(1946 - Present)Robert Deurloo began as a mining engineer in Wyoming, but twenty-five years ago he visited the Buffalo Bill Historical Center and was intrigued to try sculpting himself. A self-taught sculptor of wild animals, he is known for the distinctive patinas of his bronze which give the appearance of polished stone. He achieves this by heating the bronze until it glows after it is cast and then treating it with acids and minerals. He lives in a wilderness area near Salmon, Idaho, surrounded by mountains, forests and rivers inhabited by the animals that he sculpts. He has won numerous awards including "Best Sculpture" in the Collectors' Society in Minneapolis. In 1998, Smithsonian Institution personnel chose his bison sculpture, "Prairie Patriarch" for their permanent collection because it is an all-American symbol.