Lisa Gordon

Power II

2023

Horse-sculptor Lisa Gordon graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sculpture and photography from California State University in San Bernardino. A debilitating illness, which led to physical paralysis, delayed her entry to graduate school though after a miraculous recovery, credited to her stubborn nature, Gordon began graduate studies at California State University at Fullerton. It was during her graduate studies when Gordon’s childhood interest in horses and her love of sculpture combined. Gordon had always been fascinated with horses and at the age of twelve she had her own. She spent a large part of her childhood riding and working in stables. She was devastated when the stables around her home were slowly sold to developers and the horses were sent away. Gordon uses the horses as a “central metaphor for the human experience, often combining meaning and fun in the same piece.” In the July 2002 edition of Southwest Art Magazine Gordon states, “People really do identify with the horse– it’s not like the zebra or giraffe. It’s really the perfect medium for getting my ideas out. The horse is the bridge between me, the art, and the viewer.” Gordon’s sculpture, “Career Moves” is on permanent display in the city of Loveland, Colorado where she has exhibited annually at the “Sculpture in the Park” exhibition. Source: Southwest Art Magazine, July 2002 Artists Statement: “The emotional bond between the horse and myself goes beyond simple childhood fascination. Horses have always been an intricate part of my life. I drew and mimicked them as a child; I owned and trained them as a teen; studied and revered them in college. Now as an artist it is natural that I sculpt the horse’s image. The horse is the figure through which I actualize my ideas. It becomes a tangible bridge between the viewer and me. My goal is to render the horse with empathy and respect without getting bogged down in realities. I strive to breath new life into an often cliche historical subject. By using tension and whimsy and by juxtaposing figure and form my sculptures are carving out a space of their own int he world of quine sculpture.”