The Town of Gibsons wants an orca for its soon-to-be upgraded pool.
The town is trying to raise the money to bid on an eight-foot-high statue of an orca whale created by local artist Nadina Tandy.It is one of over 60 statues customized by B.C. artists that were displayed on Vancouver's city streets and are now being sold to raise money for children with disabilities.
Some of the orcas sold for as much as $25,000 at the live gala and auction held in Vancouver Oct. 12.
Tandy and local artist Sheila Williams both designed orcas for the Orcas in the City project. Williams' sculpture sold in the live auction for $6,000.
"It was a tribute to Bjossa, Vancouver's last captive orca," said Williams.
She created an image of Bjossa's life in captivity, what her dreams may have been and her reflections on life through a mosaic medium. She titled it Bjossa - The Orca in the Sky.
Tandy's orca is titled Country Drive. With vivid paint colours, Tandy evokes the feeling of being behind the wheel, the sun on your back and endless country roads ahead of you.
Tandy's orca was not up for sale at the live auction, but is now online at www.gobid.ca, ready to be bid upon.
The Town of Gibsons wants to win that bid, but so far the town has only $1,100 to go toward the statue, $400 short of the opening bid price.
"We want to purchase the orca to help support our local artist, and it's an opportunity to acquire a unique piece of artwork. We are planning a major upgrade to the swimming pool and feel it would be a great place to display it," said Bill Beamish, CEO for the Town of Gibsons.
He explained the town has committed $1,000 toward bidding on the orca, but the opening bid is $1,500. So far no one has bid on Tandy's orca.
"We need to raise some more money, so the mayor and I have both donated $50 toward the fund and we are challenging others to do the same," said Beamish.
Any donations will be given a tax receipt. If the town is not successful in the bid, all the donations will be returned, Beamish said.
Tandy hopes her orca can find a home here.
"I would just love to see it here. Some of the people at the table I was sitting at during the auction said they were going to bid on it too, though. It's out of my hands," she said.
Tandy said the orca took her two weeks to complete and she often needed help moving the 100-pound fibreglass statue.
"It was physically challenging. I'd have to stand on my desk and try to paint the top of it, but it touched the roof in my studio. So I'd have to wait for my husband to get home to help me lean it on a chair and then I'd lie on my back and paint it," she said.
More of Tandy's artwork is on display at http://nadina_tandy.tripod.com. Williams' artwork can be seen at www.shegon.com.
The Town of Gibsons plans to keep an updated tally of the orca fund on line at www.town.gibsons.bc.ca.
