A 12-foot-tall steel buffalo now greets visitors outside Osage Casino Tulsa, the largest work Osage artist John Free has completed in 36 years of sculpting.

Free, his brother Matt Free, and nephew Cameron Free spent about two months building the piece from steel rod and sculpting mesh. Standing 18 feet wide, the sculpture honors the buffalo's significance in Native culture and heritage. Osage Casinos installed it Aug. 18, according to KTUL.

It was a family effort.

Free is a second-generation artist. His father, John Dale Free Sr., was born in Pawhuska in 1929 and founded the Bronze Horse Foundry there in 1981, according to the Pickens Art Museum. The family operated an art gallery in Pawhuska for more than 35 years. The younger Free learned his craft in that foundry, and his work already appears inside the casino, where a separate bronze sculpture is on display.

"Having the opportunity to create this sculpture for my people means a great deal to me," Free said. He added that art has always been an important part of Osage culture and a way to express identity, and he hopes the piece becomes something visitors enjoy each time they stop by.

Kimberly Pearson, CEO of Osage Casinos, said the project reflects the enterprise's commitment to showcasing Osage artists. The sculpture is part of a broader push by the casino to commission work from Osage creatives, including a community mural project announced in April for the Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce building.

Osage Casinos, a wholly owned enterprise of the Osage Nation founded in 2002, operates seven gaming and entertainment properties in and around Osage County and is one of the largest employers in northeast Oklahoma.

Free's bronze sculpture remains on display inside the Tulsa casino alongside the new outdoor piece, giving visitors two examples of the family's work spanning different materials and scales.