Portsmouth blacksmith’s artwork protests Trump
Portsmouth artist and blacksmith Peter Happny created a metal sculpture protesting the Trump administration.
PORTSMOUTH — Local blacksmith Peter Happny recently created a scarecrow sculpture outside his workshop that displays his strong criticism of President Donald Trump.
“The present administration,” Happny said when asked about his inspiration. “The fact that it’s doing all the things it’s doing. The scarecrow and all the bits of foolishness represents what’s going on in the government right now.”
Happny’s metal works of art can be seen throughout Portsmouth, where he has been a blacksmith since 1978. Locals and tourist alike use his many railings leading to a historic front door, they’ve seen his unique art on business walls and visited restaurants where their sign displays his artistry. He created the firefighter monument in front of the city Fire Department’s Station 2, which was dedicated in 1994.
“Artists can portray things in hard copy and they don’t have to fool around with words,” he said in reference to the scarecrow sculpture targeting Trump’s actions.
I’ve had people look at some of this stuff on this guy and feel happy that they’ve actually seen the image of what’s going on versus just talking about it so that’s what the scarecrow is about.”
He points out the orange hair and red tie, the “doo-doo” in the scarecrow’s hand that is “thrown against the wall and if it sticks he seems to run with it; except when the bond market goes down.”
“Below we have a wolf character chasing sheep that represents the Republican Party,” he said. “The sheep are running up and helping (Vice President J.D.) Vance …. kissing the scarecrow’s bottom, which seems to be what the Republican Party is doing now. And there’s the 2025 project down below that they all deny that they are working with but they seem to be working through the script. It’s a hard copy of what’s going on. It’s a visual image. People can look at it and don’t have to feel frustrated and they can just say, yup, that’s the doo-doo in the hand and it’s being thrown.”
The present administration and DOGE have been cutting many jobs, services, and organizations within the arts and humanities. Grants and programs are being hit hard. It is affecting people who create art as well as the people who enjoy and invest in it.
Happny is determined to tough it out.
“Someone asked me early on in the 70s how I dealt with the downturn of the economy, and I said I started in a recession and a few more don’t make that much difference,” he said. “So you just have to buckle down. Craftsmen, artists, we’re kind of bottom feeders, and we know how to go to ground pretty quick.”
He also has hope.
“I think (Trump is) starting to realize that there’s some hardball players; the bond market got his attention, and I think other people are starting to get it,” he said. “The flipflopping of green light/red light is an example of not really planning well, it’s just absurd. All the crap he’s been doing with Radio Free Europe and food for people in the world that absolutely need it.”
Any advice for fellow artists who might be feeling overwhelmed or disheartened right now? “Toughen up. Get some boots.”
