Deborah Butterfield possesses an uncanny ability to translate the very essential spirit of equestrian life into physical sculptural forms. Her horse sculptures, for which she is renowned, are assembled with materials that for the artist, come very close to home.

On her 400 acre ranch in Bozeman, Montana, Buttefield forages and collects branches and driftwood – the raw materials from which the horses takes shape. For the artist, the more fragile wood pieces allow for the delicate representation of the horses’ elegance and grace.

Making one of these horses takes an incredible amount of patience and skill (Video). Using wires, driftwood and twigs, Butterfield first forms the basic shape of the horse as an armature for the sculpture, and will continue to add wood pieces until the slight curvature and posture of the horses’ anatomy is achieved.

For Butterfield, the sculpture is more than just a horse. She considers the bodice of the primary form as a blank canvas where she can draw in the air with wood – the legs and arms essentially serve to hold that “canvas” in place. 

Many who first encounter the sculptures engage in a mental debate figuring out the medium of the work (Hint: they’re actually bronze!). As she readies the wooden form for bronze casting, Butterfield takes apart the sculpture piece by piece and documents their placement. These wooden pieces are then individually cast in bronze using the lost wax process. The resulting bronze forms are then welded back in place, and a patina is applied to the sculpture’s surface to reflect the color and texture of the original wooden branches. 

The final sculpture brings to life not only the silhouette of a majestic horse, but also its adventurous spirit and unbridled freedom.

If you haven’t had a chance to see a Butterfield horse in person, now is your chance! We are currently presenting one of her newest sculptures Okalani (2015) in our Skyroom! On view through November 7, 2015.