Artist Talk with Deborah Butterfield

Exploring the Art of Sculpture and Horses Tuesday, July 16 | 4:30 p.m. | Coe Auditorium © 2025 Deborah Butterfield / Licensed

Join us for an engaging and inspiring presentation by renowned Montana sculptor Deborah Butterfield. This special event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the most influential artists working in contemporary sculpture today. Butterfield will share personal reflections on her creative process, her enduring relationship with horses as artistic muse and subject, and the evolution of her sculptural work over the past five decades. Her talk will offer a deeper understanding of the emotional and symbolic resonance that her sculptures carry, as well as the technical processes behind their creation. Best known for her expressive and powerful bronze horse sculptures, Butterfield’s work captures the delicate balance between strength and vulnerability. In 2023, the Center proudly acquired her monumental piece Portal, a commanding presence now installed in the Whitney Western Art Museum. During her presentation, Butterfield will discuss the making of Portal, its significance within her body of work, and how it reflects broader themes in her artistic journey.

This event is free and open to the public, and all are welcome. Whether you’re a longtime admirer or new to her work, this is a unique chance to connect with a trailblazing artist whose vision has left a lasting mark on American art.

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