Newton artist’s horse sculpture scaling up to life-size

Herman Deaton is well-versed in sculpture art. He also knows a thing or two about horses. Right now, the Newton artist is combining the two.

Deaton, along with his daughter Nancy and fellow sculptor Rich Stewart, is recreating a horse sculpture he originally created in 1996. The original piece of art measures just a few inches. The new horse is nearly as big as a Clydesdale.

The life-size sculpture is set to be identical to the small horse in every way except size. This is being accomplished through a precise scaling method. Translating fractions of inches into feet, the artists are able to locate specific points on the large sculpture.

“Once you’ve located the points, then you can start building the material out to the correct size,” Stewart said. “You check it, re-check it, file it.”

The horse is detailed down to the realistic muscles. Deaton’s familiarity with horses goes back to his childhood on a central Iowa farm. During his first year of high school in Baxter, Deaton said, he rode a horse to school.

His latest creation is being worked on upstairs at the Newton Centre for Arts and Artists. It is made out of epoxy, urethane foam and metal lath. Deaton and Stewart started the project over the winter and said it will likely be a few more months at least until it’s finished.

It’s a part-time project for the retired 89-year-old Deaton. Stewart, who said he’s just the “extra hands” for Deaton’s horse, said the finished product will eventually go on to be displayed at the Jasper County Historical Museum.

Deaton has had an extraordinary career in sculpting and is well-known for his contributions to museums. He and his brother, Neal, are recognized all over the country for their work on museum exhibits.

Contact Justin Jagler at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jjagler@newtondailynews.com