"Fences"
a Maquette-sized Bronze Sculpture Allegory
by James Muir Bronze Allegorical Sculptor-Artist

“Fences!” a portrait of an early cowboy taking a break from” working the fence line.” With a canteen of water to slake his thirst and a trusty lantern to light his way through the approaching darkness, except for this occasional respite to look back on progress and forward on future-his labors are without end. Symbolically, the allegory runs much deeper. Today, as in the old west, fences represent exclusion and limitation, equally for those on either side, restricting our perspectives to certain cherished beliefs. Now, as then, the greater need is to cut those fences, rather than to string anew. This cowboy is prepared: clothed for stormy weather, with spurs to ride hard and swift, chaps to ward off the thorns and brambles of adversity, quirt to lash out of the way of the nay sayers, do-nothings and sycophants of negativity. Guided by the Lantern’s Light and armed only with the sharp knife of truth and the incisiveness of his fencing tool, like the little David of old, his is still the battle against the Goliath of Falsehood, he stands four-square upon the Rock of Truth-the world will adjust.