G.M. Buffalo — Welded Steel Sculpture by Gary Mitchell…
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G.M. Buffalo — Welded Steel Sculpture by Gary Mitchell
**G.M. Buffalo (1981) — Welded Steel Sculpture by Gary Mitchell**
**Medium:** Hand-welded and cold-hammered steel
**Dimensions:** 47" H × 37" W × 15" D
**Location:** Michigan, USA
# Description
*G.M. Buffalo* is a welded-steel sculpture depicting the artist riding a buffalo — a humorous self-portrait reflecting Western themes. The work demonstrates **Gary Mitchell’s signature process**: hand-shaping, hammering, and welding steel sheets into expressive figurative forms. The textures and dynamic forms highlight the interplay between structural engineering and artistic expression, influenced by Mitchell’s early career as an aeronautical engineer.
# Technique Highlights
* Steel sheets **cold-hammered and formed** to create lifelike musculature and movement
* **Welded assembly** that balances strength with artistic fluidity
* Textural variation achieved through meticulous hand hammering
* Combination of engineering precision and sculptural artistry
# About the Artist
Gary Mitchell
* B.S. Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley (1977)
* M.F.A., UC Santa Barbara (1995)
* Former aeronautical engineer (Palmdale, CA)
* 50-year career producing welded-steel figurative and animal sculptures
His works are held in public collections, including Delta State University (MS), City of Hot Springs (AR), and City of Gillette (WY). He also taught as an art professor and influenced emerging sculptors.
# Provenance & Documentation
The sculpture has remained in a private Michigan collection since the 1980s. Documentation related to the artist and this work was submitted in 2025 to the Smithsonian American Art Museum for curatorial review and retained in their internal research files.
# Condition
Stable vintage condition consistent with age. No known repairs.
#industry
**G.M. Buffalo (1981) — Welded Steel Sculpture by Gary Mitchell**
**Medium:** Hand-welded and cold-hammered steel
**Dimensions:** 47" H × 37" W × 15" D
**Location:** Michigan, USA
# Description
*G.M. Buffalo* is a welded-steel sculpture depicting the artist riding a buffalo — a humorous self-portrait reflecting Western themes. The work demonstrates **Gary Mitchell’s signature process**: hand-shaping, hammering, and welding steel sheets into expressive figurative forms. The textures and dynamic forms highlight the interplay between structural engineering and artistic expression, influenced by Mitchell’s early career as an aeronautical engineer.
# Technique Highlights
* Steel sheets **cold-hammered and formed** to create lifelike musculature and movement
* **Welded assembly** that balances strength with artistic fluidity
* Textural variation achieved through meticulous hand hammering
* Combination of engineering precision and sculptural artistry
# About the Artist
Gary Mitchell
* B.S. Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley (1977)
* M.F.A., UC Santa Barbara (1995)
* Former aeronautical engineer (Palmdale, CA)
* 50-year career producing welded-steel figurative and animal sculptures
His works are held in public collections, including Delta State University (MS), City of Hot Springs (AR), and City of Gillette (WY). He also taught as an art professor and influenced emerging sculptors.
# Provenance & Documentation
The sculpture has remained in a private Michigan collection since the 1980s. Documentation related to the artist and this work was submitted in 2025 to the Smithsonian American Art Museum for curatorial review and retained in their internal research files.
# Condition
Stable vintage condition consistent with age. No known repairs.
#industry
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