Interactive media sophomore Garrison Colcote unveils a new spirit horse during the 2025 MavsMeet Kickoff on Aug. 18 at College Park Center. The horse sits in front of the Science and Engineering Innovation and Research Building.
A constellation trails along an orange and blue sunset on UTA’s newest spirit horse, now on display at the Science and Engineering Innovation and Research Building.
Maximus Eventus was painted by interactive media sophomore Garrison Calcote. Inspired by UTA’s 130th anniversary, it features various signifiers of Arlington’s history in the form of a constellation, with images taken from UTA’s library archives, and the Dallas and Arlington skylines near the hooves.
“The idea is supposed to be those constellations and asterisms, and actually how real-life constellations and asterisms guide us,” Calcote said. “It ties in with the idea of the memories made at UTA. Those things guide us. Those things are very timeless.”
Calcote said he came in for eight hours every day for about a month to paint Maximus Eventus, which is about the size of a real horse.
“I thought the whole thing was going to fall on me,” he said. “I had no sort of plan. I just sort of went through it and just did it.”
Calcote said this was his first time painting and that Maximus Eventus will go into his portfolio to show off his imaginative skills.
As the process began, Calcote decided to project the design onto the horse to guide him. He was joined by his high school friend Grace Cowger, who has experience painting.
It took Calcote and Cowger about eight tries to master the sunset gradient because of how quickly the paint dried.
“We’ve had to go a bit harder with some of the colors, and then pull back into using a bit more white, making sure that it looks good from a distance, making sure it looks good with the sunset and also compared to the rest of the horse,” Calcote said.
Calcote said that while painting the horse, he would get to share the experience with those walking by.
Interactive media sophomore Garrison Calcote views Maximus Eventus, the spirit horse, for the first time on display Aug. 22 at the Science and Engineering Innovation and Research Building. The horse was unveiled during the 2025 MavsMeet Kickoff on Aug. 18.
“I’ve had people just stand there and just watch me through the window,” he said. “I’ve had people come up to me asking me, ‘Are you the painter for it?’ ‘Yes, I’m the painter for it.’ And I would ask, ‘How does it look?’”
He said he wanted to receive feedback because it’s easy to become blind to certain things as an artist when working on one piece for so long.
“I just can’t see what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s working and what’s not,” he said. “But families have come up to me saying it looks really good. They actually got the idea that it is the skyline with the blue and orange and sunset.”
Student Activities coordinator Chrysta Porter said the spirit horse program was begun to increase student engagement. Currently, there are 16 horses scattered around campus and downtown Arlington.
The program is led by the UTA Ambassadors, who select the artist and manage the logistics.
Program coordinator Gianni Mills said they picked Calcote’s design because it encompassed everything UTA had to offer.
Interactive media sophomore Garrison Calcote looks at his signature on Maximus Eventus’ hoof Aug. 22 at the Science and Engineering Innovation and Research Building. Calcote finished painting the horse Aug. 12.
“We looked at this one specifically, and we thought that it was kind of different, and it was very mature,” Mills said.
Maximus Eventus was revealed for the first time at MavsMeet Kickoff. Calcote said he was nervous when pulling the drape off the horse in front of the large crowd, but knew it was something he had to do.
“I walked out on the floor and just pulled off the horse,” he said. “I didn’t think twice about it. I just experienced it in the moment, and now it’s concreted itself in my mind. That’s a memory I most likely won’t forget.”
Former UTA Ambassadors program coordinator Mayte Campos said spirit horses like Maximus Eventus are critical to campus because of the pride they represent.
“If you know about the horses, you care about the horses,” she said.
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