New art comes to campus

You may have noticed a new horse reared back on its hind legs currently located in front of Daniel Building. This isn't just any horse, but part of a project started by the Wichita Falls Leadership class of 2007. It is one of 48 horses commissioned to be painted by artists to depict Wichita Falls and the surrounding communities.

            The MSU horse, "Peaceful Warrior," was painted by artist Miguel Lechuga whose design projects the Native American roots of our community. The iconography, glyphs, and color speak about past times of turbulence and peace, and the unity and harmony of today.

            As a starting point, the horse's red head and mane spotted with white orbs remind one of the fierce war-paint of the warrior's pony as both the horse and its rider rode into battle.  Similarly, the black lightning bolt outlined in white speaks of the dynamic striking ability of a war party.  Yet, at the same time, the white outline around the lightning bolt holds the promise of a future peace where we live in tranquility and harmony.  The red circular glyph on the horse's hindquarter stands for the repeated cycle of life that ebbs and flows throughout the passage of time.  The zigzag pattern of the horse's tail represents the precious water that is so important to our region; and the white globes above, denote the many moons that we have lived here.  The diamond shape on the horse's hind leg stands for shelter, the shelter that our community provides for the collective populace and for each individual citizen. The sun shape on the horse's fore leg represents all of the goodness of life that shines over us.  Finally, the many vivid colors that blend into one another form a universal spectrum.  The universal spectrum of a rainbow where each color retains its individual hue yet contributed to the beauty and harmony of the whole; it is a symbol of our community's unity in diversity. Acrylic paint is the intended medium to be used on this project's design and execution.

            A permanent location for the horse will be determined in the next few months.