Boys to Men

Can you find the hidden horses? Young colts don’t leave the herd of their own volition; they are forced out so that they do not become a challenge to the main stallion, their father. These young bachelors will band together for protection, companionship and for the opportunity to practice their fighting skills so that one day, they can challenge a herd stallion and steal away mares for their own harem. Their years in the bachelor herd are those years between their youth and adulthood, from the “terrible twos” onward. These boys will continually act up among themselves, out for domination of this all-male band. Judy shows this group engaged in such play and has hidden in each horse’s coat a reflection of itself as the foal he once was. Concealed imagery has long been a hallmark of Judy Larson’s intricate scratchboard art, the second part to any story she tells in a painting. But not since 2011 has she combined both this hidden story and her beloved horses. No medium demands more planning and precision in execution, yet her subjects are alive with a freedom of form that redefines those limitations. That skill combined with a passion for the wilderness and all things wild makes owning a Larson an essential part of any art collection.