‘Painted bears’ fundraiser backs youth sections of new library

By Virginia Schmidt

Sculptor Jeff Rudolph has many ongoing projects inside his Cody workshop: buffalo, rabbits, cowboys - and a giant five-foot grizzly bear.

Just off Big Horn Avenue, Rudolph is sculpting the bear for the “Grizzly Gathering” fundraiser. The project is being led by the Park County Library Board and library foundation.

Funds generated by the project will further develop the youth sections of the new Park County Library in Cody.

“The taxpayers and Park County commissioners were generous and agreed to pay for all the necessities of the library, but this is something in particular we want to focus on,” library board member Pat Stuart says. “The concept of a teen library is something Park County has never enjoyed. It’s going to be a lovely space set aside for teens with two study rooms and multiple study areas equipped with computers.”

After Rudolph completes the original sculpture of the “big” grizzly, about 25 fiberglass copies will be cast to then be individually painted by artists from the Cody region.

“This will be much like what Billings did with the horses,” adds Stuart who is chairman of the painted grizzly committee. “But at best they just had a fiberglass company create their model. That more typical off-the-shelf ap proach “is not a work of art by their own artist.

“We have an artist creating our own grizzly that is only for this project.”

“I really like this idea because other towns have their trademark sculptures and we don’t have one, so it will be great to have the grizzly for Cody,” says CHS senior Kelly Danforth, a member of the Teen Library Council. “People will see the grizzly and know it’s our animal.”

Rudolph is well under way on the monumental bear and plans to be finished by October. The bear is being sculpted in a sitting pose.

“Jeff is an incredibly generous and talented individual who is giving his time and energy to help make the bear what the community, library board, foundation, committee volunteers and art community want,” Stuart said. “I can’t speak too highly of him.”

Rudolph says he’s “really glad organizers chose a bear as the subject.

“The grizzly fits our community so well,” he adds. “And I like its size - the bigger you go, the more intense and exciting a piece becomes. That’s why this bear has so much presence.”

Committee members have sought the artistic advice of a number of Cody people connected to the art world as the bear project and model has developed.

Unpainted fiberglass bears will arrive in Cody in January 2008 and will be transported to about 25 artists who accept invitations to paint them during the following 5-6 months.

Artists throughout the region recently have been contacted about participating. The final list of artists will be announced later.

Before the bear molds go to the artists, “we hope to pair some students from the Teen Library Council with some unpainted bears on rollers and take them through downtown so people can see them,” Stuart adds.

On June 21, 2008, the 25 originally painted “or otherwise embellished” bears will be assembled at the Park County Complex (previously, Marathon Building) for the official “Grizzly Gathering.”

“It’s left to each artist to do what they want with their bear - we might get paint, mosaic, collages,” Stuart adds. “When the finished bears arrive we’ll have a big party for them, their sculptor, artists, sponsors and others.”

Twenty-five entities - including individuals, businesses and foundations - may sponsor a “big bear.”

Potential sponsors are being approached this month by Grizzly Gathering volunteers. Sponsors will donate $1,500 to the project and receive a completed bear for display next summer. This payment is designed to cover the cost of the fiberglass bears and art supplies.

Sponsors will collaborate with the committee to select the location they wish to display their bear for two months in summer 2008. Among other benefits and publicity, sponsors will receive a nine-inch replica of their bear, embellished by the same artist, which they may keep.

“The idea is to get the bears in prominent locations around Park County - mostly in Cody but some in Powell, at least one in Meeteetse and maybe one in Yellowstone, too,” Stuart says.

After the sponsors’ summer display, the bears will have their final gathering Aug. 21, 2008, at the Park County Complex. And then on Aug. 22 the public auction to sell the bears will take place on the grounds of the complex.

For insurance and other purposes, the minimum value of the big fiberglass grizzlies has been set at $5,000.

“It’s important to remember that all donations coming into the project from sponsors, donors and auction buyers will be tax exempt,” Stuart adds. “This benefits our supporters and helps the library board raise as much money as possible for the youth library improvements.”

It’s possible one of the grizzles may be raffled, rather than sold at auction.

Stuart says the library board hopes the project is a success because they have “big plans” for the youth section.

“We want to have facilities that attract young people. We want them to be book and literate friendly. We want young people to be able to (use technology) they will find in the work place,” Stuart said. “Things like computers, audio and visual equipment, and smart boards.”

For his part, Rudolph appreciates being involved.

“I’m just so glad to get to do this for the new library because it’s a really good cause.”