Better 'bearlieve' it

WINSTED — The Northwest Chamber of Commerce’s Bearlieve It or Not fundraising event is in full swing around town, with uniquely painted “adopted†bears starting to pop up in local art studios or with their respective artists.

The event began in May with an Adopt an Artist party at Whiting Mills in Winsted. Potential sponsors viewed sketches of bears submitted by local artists. Once a bear sketch was adopted, the artist got to work.

The collaborative public art project is designed to support Litchfield County tourism and enhance the visibility of local artists. The project will also benefit the LARC and Northwest Connecticut Chamber Education Foundation when the bears are auctioned off Nov. 13.

To date, more than a dozen bears have been completed and photos are featured on the Northwest Chamber website with artist and sponsor information. All of the bears will be on public display around town from August through November leading up to the auction. There will be a “bear map†available designating where each bear is being displayed.

Winsted artist Cheryl Bartley, who painted Laurel Hill Health Care’s sponsored “Lake Ness†Bear and also the “Sun Bear†with the artist Rusél (Bartley’s husband, Russell Dutton Buchner), said she is looking forward to seeing all of the bears displayed in town.

“Once I got the vision for the bears design, the actual painting and production came easily within a couple of days. It was fun,†she said.

Laurel Hill Health Care approached Bartley with the design idea to showcase seasonal themes in Winsted. The work includes scenes from Highland Lake, the Laurel Festival and the Fireman’s Carnival, with other classic town events.

“Sun Bear†is a Van Gogh-style bear, Bartley said, with sunflowers and bears dancing and hanging from vines.

Another Winsted artist, Gay Schemmp, painted “Jonathan Husky Bear,†dedicated to the University of Connecticut’s “Husky Pride.â€

Other bears being auctioned include “Victorian Postcard Bear,†sponsored by Chatterley’s restaurant and painted by Joan Pavlinsky; “Nature’s Bounty Bear,†sponsored by Chadwick Financial Advisors and painted by Carol Garrett; and “Rainbow Bear,†sponsored by Cook Funeral Home and painted by Karen Rossi.

Maps will soon be available, detailing the locations of the bears, with more information on the auction. For more information, visit nwctchamberofcommerce.org or call 860-482-6586.