While working on this piece I learned the answer to the classic question. The zebra is actually black with white stripes. This can be seen more clearly in aberrantly patterned zebras, the growth of baby zebras in the womb, the black colts of white horse breeds (such as the Lipizzaner,) and in baby tapirs (a relative.)

This sculpture is from the series 'Formal Wild' exploring patterns and color of the animal kingdom. This series also serves to contemplate formality of wildlife - it's source or illusion thereof, and the juxtaposition of the two terms at opposite extremes - formal, and wild.