Creative homage to the equine literally spans centuries. The Greek historian Xenophon said “a horse is a thing of beauty…no one will tire of looking at him as long as he displays himself in his splendor.” To this day, the horse has been the inspiration for art of nearly every medium and style and is a symbol across cultures of nobility, strength, power and beauty. Nineteen year old Deanna Cummins draws inspiration for her bronze sculptures from such qualities and from the relationship between horse and rider.
“My passion for sculpting was discovered when I discovered my passion for riding. When I learned about the relationship between man and animal through the convergence of the mind and body, I realized that I could express this phenomenon through art,” she explains.
After her first trainer bought the sculptures that Deanna made of his stallions, sculpting evolved into more than just a passion for the young artist. Sculpting became a pursuit involving study, observation and research. Though she has no formal training, Deanna hones her skills by observing horses daily, riding and training to deepen her understanding of the animal and of the connection between horse and human, and learning about the history of a breed or a style of riding for accuracy. She also studies veterinary science to accurately portray the muscle structure and conformation of each subject.

From Inspiration to Patina
A sculpture starts with a subject such as a horse chosen at liberty or a commission, or a riding discipline. Deanna attends shows or studies the specific horse while it is turned out. She takes lots of photographs to capture variety in position and expression. Often, a sculpture starts with a facial expression or another subtlety that frequently goes unnoticed.
Deanna chooses her favorite photo and begins by building a wire frame in that position, taking great care in creating realistic body structure and movement. The wire frame is then covered in tinfoil and clay. After the clay mold is completed, a rubber mold is formed over the clay sculpture to create a positive figure. When the rubber becomes firm it creates an impression of the original clay, creating a negative. This mold is then used to pour and produce a wax figure—a positive form again.
After the wax is cleaned, pouring holes are added and it is sent to a foundry where a ceramic mold is cast. The wax is dipped several times into a ceramic slurry. As the ceramic hardens it creates another negative mold around the figure. The ceramic is then fired and during this process the wax is melted out in preparation for the final medium, bronze. This is known as the disappearing wax technique.
The bronze is poured directly into the ceramic mold. After the bronze cools, the ceramic mold in broken away and the pouring holes that were added to the wax are cut off. After the bronze is completely cleaned it is ready for a finish, or patina, which adds the color to the sculpture. It may be added by heating the sculpture or applied cold. The finish will be a different color and texture depending on the conditions in which it is applied. After the patina is dry the sculpture is polished, buffed and waxed.
Depending on the size and the detail of the piece, Deanna will work on a commission for anywhere from three months to a year before it is finalized. While she works on as many as five sculptures each year, Deanna is also currently getting her bachelors of science in equine studies through Breyer Sate University and raising and training her four horses in Southern California’s Alta Loma.
For information on commissions, please call Deanna Cummins at 909-481-0283.