Bronze "maquettes" debut at 2001 World ChampionshipPaint Horse Show
Sculptor's work on Fort Worth creation has reached monumental proportions

FORT WORTH-Sculptor Marrita McMillian's work has a way of growing on her. One year ago, the Gainesville, Texas, artist transformed a few balls of clay into a small model of four horses loping through a field. The entire piece fit nicely on a coffee table in her living room.

Sculptor Marrita McMillian with the 1/3-lifesize version of the larger-than-life American Paint Horses she is creating for the American Paint Horse Association in Fort Worth. The 1/3-lifesize creation will be on display at the World Championship Paint Horse Show in Fort Worth,June 24-July 7. Hirez JPEG (144 kb) Hirez TIFF (3.04 mb)

Today, that creation has reached larger-than-life proportions, with the artist traveling to a foundry and studio 1,800 miles away in Umapine, Oregon, to work on her project. When finished, each of her horses will be cast in bronze and weigh about 1,500 pounds. The complete set of four horses-a stallion, two mares and a foal-will measure 36 feet long, 9 feet tall and 5 feet wide, and weigh 3 tons.

Titled "Legacy of Color," the masterpiece will grace the front of the American Paint Horse Association (APHA) world headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas.

The public will be able to preview McMillian's work for the first time at APHA's 2001 World Championship Paint Horse Show, which runs June 24-July 7 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth. At that event, McMillian will be on hand to display "maquettes," which are smaller versions of the bronze. Although only a fraction the size of the sculpture to be located at APHA's headquarters, the one-third lifesize version of the piece measures nearly 11 feet long and almost 3 feet tall. The bronze sculptures can be seen at the Brown Lupton Exhibit Hall, adjacent to the John Justin Arena, at the Will Rogers Memorial Center.

A project that started out in miniature has reached larger-than-life proportions for sculptor Marrita McMillian. She is pictured here with a clay model of a stallion that will be one of four horses cast in bronze at 1 1/4-lifesize. The piece, titled "Legacy of Color," will grace the front of the American Paint Horse Association's world headquarters on Meacham Boulevard in Fort Worth. Hirez JPEG (127 kb) Hirez TIFF (2.42 mb)

At the World Championship Paint Horse Show, McMillian will talk to visitors about the project and explain the fascinating process that goes into making bronzes that display the striking colors of American Paint Horses.
Following the show, the sculptor will be off once again to the Oregon foundry. There, for the next several months, McMillian will oversee foundry workers who will break her larger-than-life clay horses down into 20 sections each and begin making molds. Once the molds are created and metal poured, each section will be welded in place and the huge 1 1/4-lifesize American Paint Horses will come together. Final touches include detailed metal work and a chemical and heating process to color the pieces.

If you would like to arrange a personal interview with the sculptor during the World Championship Paint Horse Show, please call Jerry Circelli at (817) 834-2742, ext. 223.
For more information about the World Championship Paint Horse Show, including a complete show schedule, visit www.aphaworldshow.com.

About the sculptor
Marrita McMillian's best teachers in sculpting horses have been the real-life models she studied for more than 25 years. After earning a bachelor's degree in animal science in 1974, McMillian spent 20 years showing and training horses. She and her husband, Mike, train, show and sell horses throughout the United States and Canada, as well as in Mexico, South America and Japan. Of the two dozen horses now in their training stables, about a third of them are American Paint Horses.

Since beginning to sculpt horses, McMillian explained, "I've been possessed with it." Her experience with showing and training horses has helped her develop a keen eye for a horse's form, as well as a sensitive touch for their character. Through training and natural talent, she has been able to transform her close relationship with horses into vibrant works of art.

In 1992, she completed her first creation, "Grand Again," depicting a man leading a halter horse. That piece has since sold out, as have many other limited-edition pieces. In all, McMillian has crafted 30 edition pieces, which include multiple copies made for interested buyers. She has also been commissioned to do 20 other bronze sculptures, some lifesize.

McMillian's pieces are on display at select galleries and museums across the United States and are found in private art collections throughout the world. Her creations are shown at many equine events and she is one of the latest sculptors asked to create special porcelain pieces for the Breyer Gallery.
The "Legacy of Color" bronze McMillian is creating for APHA will be the sculptor's largest piece to date, with the four horses standing at 1 1/4-lifesize.

A colorful history for APHA
The APHA was founded in 1962. By that year's end, founder Rebecca Lockhart had registered 150 members and 250 horses. To date, more than 612,000 Paint Horses have been registered by the association.

The Fort Worth-based non-profit association employs 165 people and maintains an operating budget of more than $15 million for activities worldwide.