SCOTTSDALE, AZ — On Tuesday morning, local artist Nichole Laizure put the finishing touches on Triumph, a massive 10-foot-tall fiberglass stallion.
“It is so powerful and it’s rearing up and it looks like it’s just ready to take off,” said Nichole.“It’s just really impressive to work on something full-size like that.”
Nearly eight weeks ago, 17 stallions arrived from Nebraska, destined for Valley artists to take on the task of creating their own masterpieces.
Each one is sponsored by a local organization like TGEN or the Arizona Super Bowl Committee. Nichole is working on her design with AZ Advances.
“They wanted something to represent the horse crossing the finish line in terms of advances in the biomedical community in Arizona,” said Nichole standing next to a massive stallion rearing up on its back legs.
It’s all part of the inaugural Scottsdale Stampede sponsored by the Rotary Club of Scottsdale.
“This is all about public art, it’s all about having fun, it’s all about raising a lot of money for charity,” said Charlie Kester with the Rotary Club of Scottsdale. “We have so many huge businesses sponsoring the work the artists are doing. It’s an absolute win-win for everyone.”
By mid-January, once the horses are finished, the artists will then scatter the herd around Old Town, outside businesses, and local landmarks.
In April, they’ll gallop into an auction where 50% of the proceeds from their sale will be donated to local charities.
“This is a lot of me going into this, I mean if I told you how many hours I spent, I love this horse,” said artist Tina O while she hugged her horse.
Tina O’s horse is inspired by the last 50 years of music and pop culture icons, giving off an Andy Warhol-type vibe. While she’ll be sad to see it go, she knows what it will mean for those in need.
“If you buy a horse, whether it be my horse, which of course you should, you’re giving to someone in need, someone who may need healthcare, financial need, people who are in dire straits,” said Tina.
For more information on the project, click here.
