The Hunt for the Horned Toad
The Brinton Museum Horned Toad Scavenger Hunt
The Hunt for the Horned Toad is an interactive scavenger hunt around the property of the Quarter Circle A Ranch. Ten bronze sculptures of a Horned Toad by artist Tony Hochstetler comprise the scavenger hunt. Nine of the Toad sculptures are located on the grounds of the Quarter Circle A Ranch for visitors to The Brinton Museum to find. The tenth Toad is located in front of the WYO Theater in downtown Sheridan, Wyoming. A Hunt for the Horned Toad Map will be available at the Information Desk at The Brinton Museum. To complete the scavenger hunt, the name of each Toad must be filled out on the map. “The Hunt for the Horned Toad is a fun way for people to explore The Brinton Museum and it encourages them to visit parts of the property which they may normally not see,” commented Tod Windsor, Marketing Director for the museum. The friendly toad and his bronze companions are sure to enchant families with children and inspire them to explore the Brinton thoroughly, inside and outside. The map and logo for The Hunt for the Horned Toad are the work of talented Red Lodge, MT artist, John Potter.
The Horned Toad is Wyoming’s state reptile. Small and shy reptiles, they prefer dry, sunny areas. Interestingly, the Horned Toad is not really a toad but a lizard. Its broad and squat stance, blocky head, and spikey protrusions led to the name. The Horned Toad sculptures by Tony Hochstetler are of a variety of horned toad that is found in Arizona and much larger than actual size.
The Hunt for the Horned Toad was made possible by a grant from the Kim & Mary Kay Love Fund at the Wyoming Community Foundation and by a generous gift from The Windsor Family. The Brinton Museum would also like to thank Tony Hochstetler and John Potter for their role in making this project a reality.
Tony Hochstetler
Award-winning artist Tony Hochstetler from Fort Collins, Colorado, is a member of the Society of Animal Artists, the Northwest Rendezvous Group of Artists and the National Sculpture Society. He is represented in numerous private and public collections and is known for his exquisite, highly-detailed bronze works of reptiles, amphibians, insects, and birds as well as botanical pieces. In addition to working in bronze, Hochstetler is an accomplished landscape photographer focusing on scenes in Wyoming and Colorado, in particular. Tony has exhibited at The Brinton Museum in various exhibitions including the institution’s small works shows.
John Potter
Artist John Potter from Red Lodge, Montana, graduated from Utah State University with a degree in painting and illustration. Also a member of the Northwest Rendezvous Group of Artists, John is the recipient of numerous awards and was the featured artist for The Brinton Museum’s 2017 Illustrator Show featuring original children’s storybook illustrations based on the inquisitive chipmunk Carl. John is the recipient of the 2010 Legacy Award from the Montana Historical Society given during the annual Western Rendezvous Art Show, and he is also the recipient of the Robert Kuhn Award given by the National Museum of Wildlife Art. He is a member of the Salmagundi Club, Society of Animal Artists, and a Signature Member of the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters.