2010 Prix de West Collectors' Bolo: Red Fox by Richard Loffler

The 2010 Prix de West Collectors’ Bolo, Red Fox, was created by renowned Canadian wildlife sculptor Richard Loffler. The bolo captures the fox with the alert posture and expressive character that distinguish Loffler’s highly realistic wildlife sculptures. Loffler’s lifelong study of animals began on the Saskatchewan prairies and continued through his work at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, extensive observation in zoos and the field, and decades spent studying animal anatomy, movement, and behavior.

For Loffler, close observation is fundamental to creating believable wildlife sculpture. “I have been given nature’s theatre to access freely,” he explains. “Working from life affords me controlled confidence. No questions go unanswered.” His goal is not simply anatomical accuracy, but to capture an animal at a moment of instinctive movement and reveal its individual character. “I try to capture the character of my subjects at moments of instinctive gesture,” he says, while controlling the composition to convey “grace” and vitality.

The fox has held a recurring place in Loffler’s body of work, including his life-size bronze Mousing and Chasing Red Fox Pups. His familiarity with the species makes Red Fox a particularly fitting example of his approach to wildlife: precise enough to communicate the animal's anatomy and recognizable features, yet focused on its living personality rather than simply creating a static likeness. Loffler has described nature itself as his greatest source of knowledge, writing that each animal has developed “its own original statement” through evolution and that its “spirit and vitality” provide an endless source of inspiration.

By 2010, Loffler had already established a significant history with Prix de West. He had exhibited in the invitational exhibition since 1993 and had received the Robert Lougheed Award in 2002. He would later receive the James Earle Fraser Sculpture Award in 2012, underscoring his longstanding recognition within the field of contemporary Western sculpture. The 2010 Collectors’ Bolo is therefore an important example of Loffler’s wildlife artistry and his enduring connection to Prix de West.

As a wearable bronze, Red Fox brings Loffler’s meticulous study of the natural world into the distinctive tradition of Prix de West Collectors’ Bolos. It combines the work of a highly respected wildlife sculptor with the history of one of the premier exhibitions of contemporary Western art, making it an exceptional collectible for admirers of wildlife sculpture, Western art, and the legacy of Prix de West.

The Collectors' Bolo tradition began in 1986.

Add to your collection of our Prix de West bolos or start your collection today! These bolos are replicas of the original artwork. Each bolo comes with a braided horsehair bolo tie.

Discounts are not available for this item.