A Canyon Country graphic artist will be communing with a bear after receiving a $3,000 award from the City of Santa Clarita. Seriously, it’s not what you think. Frank Rock was one of the finalists in the competition to select a creative artist to paint a five-by-nine-by-four foot tall fiberglass bear to be showcased at the Amgen Tour of California festivities on February 24 at the Westfield Valencia Town Center.
“I shouted ‘yes’ when I was notified that I’d been selected. The design on the bear represents the Amgen race and the spirit of California,” said Rock who has been an artist all of his life and a muralist for the past ten years.
“Painting is freeing and exactly what I like doing. I love painting because it is relaxing as well as stimulating,” said Rock.
There will be California land areas represented on the bear, including Solvang, San Francisco, Santa Clarita and Santa Barbara as well as renderings of some of the racers,” said Rock.
A scale model of the painted bear as a trophy will be presented on stage to the winner of the Santa Clarita stage of the race. Final placement of the full-size bear is still yet to be determined.
Yet another contest with an award of $3,000 is in full swing and the winner will be announced this month to an artist. This one is called the “Transit Bear” and will be based on the theme of transportation in and around the City of Santa Clarita. It is the latest artwork in the ongoing efforts to increase art featured in public places and will eventually be installed at the City Transit Maintenance Facility.
In the meantime, if you come across one of the city bears, it’s probably not a good idea to try feeding them.
For additional information on the California Bear Project, visit www.santa-clarita.com/arts/RFQ or call Michael Marks at 661-286-4078 or mmarks@santa-clarita.com.