Proctor developed a love for the American wilderness and sketching wild animals. The spirit Proctor captured in his sculptures reflects a deep understanding of his subjects. Before starting work on a commission, Proctor spent countless hours interacting with his subjects, whether they were horses, panthers, bison, pioneers, mountain trappers or Native Americans. Then he drew up hundreds of sketches and created small clay models that were enlarged in plaster. "I am eternally obsessed with two deep desires — one, to spend as much time as possible in the wilderness, and the other, to accomplish something worthwhile in art." - Alexander Phimister Proctor