This is a series of art that I started working on in 2006 and am continuing to add to the body of work. It started out as paintings of horses from the "Rapa das Bestas" that takes place in Northwestern Spain every summer. Hundreds of wild horses are rounded up every year to outdoor pens to be sheared and marked. During this time I read an article in the newspaper about the mistreatment of horses being slaughtered for meat and exported to Europe and Asia. Somehow I wanted to use my art to make people more aware of this injustice.
HORSE SLAUGHTER AWARENESS SERIES
Artist - Dixie Orriss
Artist Statement
The horse has long been a symbol of beauty and grace. Man has made friends with these beasts the gentle giants. With training, horses will do their master's bidding. Some will make their owners a small fortune, others are true companions. What happens when they become lame, old, or aren't needed anymore? It is unfortunate that the end for most is unnecessarily cruel and full of pain. While the majority of us would never eat a pet dog or cat why is it that we think nothing of equines ending up as a meal?
Any digital images of original artwork by Dixie R. Orriss are the property of Pygmalion School of Fine Art. Any duplication or use of the images without permission constitutes copyright ingringement.