Gerald Balciar

Focusing on animals as subject matter, Gerald Balciar works in both bronze and stone. He prefers to portray the gentle side of nature in his sculptures. His repertoire of work ranges from small scale creations to monumental installations. For reference, he works from his extensive library of wildlife material, which includes photos, magazine clippings, books, and numerous study casts and measurements. He also uses live models as an invaluable aid in his sculptures.

Balciar is involved in the creative process of bronze making from beginning to end. He works his original sculpture in wax or clay and then personally makes his own molds and sends a finished wax to the foundry. Once the bronze is cast at the foundry, he does the welding and metal chasing and then applies the patina and finishing touches to each bronze.

His largest bronze sculpture to date is a 20-foot bronze moose, Centennial, which was installed in Mooseheart, Illinois, to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the Loyal Order of Moose in 1988. His largest marble carving is an 18-foot, 16,000 pound cougar, Canyon Princess, which was carved from a single piece of marble and is installed at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The marble is Colorado Yule marble that is quarried at 10,500 feet altitude near Aspen, Colorado.