Oct. 15, 2018

He has graced Phillips Avenue for months and provided countless photo ops.

Now, Bear Lee, Standing, is the People’s Choice Award winner for this year’s SculptureWalk.

Crafted out of stainless steel knives and forks and standing 6 feet tall, the grizzly is the work of Ohio artist Gary Hovey.

Hovey is new to SculptureWalk and has an inspirational story behind his work. He’s fighting Parkinson’s disease.

“That minute in May when I saw Bear Lee, Standing come off the truck, I know we had another very special sculpture in a very special year,” said SculptureWalk’s Jim Clark.

Hovey also is the sculpturor behind Girlilla & Tiney exhibited in front of the Phillips Avenue Diner.

“This 15th annual exhibit of sculpture was arguably our best ever, and it showed with not only the quality of the art, but with the number of visitors and ballots we had returned,” Clark said. “Every year the votes are close, and this year was no exception, the People’s Choice Award puts a wonderful exclamation point on this special year and exhibit.”

Earlier this year, SculptureWalk artists peer reviewed all 57 sculptures to select the Best of Show awards as part of the Virtuoso program funded by the Scoular Family Trust.  The top sculpture went to artist Pokey Park of Tucson, Ariz., and her piece Red Legged Frog.