Client: Mr and Mrs Bens

Location: Pagosa Springs, CO, United States

Completion date: 2015

Artwork budget: $160,000

Project Team

Artist

James Ferrari

Artist

Debra Ferrari

Overview

The gate is a 40 foot custom designed and fabricated steel sculptural gate with a custom paint surface to represent the realism of horses for the entrance to a 100 acre horse ranch.

Goals

The client owned a large ranch in Colorado and seeked to enhance the main entrance. James and Debra met with the owners of the ranch to talk about their vision and the possible options for a 40' long entry gate. This included the medium, imagery, design, functionality and security of an entry gate. Three renderings were designed with different pricing options. After, preliminary meetings and discussions the clients decided upon the Ten Horses Running.

Process

James Ferrari, the sculptor/fabricator welded a large scale metal easel to hold large sheets of steel. On these sheets he sketched the shape of each horse to be cut, using a plasma cutter. Individual body shapes ( head, hips, legs, body, manes, etc...were then hand formed in a pullmax machine to create depth, curves and texture into the steel. The formed shapes were then welded together to create each individual horse. After each horse was created, they were welded together into a group to create two gates ( left & right.) After this process, the horses were primed with a metal primer and then base coated, using an exterior rust resistant primer and paint. The horses were painted by Debra Ferrari to create the realism of each horse. After each horse received numerous layers of paint, the entire sculptural gate was clear coated with an automotive finish. This final finish protected the gate from the natural elements and also contained a UV protectant to keep the colors from fading. James Ferrari also designed a custom metal security door, hinges and locking mechanisms so the owners could enter onto their property and manually open gates if need be.

Additional Information

The gates have become a landmark since their installation in the city of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. They are visible from Route 160 in Southern Colorado behind an historical marker, in front of a residential ranch entrance.