Drawing animals has always been something I have struggled with. The solution at first was to simply avoid animals if I possibly could. But like anything it is mostly a matter of practice. And the more I practiced the better I became at drawing them. Now, after more than fifty years of practice I can manage.

Cartooning is another matter. And sculpting cartoon animals has become a job I find I rather enjoy. Over the last years I’ve done quite the menagerie. Moose, deer, bears, elephants, horses, rhinoceros, squirrels, chickens, dragons and a strange herd of others have been sculpted in my studio. The more I do the more confident and comfortable with them.

The more animal sculptures I get out there the more calls I get to do them too. And that’s a good thing.

This project was for a wonderful customer who wanted to surprise her husband with a new sign for his bar in the basement. The first try at the hose proved to be a little too noble and realistic. I ended up cutting him off the sign and giving the project a second go. The end result was much more to my liking. It seems to have just the right attitude for an old nag.

-grampa dan