John Pascoe, executive associate dean emeritus of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, said he has always wanted to bring more art to the school, having seen the positive effect of public art at land-grant veterinary schools across the country. Over his more than 40 years at UC Davis, the now-retired Pascoe led the school’s efforts to collaborate with artists to acquire works, especially those depicting animals. A large collection of those works is permanently installed at the school.
Now, a nearly 7-foot steel sculpture of a horse, coincidentally named John, stands on a platform at the school’s Multi-Purpose Teaching Building in a large bay window looking toward the school’s William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. John was created by internationally renowned sculptor Deborah Butterfield ’71, M.F.A. ’73, known for her horse depictions crafted from found objects such as metal and wood.
On loan to the school from the UC Davis Fine Arts Collection, John was one of the horses in the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art’s 2024 exhibition, “Deborah Butterfield: P.S. These are not horses.” John stood in the museum’s front window at the museum’s opening in 2016 — and at various times since — before it was moved to a longer-term location at the School of Veterinary Medicine in fall 2024.
“The human-animal bond is engrained into the fabric of our school,” said Pascoe. “The school had the perfect place for it, and we’re grateful to the UC Davis Fine Arts Collection for the loan of this magnificent artwork to be on display.”
Raising money for Bow Tie
Now the School of Veterinary Medicine is raising funds to purchase and install Bow Tie, another horse sculpted by Butterfield. The cast bronze sculpture is now on view outdoors near the entrance to the Manetti Shrem Museum on Old Davis Road while on loan to UC Davis from Butterfield. The school aims to purchase Bow Tie and then permanently install the sculpture outdoors, where it would be seen from several buildings and greet visitors to the hospital and clinics.
“The project to bring Bow Tie to the School of Veterinary Medicine is a way to remind us of the significance of the equine species, and the school’s promise to continue to do tremendous work in caring for horses and all animals,” said Mary Croughan, provost and executive vice chancellor of UC Davis. “The experience of caring for and training these tremendous and brilliant creatures — that hold the fragility of your life on their backs — instilled in me a strong sense of self-empowerment and responsibility. I have found that horses provide exceptional training for resiliency and future leadership. Bow Tie represents the great honor it is to have horses in our lives.”
Bow Tie’s creation
Bow Tie literally rose from the ashes of the Bridger Canyon fire in Bozeman, Montana, said Butterfield. “The wood (later cast in bronze to form the sculpture) came from a log that had burned down to almost nothing. It looked like a bow tie, and that's how he got his name,” said Butterfield, who lives in Bozeman.
“I am drawn to the terrible beauty of burned wood and the way trees can remain beautiful, even in death. I have always used the image of the horse to represent the earth and nature. By building Bow Tie, I tried to make meaning, beauty, and hope out of tragedy.”
“The remarkable works of art throughout our school reflect the vision and dedication of John Pascoe and so many others who believe in the power of art to inspire,” said Mark Stetter, dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. “Deborah Butterfield’s sculptures bring a sense of awe and wonder, reminding us of the deep connection we share with animals and with each other. It is an honor for our school to be the new home for John, and we hope to welcome Bow Tie to our landscape in the future.”