Inspired by Horse Mania, an event that captured the imaginations of residents of Lexington, KY, in 2000, Mule Madness is little more than a cheap, albeit clever, rip-off that captured the imagination of Rick.
In the summer of 2000, more than 75 brightly painted and decorated fiberglass thoroughbreds grazed throughout Lexington. The public art exhibit was organized by the Lexington Arts & Cultural Council, and some of the region's most talented artists participated. When the exhibit ended, the horses were auctioned off to benefit a number of charities.
In the summer of 2001, the idea for Mule Madness was born. Over the next several months, seven mules (and one colorful "test dummy" of a basset hound) were created. Because of budget constraints, only one artist could be convinced to participate so the mule population is low. Or "limited edition," as we prefer to say.
Because fiberglass horses are hard to come by, and expensive, concrete mules were substituted for this series. Fortunately, the artist (a Lexington native) is currently residing in an area of the country where concrete lawn animals are abundant.
Upon completion, the colorfully painted mules were presented to seven different groups of very important people, whose reactions ranged from amusement to puzzlement. In the spirit of the holiday season, all were courteous enough to claim to "really like" them.
Hopefully, the organizers of Horse Mania will see Mule Madness as a tribute, because in some warped way, it was intended as such.
If you're interested in a "Mule Madness" mule of your very own, I'm sorry; it's a "limited-edition" series (see above) and they're generally not available for purchase. However, if you just can't live without one and you have an extremely large budget, please contact the artist at rick@rickmaynard.com and we'll talk.
And remember: it's hard being a concrete mule.
Name: Misery
(aka Old Blue)
Owners: Tim and Mitzi Sawyer, Lexington, KY
Description: Football-colored (or chocolate, if you prefer) with Wildcat
Blue accents.
Distinguishing Characteristics: No. 22 football jersey, shoe polish under
eyes, and neon pink lips.
Mule Trivia: Was the first mule in the series. Also the heaviest. Artist's
vote for best name in series.
Name: Camo
(aka Benjamin)
Owner: Kristin Bock, Chicago, IL
Description: Camouflage colors from head to toe.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Spit-shine black polish on hooves, one
private stripe per shoulder, unit emblem on chest.
Mule Trivia: For indoor use only; practically invisible in outdoor setting.
Name:
Rock Hard
(aka Winning Colors)
Owner: Richard Maynard, Somerset, KY
Description: Silver, white and blue: the same colors and design used on
the 2001 Viagra Ford Taurus driven by Mark Martin.
Mule Trivia: Fairly authentic sponsor logos, including contingency "decals"
on back of ears.
(aka That 70's Mule)
Owners: Deb and Harold Jackson, Sanford, NC
Description: Features artwork from the Elton John album "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy." Includes decent likeness of Elton himself. Mule has gap between two upper front teeth, just like Elton. Painted blue because blue looks better than brown.
Mule Trivia: Completed late November 2002; Definitely the farthest behind schedule; earned the nickname "Sistine" because Michaelangelo painted the ceiling of the chapel quicker than this mule got painted. Worth the wait (hopefully).
(aka Two-Tone)
Owners: Tom and Lurena Worley, Lexington, KY
Description: Basketball-colored with two-tone basketball uniform (Duke blue and Carolina blue).
Distinguishing Characteristics: "Hustle" on the back of shorts; Duke and UNC logos, Nike logo on back of neck.
Mule Trivia: Decent work considering the artist cares for neither Duke nor UNC.
Name: Lure-Id
(aka Gone Fishin')
Owner: Janel Worley, Gainesville, FL
Description: Deep gulf blue with assortment of saltwater fishing lures.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Lovely sunset scene over right eye.
Mule Trivia: Required the largest amount of web research. Lots of saltwater
lures being marketed these days.
(aka Pill Pusher)
Owners: Dr. Suzanne Hawks and Troy Hawks, Somerset, KY
Description: Primarily red, featuring dozens of different types of pills.
Mule Trivia: Took the longest to complete; Artist took sabbatical in mid-mule. Previewed at Christmas, 2001, but delivered in spring of 2002. Features an "earful" of Viagra and another "earful" of Prozac.
Name: Joseph
(aka "The Amazing Technicolor Canine," Prototype Dog, Daniel)
Owners: Rick and Gina Maynard, Louisville, KY
Description: Uh… colorful.
Mule Trivia: Not a mule. Makes a great doorstop. Features "Superman"
logo on back, colorfully painted toenails, and a gangstah-style teardrop
logo on right eye. Nicknamed "Daniel" instead of "Joseph"
early on, when artist's memory of Bible stories failed him.
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