Equine fantasies - 158 of them - took up positions on the streets of greater Rochester this summer in a community project known as Horses on Parade.

Robert Whiteside '77 and friends

And 15 of the horses have ties to RIT.

High Falls Brewing Co. organized the project, obtaining the life-size fiberglass steeds. Local organizations and businesses adopted them and commissioned artists - ranging from professionals to school children - to decorate the horses. The herd went on view in May and remains in place until Sept. 13, when the horses will be rounded up and sold at a gala public auction with all proceeds going to Rochester-area charities.

Robert Whiteside '77 spent months painting five ponies. Whiteside was selected to create horses for Greater Rochester Metro Chamber of Commerce, Greater Rochester Visitors Association, Clear Channel Heart of Gold Children's Foundation, Thos. R. Paddock Oriental Rug Exchange, and NexPress Solutions.

In May, Whiteside and his wife, Madeline, opened the HOP Gallery to exhibit other work by artists who participated in the Horses on Parade Project. The gallery is at 151 St. Paul St., Rochester, in the space where Whiteside painted his horses.

The horse sponsored by RIT was created by eight furniture design students from the School for American Crafts under the direction of assistant professor Andy Buck. "Barrel E. Horse" spent the summer in front of Gallery r, 775 Park Ave., Rochester, an art gallery operated by RIT.

Other RIT family members who created horses are:

Carl Zollo '52 for the Rochester Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Karen Pelc, an M.F.A. student and coordinator of RIT's Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Education Program, sponsored by Brite Computers.

Belinda Bryce, a student and employee of the Learning Development Center, for PharmHealth Infusion Inc./Camp Soar.

Paula Crawford, an M.F.A. student, for Hoselton Automall.

Maggie Scheid '00, for Ball Corp.

Adjunct faculty member Jacquie Germanow, sponsored by Tel-Tru Manufacturing Co. and Germanow-Simon Corp.

Jay Lincoln, adjunct faculty, three horses for Rochester Coca-Cola Bottling Corp., Boulter Group and Excellus Inc.

Kurt Brownell '96 photographed all of the horses for a commemorative book on the project.

For more information about Horses on Parade, visit the Web site at www.highfalls.com/hop