A ceremony to unveil a new sculpture at Washington State University is scheduled from 4:30-5:15 p.m., for Friday, Nov. 3, at the entrance of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital on the Pullman campus. The cast bronze sculpture titled “Red Forest” was created by acclaimed American artist Deborah Butterfield and is a gift to the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art from WSU alumnus Howard Wright, chair and founder, Seattle Hospitality Group.
Wright ’76 (Foreign Lang. and Lit.) is making the gift in honor of his mother, Theiline Scheumann, who enjoyed a long working relationship with Dr. Leo K. Bustad, a pioneer at WSU in human-animal interactions and dean of the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine from 1973-84. Wright’s gift of the sculpture is intended as a tribute to Bustad, who helped to inspire Scheumann’s accomplishments in horse breeding and horseracing.
“’Red Forest’ will be a meaningful addition to the fabric of campus life, captivating our community and visitors alike through its marvelous form and reflection of this special place,” said Ryan Hardesty, executive director, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU. “I look forward to each individual’s interaction with it, and ultimately, their pride for it.”
Faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members alike are invited to join Wright, WSU Pullman Chancellor Elizabeth Chilton, and WSU President Kirk Schulz for this event. Parking will be available at the Green Lot 1 north of Bustad Hall, which is named after Bustad and serves as the central building in the college complex. Registration on the foundation website is encouraged but not required.
Butterfield is best known for her depictions of horses made from found objects and natural materials, such as wood and recycled metal. Her work in bronze is cast from found wood and sticks. Her work has been shown in the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Neuberger Museum of Art, the Israeli Museum of Art in Tel Aviv, and the Arken Museum of Modern Art in Ishoj, among others. She has received numerous awards, including a National Endowment for the Arts Individual Artist Fellowship and a Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship. The artist lives and works in studios in Hawaii and Montana.
