Earning His Oats - Sculpture Walk 2012-13

Sculpture Details

Del Pettigrew - Interview

“I love horses, and I remember my uncle harnessing up his horses for the day’s work,” says sculptor, Del Pettigrew. “They are powerful, beautifully muscled, and willing to put in a long day’s work.” “Earning His Oats,” like most of his pieces, features horses and is made of bronze.

Pettigrew, who was born in Nebraska and currently resides in the Kearney area with his wife, Martha, has been sculpting for the past 20 years. He attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where he studied journalism and political science. His first sculpture was done at the early age of 12; however, many years passed before he began sculpting in earnest.

Pettigrew, distantly related to the late South Dakota Senator Richard Franklin Pettigrew, is also an award-winning painter. His work can be found in collections as far away as Kuwait, and is represented by galleries from coast to coast.

What does Pettigrew hope viewers take away from his sculpture? “In these days of farming with a GPS and automated fieldwork, I think it’s a good time to reminisce and hopefully inspire those who never knew farming with these animals,” he says. “I think viewers should take time to learn about real horsepower. ”