2 minute read
Cat's New Cradle
The cougar rested at the base of Steamboat Ski Area before it moved to its new location on the Yampa River Core Trail.
After journeying from perch to perch over the years, Steamboat Springs’ iconic cougar statue has found a home where it can live out its years in peace. As part of Steamboat Creates’ plan to increase the amount of public art in its Creative District, the statue has been moved to new digs on the Yampa River Core Trail.
– Rosetta
“We asked the question, ‘How do we make sure that all the public art we have is actually in the public realm?’” says Kim Keith, executive director of Steamboat Creates. One of the organization’s goals is to increase the amount of public art within the Steamboat Creative District. “The district has funding to care for and maintain public art within its borders, so it’s easier to care for this statue if it sits within our funding guidelines,” Keith explains.
The statue, which was previously located at the Steamboat Ski Area, has been refinished and installed on a rock feature overlooking the Yampa River Core Trail. A conservator oversaw the installation to ensure that the statue wasn’t damaged in the process. “We’re hoping to create a different engagement with the statue,” Keith says. “The public will still be able to interact with it, but not climb all over it.”
The cougar statue has a colorful history, moving to many different locations including Loveland, West Lincoln Park, Centennial Hall and the Steamboat Ski Area, and undergoing significant wear and tear along the way. “It’s been really well loved,” Keith says.
Loveland-based artist Rosetta created the statue, one of many pieces of hers featuring “big cats”: felines like lions, tigers, cheetahs, and, of course, cougars. “No other animals are quite as interesting and graceful as cats,” she says. “I’m fascinated by how beautiful and graceful and cuddly looking and how wonderful they are with their offspring, family wise. On the flip side, they’re consummate predators. It fascinates me, that combination. They have such varied poses. They’re so flexible and do so many interesting things.”
The cougar was Rosetta’s first piece. “I learned from that one that I liked doing large pieces because you get your whole body into the process. Not just your hands. I connected with that – nice, big flowing curves. You can really get into it.”
Rosetta originally worked for 17 years in the San Francisco graphic design industry, and transferred her design skills into the art of sculpture. “I try to make every shape contribute to the motion of the piece,” she says. “I eliminate small details that I don’t think contribute. In graphic design, I got a real feel for pulling out the essence of the shapes that define a particular animal.”
Rosetta’s sculptures span the country, from Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago to Chapman University in California, but the prolific artist hasn’t forgotten her first big piece. “I’m thrilled to have my cougar piece up in Steamboat,” she says. If all goes smoothly, her cougar will be able to stay in its new home for good. w
