Homeward Bound
Submitted photos
The seven Bulldog Project statues that were auctioned off to new owners are settling into their new homes. Above, “ Mirrored Image” is pictured standing proudly at the Heard Freighthouse food truck park, flanked by park owner Desi Bourgeois, right, and Justin Hinckley, who purchased the statue at auction.
Jenny Crume is pictured with "Goodwill" which now stands at Remax Realty.
“Everybody Loves Breakfast” at Turpin Orthodontics
“Farmers Market” at the Ruston Farmers Market
“She’ll be Coming ‘Round the Bulldog” at the corner of Virginia Avenue and Vienna Street. Not pictured is “Be Bold” which will soon be coming to the Edward Jones office of Andy Halbrook.
“Star Stuff” at Hunt, Guillot & Associates
The new homes for all the recently auctioned Bulldog Project statues have been finalized, and the artistic animals are settling nicely into their new digs.
The Ruston Cultural District announced the locations where the public can find each of the seven fiberglass works of art that were auctioned off Sept. 29, and six of the canines have already been installed.
“Mirrored Image” by Jo L. Gates, formerly located at the Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau, now stands at the Heard Freighthouse food truck park in downtown Ruston. It was purchased at the auction by Justin Hinckley.
“Everyone Loves Breakfast” by Arrow Public Art, previously located at R. L. Cook Park, has now made its home at Turpin Orthodontics. Owners Mellie and Corbin Turpin purchased the dog at auction. “Farmers Market” by Victoria Smith, formerly located at Ruston City Hall, has found its more organic home, in more ways than one, at the Ruston Farmers Market. Rosy Brommell was the high bidder at auction.
“Goodwill” by Julie Crews, originally at the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central Louisiana, has made its way to Remax Realty, having been purchased by the Crume family. “She’ll be Coming ‘Round the Bulldog” by Laura Hunt Miller was purchased by the artist’s mother, Ann Hunt. Previously stationed at the Ruston Farmers Market, it now stands in public access on the corner of Virginia Avenue and Vienna Street.
“Star Stuff” by Whitney Caskey, formerly at Railroad Park, was purchased by Hunt, Guillot & Associates and has made the journey to that location. “Be Bold” by Victoria Smith, originally located on the Louisiana Tech University campus, will soon stand at the office of Edward Jones advisor Andy Halbrook, who purchased the statue, once the new sidewalk at the site is complete.
These auction pieces join four permanent statues at the Ruston Sports Complex, the Lambright Sports and Wellness Center, the Dixie Center for the Arts and Century Next Bank to form the full collection of Bulldog Project landmarks.
“We’re super excited about their new homes,” Ruston Cultural District President Amy Stegall said. “They were well distributed throughout the community. They’ll continue to be great public art pieces for years to come.”
More than four years in the making, the auction raised $71,760 to fund future RCD projects.
Stegall said new brochures with the updated locations will be available soon at the visitor kiosk at Railroad Park and the CVB office.
“It’s so great for people to have something fun to do that is outdoors, has to do with public art, and includes locations where we know the people are invested in the place that we live,” she said.
