Artwork copyright Bet Borgeson. Photo courtesy of the artist.

The Percheron and the Rabbit, 1992

Bet Borgeson
American (born 1940)

Location: Manitou Elementary, Tacoma

About the Artwork

The Percheron and the Rabbit is a colored pencil drawing by artist Bet Borgeson. It is part of her body of work that tell stories using animals, plants, and the landscape imagery. She calls this kind of composition “open narrative,” introducing story-like elements while leaving the exact meaning open for interpretation. She suggests that this piece is about wonder and a sense of belonging and wholeness. She notes, “I often use animals in my drawings to bring a seeing, feeling consciousness into a scene. In this case, both animals symbolize an innocence: the draft horse with power, the rabbit with curiosity.”

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Tacoma Public Schools.

About the Artist

Bet Borgeson creates richly detailed colored pencil drawings. She teaches art and has published several books on colored pencil techniques.