A large crowd gathered in Downtown Salina Saturday to celebrate one of the most successful community events of its kind. The 2017 version of Sculpture Tour Salina was unveiled.

A siren blast from a vintage Salina fire truck served as a signal for 22 new sculptures to be simultaneously unveiled.  The 22 sculptures come from 18 artists, in 10 states.

Salina Sculpture Tour Chairman told KSAL News at the event that he is pleased by this year’s selections. He said it has a little bit of everything.

 

The 22 sculptures will be temporarily displayed in the downtown area for a year. Each sculpture is for sale.

While taking the walking tour, you can vote for the “people’s choice” favorite. Sculpture Tour Salina ballots can be found downtown near the crosswalks and deposited in one of six marked ballot boxes. Voting closes December 31, 2017.

Hoppock says that other than an agreement to purchase the “people’s choice” winner each year, the sculpture tour does not cost the city, or taxpayers, anything.

The 2016 People’s Choice winner was “Slim” by Dale Lewis. It was located in the 100 Block of North Santa Fe. “Slim” will be placed in an elevated planter at the south entrance to the Tony’s Pizza Events Center.

Previous People’s Choice Award winners include:

• 2011 – “Watch Dog” by Louise Peterson; On display in Oakdale Park Sculpture Garden
• 2012 – “Sweet Kisses” by Marianne Caroselli; On display in Oakdale Park Sculpture Garden
• 2013 – “Farmer” by Lawrence Starck; On display in Campbell Plaza, Downtown
• 2014 – “Next Up” by James Haire; On display at the Oakdale Park Tennis Courts
• 2015 – “Daughters of Peace” by Benjamin Victor; on display inside the Salina City / County Building
• 2016 – “Slim”  by Dale Lewis; will go on display at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center

The sculpture that  took the place of “Slim” was already generating a lot of buzz on Saturday. A life-sized rhinoceros is now perched where the elephant once stood. The rhino, made entirely of Harley Davidson mufflers, is appropriately called “Harley”.

Private businesses have a history of purchasing some of the sculptures. Most recently Bennington State Bank purchased “Eggcited”, which depicts Humpty Dumpty sitting on a stack of books. “Eggcited”, which has been touring area grade schools, will go on permanent display in the children’s department at the Salina Public Library.

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The unveiling of “Harley:

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