animal band

 

My animal band is a tribute to the many amazing musicians who have entertained us throughout the decades.

I was attending monthly BSO concerts during the 4 years it took to create, cast, and complete my 5-piece band of puma people.  As I watched and listened to the classical music, I’d visualize my animals replacing the musicians on stage.

 

The Animal Band  | 1987-1991  |  2′ x 4.5′ x 1.5′  |  Media: bronze  |  Series: puma people  |  Theme: Human body

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     HISTORY

The small mane, from the horse-bird series,  inspired the idea for my puma people. The mane became the focal point for the prototype in 1982.

1982 | Bronze bird with mane
1982 | Puma People | clay

This 11″x7″x5″ clay prototype, with it’s cascading mane, was the first creature made. It became the Piano player.

Detailed replica | wax

A mold is made and filled with hot liquid wax. Once the wax cooled details could be developed.

Unfinished Mother and Child

This large mother eventually morphed into the Trumpeter.
The small child became the Banjo Player. 

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Many wax animals were made in ’82, but a theme had not developed. I put my puma people aside for five years. 

One evening in 1987, I was watching television with my teenaged children. A hard-rock band was immersed in their music…their long hair was flying around as they danced. I commented, “The band is jumping around like animals!!” As soon as I said those words…I knew my animals were meant to be musicians. I ran to my stash of unfinished puma-people…eager to get started. I had a course-of-action and quickly resolved all previous issues. I added humanistic arms and legs; defined paw-like fingers and toes; and made a musical instrument and a whimsical persona for each creature.

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The Piano Player
bronze  |  11″x15″x9″

Detail | aerial view | double-black mane cascading from behind the ears
Detail | fingers playing on the piano-keys
The Piano Player was the first bandmember to be completed. It's body was made from the 1982 prototype.
Full left side
Details | small stool + large foot.

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   The Lead Singer
    bronze  |  16.5″x9.5″13″

Details | feet and toes
The Lead Singer is the largest and last animal to be cast. Its stature has a unifying affect on the rest of the band.

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The singer relaxes on its bench with eyes half-opened and a microphone in hand.

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The Drummer
bronze  |  14″x14″x11″

Detail | aerial view
Details | cascading mane | back view
Drummer | right profile
Drummer is ready to strike the drums with a right hand and cymbal with the left hand

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Left profile cooling after the bronze pour
Detail | drum set

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The Trumpeter
bronze  |  21″x13″x7.5″

Details | trumpet, fingers, horn, face
Details | toes on left foot | NCB signature on inside-right foot.
Back detail | double mane starts behind the ears
The Trumpeter | left-body view

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The Banjo Player
bronze  | 11″x8″x5″

The right side
The front view
The back view
The left side