human; something born of true partnership.

Murphy's favorite color to paint with is blue, and after that he leans towards green and purple.

When Murphy's person first acquired him, she noticed that he was exceptional at putting things in his mouth.  So, she decided to channel Murphy's energy in a positive way.  She taught him to fetch, pick up a bowl for treats, put a hula hoop over her head, and put his toys in a bin.  After watching Murphy repeatedly pick up his toys and scrape them back and forth on the ground, Murphy's owner thought he might do well with a paint brush.

She worked with Murphy for months, teaching him to hold the brush and drop it when asked.  Murphy then learned to touch the canvas with his nose and finally progressed to touching it while holding the brush.  Everything magically came together when Murphy was introduced to actual paint.  Once Murphy saw the color, he amazingly figured out how to paint on the canvas!  Now he stands in his stall flapping his lips--literally begging to paint.

Murphy and his person paint 1 to 3 times a week, but no more than an hour at a time.  He paints with fervor, sometimes pressing so hard he rips the canvas.  But even the repairs tell a story, as does the texture in each of his paintings.  Murphy leaves a bit of himself on every canvas -- and now you have an opportunity to have one of your own!

The collaborative technique involves Murphy's person masking in ways to create graphical image.  By using painter's tape cut to mask layers of color, she works with Murphy's brush strokes to create unique paintings. Murphy is registered with the American Paint Horse and Pinto Horse Association of America.

This painting was donated by Murphy's person, Candace Shrope.  More information is available at www.paintedbyahorse.com. 

Item Special Note

The winning bidder can arrange to pick this item up at Kitsap Humane Society, 9167 Dickey Rd NW, Silverdale WA 98383; or, shipping can be provided.  Note:  Shipping costs will be added to the winning bid after the auction closes; and, the winning bidder is responsible for shipping costs.

In light of the fragile nature of this painting, if at all possible we suggest picking it up at the Kitsap Humane Society.

Transaction Fees:  4% of the final bid and $0.35 will be added to your closing amount to cover credit card transaction fees.