The Iron Horse
Posted by: 
beagle39z
N 41° 07.931 W 104° 48.885
13T E 515548 N 4553447
A new sculpture, called the ‘Iron Horse’ has been put on permanent display in downtown Cheyenne, WY. The commissioned work cost the city $30,000 dollars and was put on the west end of the Depot Plaza. The sculpture marks Cheyenne’s railroad history.
Waymark Code: WM7DVP
Location: Wyoming, United States
Date Posted: 10/11/2009
Views: 19
"The idea was to dedicate this sculpture to the railroad workers of Wyoming and Cheyenne, hence the name the 'Iron Horse,' and it's made of old tools, some from the railroads," Artist Lyle Nichols said.
The City’s Art in Public Places Program commissioned Nichols after its chairman saw his work in Colorado. The city tries to commission Wyoming artists first and foremost, but doesn’t refuse artwork if there is something truly unique about it.
"It's totally different the way it’s assembled,” Chairman, of the Art in Public Places Program, John Goodyear said. “It's made of old parts and then it ends up looking like something. It looks like a horse. He's very talented in being able to do that.”
Nichols found all of the materials for the sculpture in a dumpster near the Cheyenne railroad. Those parts include an old license plate, a can opener, washers from train wheels, and wrenches. "You will be amazed at the intricacy and the number of pieces that have gone into this sculpture,” Cheyenne Mayor Rick Kaysen said.
A wire frame is used as a base to weld metal pieces. Each piece is a rusted tool or metal part that is fitted to begin construction of the sculpture. A close up shows interesting pieces such as a Wyoming license plate, burro's shoe, a bull nose, leather punch, Coors can opener, Fuller crescent wrench, wheel bearing and large horse shoe.
You couldn't go shopping for the materials that are used in this sculpture. Many of the pieces are historical artifacts that have been accumulated over years of collection. Look closely and you'll find a butterfly spindle from an old coal burning stove with the date of 1915 stamped on it, triangular lock washers from train wheels, old John Deere wrenches, a hand forged hook probably made 100 years ago, iron climbing step from a train car, pipe wrenches, various size padlocks and cabinet locks, a cheese grater, old barn door hinges and small screws, washers and pins are used to fill in holes. You could spend hours looking at all the different things that went into this horse.
The tail was made out of nails and the mane is made from heavy soft wire. Each wire is then bent into a particular shape to create the actual mane of a horse in full gallop with the mane blowing in the wind.
You can see more and different pieces that have gone into the sculpture. There is an old corn seed planter disk, homemade chain hooks, a walnut cracker, spark plugs and a pair of scissors. There is a double headed hatchet that says Gambles Artisan on it and each foot has a full size horseshoe.
Physical Address:
Cheyenne Depot Plaza
Cheyenne, WY USA
82001
Web Address: Not listed
Business Name: Not listed
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