Art galleries announce 7th set of Bear Fever coasters now available
Featuring the efforts and art work of Boyertown Area School District’s students, staff, and volunteer parents, the seventh set of Bear Fever coasters is now available at Dancing Tree Creations Artisans Gallery and Studio, 220 South Reading Avenue, Boyertown, and Studio B Fine Art Gallery, 39A E. Philadelphia Avenue, Boyertown. Also available are sets 2-6; set one is sold out and not currently available.
Set seven features images of Bear Fever bears from four of the Boyertown Area School District’s elementary schools: “Patches” from Boyertown Elementary School, “Gilbert” from Gilbertsville Elementary School (GES), “George” from Washington Elementary School, and “Once Upon a Bear” from Colebrookdale Elementary School.
“Patches”
The design for “Patches” was inspired by the desire to represent diversity. A patchwork quilt became the framework; each patch holds a different story behind it to represent a different class at the elementary school. One class is represented by a globe with children holding hands around the world because the class was composed of children of many nationalities. The kindergarten class decided that they wanted a picture of a bear for their patch to remind them of the bear that they crowded around when it was story time. After each patch was painted on the bear, each student was asked to sign the bear along the outline of their class’s patch. The signatures or initials were to symbolize the stitches of a patchwork quilt because it was felt by the artists that it is the children who bring the school together.
Artists for “Patches” were former art instructor Katie DiStefano and parent volunteers. Sponsor for “Patches” was the school’s PTO, headed by then-president Jill Dennin who serves currently as a member of the Boyertown School Board and has been involved with Bear Fever since its conception in 2003.
“Gilbert”
During the 2005-2006 school year, over 800 students and 85 staff members — every single student and staff member of GES — contributed his or her fingerprint or hand print to create the flowers and tiny creature decorating “Gilbert. Then-principal Ron Christman was committed to securing each child’s and staff member’s fingerprint or handprint as a testimony to the school’s mission celebrating and encouraging the unique value and contribution of every student and found in the acronym of the school’s name: “Grow, Excel, and Shine.” The project was sponsored by the school’s PTO.
“George”
In a patriotic effort to showcase the strength of the United States and its commitment to freedom, “George,” named after George Washington with a wink toward thenprincipal George Giovannis, was sponsored by Cabot Performance Materials through the efforts of the late Betty Martin. Former art instructor Doreen Cechak coordinated the project along with five fifth grade students who were selected to be part of the artistic team that created and placed the tiles that decorate the bear: Kareem Borowy, Michael Hess, Miranda Kerver, Stephanie Mathias, and Linsey Stoffle.
Several features include a little red tile on the “George’s” left cheek in the shape of a heart. This marks the spot where he received his first kiss from a first grader. Cechak recounted that the children often requested to take him out to recess and often fed him tiny tiles when she wasn’t around. When the children weren’t around, Cechak would remove the tiny tiles with a tweezers, warmed by the idea that to the children “George” was a real bear.
“Once Upon a Bear”
“Once Upon a Bear” was sponsored by the Colebrookdale Elementary School’s HSA under the direction of then-art instructor Colleen Quigney. Quigney painted the bear following the suggestions from students about its overall design that includes a display of characters from their favorite stories.
The coaster collection, a project initiated by Beth and Lyn Camella-Rich, coowners of Dancing Tree Creations Artisans Gallery & Studio, began as a fundraising
opportunity in support of Studio B Fine Art Gallery. Jill Wentzel, of Jill Elizabeth Photography and Jennifer Hetrick have served as photographers for the coaster project.
Bear Fever, Boyertown’s beloved public art project, features over 70 life-sized fiberglass bear sculptures decorated by local artists and
sponsored by local businesses, individuals, and organizations. The project, begun in 2003, debuted 35 bears at Boyertown High School’s annual Arts Expo in May 2005. Since then, the collection has doubled, and residents and visitors to the area continue their love affair with the bear statues.