Artists paying homage to horses lost in Classy Lane Stables fire

Feb 13, 2017

Pieces will be on display at the Cr8ery Gallery in Winnipeg

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

A number of artists from across Canada will lend pieces of their work to an exhibit paying tribute to the 43 horses lost during a barn fire at Classy Lane Stables in Puslinch, Ont., last January.

43 Horses: Enduring Spirits takes place at Winnipeg’s Cre8ery Gallery and Studio. It will feature a variety of paintings, photos and sculptures that capture the spirit of the lost animals.

“A lot of people love horses,” Leanne Baldwin, the exhibit’s curator, told PembinaValleyOnline. “I just thought it would be a nice way to recognize and pay tribute to the horse(s).”

The exhibit will feature 43 pieces – one for each horse lost in the fire.

“Out of this sad event, unfolds the beginnings of an art idea, an exhibition that would honour the spirit of the beloved horse,” the exhibit’s description reads.

Members of the Classy Lane Stables family were surprised that such an exhibit was happening but are touched by the amount of support they've received after the tragedy.

"I was not aware of the exhibit," Barb Miller, one of Classy Lane's operators, told Farms.com in an email. "It is wonderful and touches my heart as to how many people worldwide were affected by this tragedy. We have had support from so many and we thank them all."

The Horse That Bolted. Made from discarded bolts and scrap metal.
Photo: Jake Goertzen

Jake Goertzen from Hordean, Man., is one of the artists providing pieces to the exhibit.

Despite not owning any horses of his own, he said the loss of the animals impacted him.

Horses are a “beautiful and elegant” animal that have played key parts in agriculture, sports and even war, he told PembinaValleyOnline. The exhibit inspired him to capture the relationship between humanity and horses.

The exhibit runs until Feb. 21. More information can be found by contacting Cre8ery.

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