ARTS & CULTURE
Rob Canton guards over his herd of painted and decorated goats as they await
their debut at the Tampa Super Bowl.
10 StPeteLifeMag.com May/June 2020
PHOTOS /MARCIA BIGGS
On a bright Sunday morning, Macy Higgins pulls up to the Grady
Goat Farm in Thonotosassa with a painted goat in the bed of her
pickup. The goat’s not real, mind you, but is a larger-than-life model
that’s aiming to get in the barn with the other 45 or so painted
goats—a “herd” soon to grow to 55. You can say she is looking for
her tribe … and she has found it.
Inside the big barn are rows upon rows of goats in waiting. But
nary a bleat echoes forth. These goats, all painted and adorned in
anticipation of what appears to be a barnstorming costume party,
during Super Bowl LV (55) in Tampa. Some 55 artists, mostly from
across Tampa Bay, volunteered to paint these beauties, in support of
practice is the illegal transporting of people for purposes of forced
labor or sexual exploitation.
The pop art goat of emerging artist Macy Higgins is dreamy and
colorful in shades of pink and blue, covered in stars and cacti,
daisies for faces. Every image has a meaning.
“I wanted my goat to focus on the young victims and survivors of sex
The clouds represent peace and dreams for the future, the daisies
are innocence. The citrus means new life and freshness.” Higgins
even added an udder in paper maché to make sure the goat was
female.
Project GOAT
BY MARCIA BIGGS
/StPeteLifeMag.com