Hendersonville – The 20 statues are spread out at the ends of blocks on both sides of Main. This is the 22nd summer outdoor art exhibit downtown, put on by The Friends of Downtown Hendersonville. The group promotes Main Street and Seventh Avenue business districts, and sponsors various festivals and special events.
The bears will be auctioned on Oct. 26, at the Historic Courthouse Plaza. More than $715,000 has gone to local nonprofits from auctions in the last ten years. Last year’s auction “generated $116,600,” marking the “third consecutive year the auction has surpassed $100,000,” City of Hendersonville Downtown Manager Jamie Carpenter added. Fifty-four people made more than 155 total bids.
‘Buy Now’ Super Bid
Seven of the 20 bears sold ahead at a “Buy Now” price of $10,000, available up to two days before the live auction final phase, Carpenter said. Buy Now is available again, through Thursday, Oct. 24.
Carpenter calls the annual auction a “true testament to the beautiful work by our local artists and the charitable nature of our local community. Not only does it support our local nonprofits, it provides something unique to Hendersonville that visitors and locals alike love to see every year on Main Street.”
Half of proceeds from a winning bid up to $3,000 go to its designated beneficiary organization. The other half goes to the City of Hendersonville to cover expenses — but never more than $1,500, Carpenter explained. As usual, the amount of the winning bid that exceeds $3,000 fully goes to the non-profit. Thus, a $10,000 super bid sends $8,500 to the bear’s designated non-profit.
Bidding opens online in September with a “virtual” phase. Final bids are handled live at the plaza, other than those Buy Now advance purchases. The bears have adorned Main since May 9.
Landscape Imagery
There are again three types of bears. Most are on all four paws. A few stand up. A few others are a combo of a mama bear and her cub.
Local artists designed and painted the bears. Imagery varies tremendously. Several reflect local scenic landscapes. “Out of the Blue” by AnnMarie LeBlanc does so. It benefits Anna’s Hope, which educates families about risks of youth substance addiction.
The Interfaith Assistance Ministry benefits from Teresa Duncan’s scenic-decorated “Terra Skye.” In her artist’s description, Duncan urges that bear’s viewers to “seize the day, as the sun dazzles our dawns with light and warm hues. To find joy as the setting sun signals a day’s end. Coloring the sky with its fleeting, fiery palette.”
Phillis Vaughn and Mary McCullah’s ARTy shows hills, fields, flowers, trees, birds and bees. ARTy benefits The Art League of Henderson County.
Clever Names
ARTy also exemplifies links of some bears to their beneficiary non-profits – either visually or by the bear’s name. “Galaxy of Hope” is a mother and cub decorated by Hendersonville High art teacher Courtney Hoelscher. “Hope” refers to its beneficiary, Only Hope WNC. Only Hope reaches out to local youths at risk of homelessness.
“The Creative Horizon” reflects artistic creativity of beneficiary Flat Rock Playhouse. Artist Samantha Yaeger’s colorful waves are shades of sun and water.
“Beary Garcia” alludes to late Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia. It is sponsored by Grateful Mindset Properties. Judi Dempsey’s design has sparkles, a moon, night sky, sun and flowers. It benefits Homes for Youth.
Each bear’s sponsor pays for its basic cost, before the artist works on it. A new dimension is that the fiberglass bears got their finishing from Blue Ridge Community College’s state-of-the-art Collision Repair Refinishing Technology Department. Instructor Brian Foster led the student project. It is less challenging than their usual training to restore a vehicle to its pre-accident condition.
Downtown Event Coordinator Terrye Jacobs calls Foster “incredible” in his efforts. She said, “Working with Blue Ridge has been an amazing experience.”
See each bear, its artist, sponsor, and non-profit beneficiary online at hendersonvillenc.gov/2024bears.