You may wonder at the look of grim determination on this woman's face. A glance at the full-length form will show you the reason.
You can then see in her right hand the body of a large rattlesnake that this pioneer lady has just beheaded with the shovel in her left hand.
The artist is an acquaintance of mine from years ago, Bob Boze Bell. (I must apologize for the fuzziness of his portrait as I was having some problems with my camera.)
Bell is a long time very-talented artist and chronicler of the Old West through several books he has written and as the executive editor of True West magazine. Of his latest sculpture he says:
"Whether they were wrangling ornery kids or dispatching hogs, chickens, scorpions and rattlesnakes, the women who lived in Arizona Territory had to be tough. We, their offspring, admire and thank them for their grit."
Smaller bronze models of the "Not-So-Gentle Tamer" are available in Limited Editions. Here's one that has been bronzed and patina applied.
This is the patina artist, Carl Wolf, in his studio. He said he has been with the foundry/gallery for 18 years doing this work.
And I couldn't resist taking this photo of his tools.
It was a very pleasant evening at Bronzesmith in Prescott Valley.
