Would You Pay $40 For a Painting by Vincent van Goat?

Bodie the painting goat has been nicknamed Vincent Van Goat Photo: WIAT

A goat at the Botanic Garden in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been impressing visitors with its painting ability, WIAT reports (see Indian Elephant Who Paints Gets Gallery Show).

Zookeeper Kristin Wright has been teaching four-year-old Bodie to paint for several months. The goat uses its mouth to hold a paintbrush and moves its head close to the canvas to create the colorful abstract compositions. The animal’s skills have earned it the nickname Vincent van Goat (Celebrate Vincent van Gogh’s Birthday with His Top 10 Paintings).

Lynda Shey, a visitor to the Botanic Garden, told WIAT, “It was unbelievable. I couldn’t believe that that goat was sitting there painting and it was good. It was pretty with all the pictures. It was different colors.”

Zoo manager Lynn Tupa proudly added, “To see a goat actually hold a paint brush in his mouth and paint, and he has some accuracy with it, and some talent, yeah, that’s unique.”

Tupa went on to explain that teaching the animals activities such as painting is more than just a crowd-pleasing gimmick. “Getting them to use their brains and to figure things out keeps them happier and healthier,” she said.

When asked how much she would be prepared to pay for one of Bodie’s paintings, She joked, “It depends on the size and the subject. If he was painting one of the sheep maybe a couple thousand.”

Bodie sells its paintings at the New Mexico BioPark Society for $40 each.


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