Deborah Butterfield’s sculptures of horses appear to be fashioned from branches, scrap metal, and weathered lumber. She uses these materials as the basis for each work, casting the final sculpture in bronze, which creates a rich patina that mimics the natural color and texture of wood. Butterfield sometimes includes or substitutes other materials such as concrete or steel. “For the pieces I make, the gesture is really more within the body, it’s like an internalized gesture, which is more about the content, the state of mind or of being at a given instant,” she has said. The horses and the artist’s other sculptures focused on natural forms highlight a sense of movement through space.