Portrait of Donald Trump made using horse manure sells for $1,800 in Sooke

It turns out horse manure can be worth $1,800—you just need a canvas, some charcoal and the right subject.

A portrait of US President Donald Trump created partly with horse manure was quickly snapped up at the Sooke Fine Arts Show, selling on Saturday, July 25, the exhibition’s first regular day.

The aptly named piece, “The Don of Dung,” was created by artist Wendy Chartrand and measures 28 by 22 inches.

According to the show’s official digital catalogue, the portrait was made using watercolour and charcoal on canvas. But the catalogue does not tell the whole story.

Chartrand revealed that she concocted part of the painting medium herself using water and horse manure.

“Portrait of the current president of the United States,” Chartrand wrote in her artist’s statement.

“The medium used is one I have concocted from water and horse manure, which seemed appropriate considering the subject.”

Chartrand confirmed with Victoria Buzz that there is actual horse manure in the painting. This is not merely a colourful description of the finished product.

“Yes, absolutely,” Chartrand said. “I mixed the manure with water and strained it.”

She then applied many layers of the resulting homemade “watercolour,” using charcoal to create the drawing and black areas of the portrait. 

Once everything had dried, she sprayed the canvas with several layers of lacquer.

That should keep the more organic elements safely sealed inside, although Chartrand suspects a close enough inspection could reveal exactly where the paint came from.

“I’m sure that if you looked at the painting with a microscope, you would find bits of hay and remnants of parasites common to horses,” she said.

The painting was listed for $1,800 and sold just one day after the Sooke Fine Arts Show’s Purchasers’ Preview Night. 

Despite creating one of the show’s most attention-grabbing pieces, Chartrand said she did not expect it to disappear from the sales wall quite so quickly.

“Yes indeed, I was surprised and thrilled that it sold so quickly,” she said.

When asked what inspired the unusual portrait, Chartrand said “inspiration” might not be the right word.

“I don’t know if I would call it inspiration, possibly more aggravation or frustration,” she told Victoria Buzz.

“Just like a lot of people that don’t like the way Canadians are being jerked around, I felt that I needed to vent and I guess it was my way of doing that. Freedom of expression and all.”

The buyer has asked to remain anonymous, leaving unanswered the most important question of all—where exactly does one hang a four-figure manure portrait of Donald Trump?

Whether it ends up above a fireplace, in an office or somewhere guests are guaranteed to ask questions, the purchaser now owns what may be one of the show’s most unforgettable conversation pieces.

For those disappointed they missed the opportunity to own the original, note-card reproductions of the painting were also being offered in the show’s gift shop. While they are nearly sold out, Chartrand said she could be contacted on social media for replicas.

While the piece is certainly getting attention for its unusual materials and even more recognizable subject, organizers say provocative work has an important place alongside the landscapes, wildlife and other pieces featured at the show.

“Art has the power to both inspire and challenge,” Sooke Fine Arts Show organizers said in a statement provided to Victoria Buzz.

“Many of the works at the Sooke Fine Arts Show celebrate beauty and the natural world, while others invite folks to reflect on social, cultural and political issues. Artists often use their work to explore ideas, ask questions and spark conversation.”

And if sparking conversation was the goal, Chartrand appears to have hit the bullseye, or perhaps the stable floor.

The Sooke Fine Arts Show is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. It is Vancouver Island’s longest-running juried fine art show and showcases hundreds of original works from artists living on Vancouver Island and BC’s coastal islands.

The show continues through Monday, August 3rd at the SEAPARC Recreation Centre, located at 2168 Phillips Road in Sooke. Doors open at 10 a.m. daily, with closing times varying by date.

General admission is $17 for adults and $12 for students and seniors. Children and youth aged 17 and under get in free. As a special 40th-anniversary promotion, anyone who is currently 40 years old can also get in for $12 with valid identification at the door.

On Thursday, July 30th, the show will remain open until 9 p.m. for M-ART-ket Night, with reduced $5 admission for adults and seniors after 5 p.m. that day.

“The Don of Dung” may already be sold, but hundreds of other pieces remain on display, most of them created using considerably more traditional art supplies.

Sooke Fine Arts Show

• Where: SEAPARC Recreation Centre, 2168 Phillips Road
• When:  Runs daily until August 3rd, doors open at 10 a.m.