Bits & pieces of a whole: LAPC & Sculpture Saturday

I’m always amazed by artists who collect seemingly unrelated bits & pieces of things and combine them into impressive works of art. This week I’m featuring War Paint by Greg Congleton. I have featured some of his other artwork on my blog since he’s one of my favorite local artists.

On a recent trip to Prineville, Oregon, I made a point of stopping to see this work. Greg created this piece in 2020. I decided to photograph the details of this sculpture more closely.

Here it is as you approach it from a distance.

War Paint by Greg Congleton

When you get a little closer, you can see the attitude of the horse and the rider.

War Paint by Greg Congleton

Greg is a master at showing expression in his welded metal sculptures. Look at the horse’s reaction to the situation.

Bits & pieces War Paint by Greg Congleton

The rider sits firmly in place while the horse keeps bucking. Note how his chaps are blowing in the wind created by the action.

Bits & pieces ofWar Paint by Greg Congleton

The horse seems intent on getting rid of the rider. He kicks his heels high in the air.

Bits & pieces ofWar Paint by Greg Congleton

But the rider keeps his seat to ride again on another day.

Ride the horse in the direction that it’s going.

Werner Erhard
War Paint by Greg Congleton

There’s a list of some of the components Greg used in this sculpture posted at its base. Here are the bits & pieces included in War Paint. Can you find them in the photos posted above?

War Paint by Greg Congleton

See the Greg Congleton tag for more of this remarkable artist’s work.

Lens Artists Photo Challenge – Focusing on the details

Saturday Sculptures

25 thoughts on “Bits & pieces of a whole: LAPC & Sculpture Saturday

    • Thanks, Janet. It’s sort of like doing a treasure hunt when you look at this type of art. 🙂

    • Thanks for the link, Loujen. Those sculptures are amazing! I would like to go see them sometime. I especially liked the dragon.

  1. This is wonderful, Siobhan! I love how your attention to the details really helps enrich our appreciation and understanding of this sculpture!! Fabulous!!

  2. Wow, I love this – I’m so glad you took the trouble to photograph it up close and from several angles so we could appreciate all the work that has gone into it 🙂

    • Thanks, Sarah! I wish I would have taken as many pictures of his other sculptures. He puts a lot of thought into the details.

  3. The perfect subject for the challenge Sioban! Love that the entire statue site on only the front hooves of the horse, and each of the details you mention brings it more to life. How fun that he included a list of the items used! A great opportunity for parents of young children to study details as well!

    • Thank you, Tina! Yes, I like how he always posts a list of things he included. He must have a wonderful imagination to figure out where to incorporate some of the things he collects.

  4. Great series of photos. Well done. That is quite a sculpture. What vision the artist must have. I loved the Erhard quote. I did est, the 6-Day, and many, many programs and seminars, many many decades ago. I don’t think it ‘fixed’ me. 😱 😂 A few things I witnessed him saying: “Your dog doesn’t love you.” ‘Everything you need to know about sex: When you’re hot you’re hot.’ ‘Everything there is to know about God: She’s black.’ That was a long time ago.

    • Thanks, John. I have to admit, I was not familiar with Erhard when I found that quote. I looked him up and he has quite a history. Those quotes you referred to cracked me up. 🙂 That probably wasn’t his intention when he spoke them. Even though he didn’t ‘fix’ you, you sound fine to me!

  5. An amazing sculpture, and I appreciate your photos of it, from several angles.

    I’ve often fantasized about learning to weld and creating sculptures from scrap metal. It just seems so creative and fun.

    • Thanks, Rebecca. I’ve thought of it too but may try another version with scraps of wood found in the wild. 🙂

    • Thanks! Yeah, there were a lot of signs warning you not to climb on it. I haven’t seen those on his other sculptures so it may have been a problem at this location.

  6. Love these kind of sculptures – the artist must have a really good eye and endless creativity! Your tour through the details and their meaning is very interesting – it is difficult not to go back again and again. Clever post.

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