Looking back: The bear statues of Spokane

On June 1, a reader who follows The Spokesman-Review on Twitter stumbled across photos of a public art fundraiser in London featuring colorful elephants. The sighting brought to mind a similar event in Spokane featuring bears, and she asked whether we had any photos.

The campaign in question was the "Bear Necessities", which brought life-sized, curiously painted statues of Kodiak bears to the streets of Spokane in 2005 and raised funds for the Ronald McDonald House. A search through the newspaper's archives turned up staff photos of a few of those bears in their downtown environs – and courtesy images of most of the rest. Click through for a look back at the ursine artwork.

Section:Gallery

Tue., June 1, 2010

Mike Forness, left, and Lonnie Morse install "Nature's Adventure," painted by Jennifer Batey, near the Ensign John Robert Monaghan statue on Monroe Street in May 2005. During the "Bear Necessities" project, 41 life-sized Kodiak bear sculptures were on display throughout Spokane. The Ronald McDonald House auctioned off the sculptures as a fundraiser.

Jed Conklin The Spokesman-Review
The sculpture "Bear à la Monet," painted by Frankie White, gets a ride to its new location in front of the Spokane Chamber of Commerce building in May 2005 as part of the "Bear Necessities" fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House.

Jed Conklin The Spokesman-Review
Ava Bloom,front, and Aaron Trujillo explore the painted bears in the River Park Square atrium April 12, 2005. The bears were a public art fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House.

Christopher Anderson The Spokesman-Review
A bear statue sits in front of River Park Square in April 2005, one of 41 sculptures that popped up across Spokane during a public art fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House.

Christopher Anderson The Spokesman-Review
"A Bear in My Closet" stands with 42 other bears on the mezzanine level of the Davenport Hotel on Oct. 7, 2005. The Bears were auctioned off in a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House.

Christopher Anderson The Spokesman-Review
"Bear in My Closet" by Marian Flahavin.
"Art History Bear" by Karen Kaiser, Karl Hollander and Spokane Art School students.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"The Bear Dreaming of Fishing Birds" by Karen R. Mobley.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"A-Looff Bear" by Marsha Marcusson.
"Bear à la Monet" by Frankie White.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Bear of a Feather" by Edgar Snody and Mark Lanterman.
"Beara'cuda" by Extreem Customs/Tim VandeVanter.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Bearing Hope" by Linda Schneider.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Bogey Bear" by Alexis Thomas.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Bear-ing Flowers" by Elise Meredith Beattie.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Freedom Bear" by Jesse Lee Jones.
"Frog Bear" by Charles W. Houck.
"Fancy Dancer" by Lynn Hanley, Donna Van Tine, Carmen Hall and Phoenix School art students.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Huckle Beary" by Sister Paula Turnbull.
"Coat of Winter Magic" by Mari Anne Figgins.
"Day Dreamer" by John Jennings
"Cubs Scouting" by Debbie Hughbanks.
"Huckleberry Bear" by Kim Saenz.
"Hurt No Living Thing" by Jan Kruger.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Island of Kodiak" by Mr. Willis' third-grade class and Kay O'Rourke.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Kody and Blue Fishin'" by Kay O'Rourke.
"Lilac City Bear" by Renee Rigsby.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"The Long Run Home" by Lance Sinnema.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Luna Bear" by Tom Quinn.
"Nature's Adventure" by Jennifer Batey.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Party Time Bear" by Therese Keenan.
"Ronald Bear" by Nick Vigil.
"Spokane the Way it Was" by Virginia Carter.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Story Book Bear" by Kathy Maxwell.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Teddy Bear's Picnic" by Virginia Carter.
"The Traveler" by Frederick D. Warren.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Ursa Major the Great Bear Constellation" by Pamela Galloway.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane
"Wet Behind Ears" by Ken Spiering.
"Whimsical Willie" by Edie Dunlap.

Bruce Andre Courtesy Of Ronald Mcdonald House Of Spokane