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      Design Stage

    Wax Model   Peggy chooses wax to create the original wax model. 

   Macquette Mold  Rubber and plaster are applied over the original wax models.

  First Step in Resizing  Taking a plaster from the original wax mold, a grid is applied for a point by point depth transfer to styrofoam.

Resizing to Monumental Size    The point by point transfer begins to take shape in the enlarged styrofoam figure.

  Monumental Clay  Clay is applied over the styrofoam and the artist re-details the clay to look like the original wax model.

   Monumental Plate Molding   dividing the clay surface with waxed cardboard shims, rubber and then plaster is applied into each section.

   Completed mold on a monumental figure.

   Wax Pouring   Wax is poured over the rubber surface and a plate of about 1/4 inch thick is obtained.

   Sprued Wax   Feeder and vent tubes are attached to the wax plate using wax rods.

   Shelling   By dipping the wax plate into a porcelain slurry and then dusting with silica sand, a tough sand shell mold is created.

   Drying the shells  

  Melt Out  Placing the sand shell mold in an oven, the wax is melted out.

  Poured Bronze  Molten bronze  at 2000 degrees Fahrenheit is poured into the sand shell molds.

   Removing the shell from bronze  The sand shell mold is removed with hammers and sandblasting.

   Degating the bronze panels  Using saws and cutting torches, the feeder and vent tubes, now in bronze are removed from the bronze plate.

  Assembling  The bronze plates are welded around a steel armature for support and to mount on the landscape.

   Applying the Patina   After heating with a propane torch, metallic acids are sprayed on the surface for the bronze to take on rich colors.

   Stand in buffalo are used to check placement on the site.

   Moving the falling buffalo into place.

   Installing the Bronzes on the site

  The falling buffalo

    Lakota Bison Jump at Tatanka