Most of the concepts that eventually result in a finished sculpture of mine come from
most often for months until they become viable as an idea of value.  What, when, whyand eventually how are used as probes to see if the idea will make it to “sketch stage”. 

“Autumn Gold” made it through each test and into a smaller version in 1992.  That allbegan with the thought, what did the Indian do when the Buffalo are sparse and the deer and elk realized that more and more hunters were tracking them? 

The original piece was my concept of the importance of smaller game “When The

Buffalo Are Gone”.  The goose provided different meat, fats, and other products at a time when needed.  The “starving moon” was two months away and cured meats and stored greens were running out. 

One of two geese will not do.  The problem then is how do I design more geese into the sculpture and at the same time tell the story.  The next consideration is composing the piece, providing enough for the story and building a design that will be massive enough to make the concept dynamic and attractive.  Hanging the geese from a pole is the answer to it.  It allows for more geese to be carried. The number of wings and how they are arranged creates the mass.  He should also be carrying his bow case and quiver in one hand while his other arm steadies the geese loaded branch.  The most difficult part of the composition was arranging the wings in relation to the indian’s upper body.  I moved the position of each goose and each wing at least three times, some times more just to create a mass that can be viewed from all directions. 

It is autumn and the hunter is striding on golden aspen leaves.  The geese he carries will