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Elusive Bronze Deer Sculpture by Mark Hopkins

Bronze Deer Sculpture by Mark Hopkins
18″ H x 22″ W x 10″ D | Limited Edition of 500 | Released 2000

In Elusive, Mark Hopkins captures the exact instant when instinct takes over. A powerful herd of deer bursts forward through the deep autumn woods, hooves barely touching the forest floor as they flee an unseen presence. The moment is electric—urgent, breathless, and alive—pulling the viewer directly into the drama of the wild.

Each deer is sculpted with remarkable individuality, from the taut stretch of muscle beneath the hide to the sweeping arc of antlers cutting through imagined branches and falling leaves. No two figures move quite the same, yet together they surge as one, creating a rhythm of motion that carries the eye across the sculpture. Hopkins’ mastery of balance and flow makes the bronze feel almost weightless, as if the herd might thunder past at any second.

The warm bronze patina glows with the richness of late autumn, catching light along the backs, shoulders, and antlers while deeper shadows settle into the folds and contours below. These contrasts give the piece depth and presence, rewarding close inspection from every angle and revealing new details with each turn.

Released in 2000 in a limited edition of only 500, Elusive stands as a striking celebration of freedom, survival, and the raw beauty of wildlife in motion. It is a commanding centerpiece—one that doesn’t simply depict nature, but immerses the viewer in it, evoking the thrill of the chase and the timeless call of the untamed outdoors.

About Mark Hopkins

Mark Hopkins takes his inspiration for every facet of life on Earth, from the majesty of wildlife to mankind’s interaction with nature and produces limited-edition pieces that evoke a sense of awe and respect for the mysteries and loveliness of the world around us. Collectors of his work include Barbara Mandrell, Clint Eastwood, Bill Clinton, Colin Powell, George and Barbara Bush and a host of other luminaries and corporations including the National League Association of Baseball Club Owners, the Atlanta National Golf Club, Humana, Coca-Cola and others. Each Mark Hopkins sculpture is crafted with pride in the USA.

Captivated by form and design, Mark has personally created a signature style of vibrant vitality resulting from decades of study. Encouraged by parents and teachers from an early age, Mark’s unique talent developed alongside his technical skills of sculpting and casting. As an artist, Mark is constantly challenging himself to render the rich beauty of life and the deep emotion of the human soul into flowing sculptural form, noting “I strive to express beyond the image, to catch spirit, to reveal deeper emotions, and to share joy.”

About the Production Process

From the artist’s hand to the final polishing stages, many intricate steps go into the creation of a limited-edition bronze sculpture. First the reproduction mold is made in which layers of silicone rubber and plaster are delicately applied to the original work. Then hot wax is poured into the reproduction mold to form an exact replica of the original sculpture.

When the wax replica is removed from the mold, it is then inspected and refined or “chased” by hand to remove any imperfections that may have occurred in the reproduction process. Next, ceramic cup and wax sprues, or gates, are added which later will help channel the molten bronze into the shell to create the sculpture.

The next step is creating the ceramic shell by alternately dipping the wax replica over a period of several days into a vat of liquid slurry, then a vat of silica crystals. The shell is then set to dry, and the process repeats until the shell has reached the appropriate thickness and strength.

The finished shell is placed in a high temperature oven that melts and removes the wax (the traditional “lost wax” method). The hardened or “fired” shell is secured, so the molten bronze can now be poured into the wax impression.