lost wax method

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From Clay to Bronze: The Journey of a Sculpture

“I guess you could say I’m a storyteller at heart. Every sculpture I make is like a moment in time—a memory I want to keep alive. And for me, the best way to do that is with bronze.”

The method I use is called lost wax casting, and it’s been around for more than 5,000 years. This process isn’t just something I picked up one day—it’s been a lifelong pursuit of learning, trial and error, and, I suppose, a fair amount of hard knocks. It all starts with an idea, but turning that idea into a bronze sculpture takes time, patience, and a whole lot of steps.

After high school, I landed a rodeo scholarship at Southern State College, and eventually made my way to Black Hills State University in Spearfish, where I graduated with an art degree. By that time, I was dead set on sculpting rodeo and western scenes. In 1984, I took a big step and opened my own foundry—handling every part of the process myself, from the clay model to the final pour.

Take a look at this video where I walk you through the lost wax casting process—a hands-on method I’ve been refining for over 40 years. It shows how each piece comes to life, from the initial clay model to the final bronze sculpture. A great thanks to Black Hills TV for covering my art and the rodeo culture.

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1. Creating the Clay Model

It all begins with a clay model. First, I build a basic armature using wire to give the sculpture its structure. Then, I start adding layers of clay, working the details slowly. I might use an old dentist’s tool to help me get the small details just right—sometimes, the simplest tools work the best.

“The real fun begins when you start building out that shape. You take a wire frame—sometimes a bucking horse, sometimes a bull—and you just start layering the clay on. Piece by piece, it starts to come to life.”

For me, that first step—moving from an idea to something you can hold in your hands—is a rush. I use plastiline or wax-based clays, depending on what I’m working on. There’s something special about getting all those little details just right before moving on to the next step.

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2. Making the Rubber Mold

Once I’ve finished the clay model, the next step is making a rubber mold. I need that mold because most of my bronzes are done in limited editions, whether it’s a run of 10, 20, or sometimes even 100. The mold ensures that each piece is an exact copy of the original.

“This is where things get serious—you pour a rubber mold over the clay, and once that sets, you’ve got the pattern for every bronze in that edition. It’s like having a blueprint that’ll last you through the whole project.”

The rubber mold is flexible, so I can get it off the clay without damaging anything. I reinforce it with plaster to make sure it holds its shape during the next few steps.

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3. The Wax Pattern

Now we’ve got the rubber mold, but that’s just the start. From here, I pour warm wax into the mold and swirl it around. This makes a hollow wax duplicate of the original clay model. That’s key—having a hollow wax makes the bronze lighter and easier to work with during casting.

“Once the wax is poured, we’ve got to make sure there aren’t any flaws. I’ll chase out any imperfections, fix up the little spots that didn’t turn out just right, and get it ready for the next phase.”

Getting that wax pattern perfect is critical—because what you see in the wax is what you’ll get in bronze.

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4. Gating and Spruing the Wax Pattern

Next up, I add sprues to the wax pattern. These are like little wax tubes that create channels for the molten bronze to flow. You’ve got to plan this part carefully—it’s like setting up a road map for the metal to travel through.

“Spruing is an art in itself. You’ve got to make sure the bronze can flow evenly through the whole piece, or you’ll end up with trouble spots where the metal didn’t fill right. It’s all about knowing the metal—where it wants to go and how fast.”

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5. The Ceramic Shell: Dipping and Investing

After the sprues are attached, I coat the entire piece in a ceramic slurry. Each layer of the slurry builds up over time—fine sand on the inside for detail, and coarser sand on the outside for strength.

“You don’t rush this part. Each coat has to dry before you can add the next, and you’ve got to make sure it’s tough enough to handle the heat of the molten bronze later on.”

This step is what makes the mold strong enough to handle the 2,200-degree Fahrenheit bronze we’ll be pouring into it.

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6. The Pour: From Wax to Bronze

Now comes the real magic. The ceramic shell goes into the burnout oven, where the wax inside melts away, leaving behind a hollow cavity. This is the essence of the lost wax method—you lose the wax, but gain a mold for the bronze.

I heat up the bronze to 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, we pour it into the ceramic mold, making sure the metal flows smoothly through every part of the sculpture.

“Pouring molten bronze is like nothing else. It’s an intense moment—you’ve got to be precise, and you’ve got to trust the process. Once that metal starts flowing, there’s no turning back.”

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7. Breaking the Mold: Revealing the Bronze

Once the bronze cools, I break away the ceramic shell. What’s left behind is the raw sculpture, but there’s still plenty of work to do. The sprues need to be ground off, and sometimes pieces need to be welded together.

“When you break that shell, it’s like revealing the piece for the first time. But it’s still raw—you’ve got to clean it up, grind off the sprues, weld any seams, and smooth everything out until it’s just right.”

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8. The Patina: Bringing the Bronze to Life

The final step is adding the patina—this is where the piece gets its character. By applying heat and different chemicals, I can bring out the unique colors in the bronze, from deep browns to golden highlights.

“The patina is like painting with fire. Each piece turns out different. You can’t predict it exactly, but that’s part of what makes it special. It’s alive in a way, just like the stories I’m trying to tell.”

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A Lifetime of Craft

“At the end of the day, it’s not just about making a sculpture. It’s about capturing a moment—a piece of history or a memory—and turning it into something you can hold in your hands.”

Every bronze I make is a story from my life or from the world of rodeo. From Yakima Canutt and Tipperary to the Coors Man in the Can, each piece has its own tale to tell. I’ve been doing this since the 70s, and I reckon I’ll keep on until I’ve told all the stories I can.