Shidoni foundry

A foundry nationally known for the quality of its bronzes and their patinas, it is located in the Tesuque Valley five miles north of Santa Fe. The name, Shidoni, is from a Navajo word for greeting. The owner and operator is Tommy Hicks, who bought the 8 acres of land in 1971 when it was a farm. He replaced an apple orchard on the property with a sculpture garden and the chicken coop with the foundry. By 2004, there were 25 full-time employees who pour an average of 3500 pounds of bronze a week and create more than 1000 sculptures each year. A specialty is monumental pieces including a 36-foot tall depiction of "Don Juan" by John Houser that took four years in the casting process. Most of the casting is done with the lost-wax method, which involves 10 steps including digital computations. The single pour capacity is 750 pounds.Source: Dottie Indyke, "Southwest Art", July 2004. 'Playing with Fire'