Dunbar Bear

It was my hope that I might be the first photographer to blip this new feature of the Dunbar landscape which was unveiled a couple of weeks ago but that honour goes to Corvid Fiesta who blipped it on 24th November. The bear  which is cast in steel which a brownish coating was created by Andy Scott who also built the famous Kelpies Statues near Falkirk. That sculpture has become world renown and attracts thousands of visitors. Like the Kelpies the bear statue has a rather abstruse origin as it is intended to honour John Muir, the famous wildlife preservationist who was born and bred in Dunbar and became noted in the USA as a founder member of the National Park system having petitioned congress to designate Yosemite as a wildlife preservation area. The significance of the bear maybe a little abstruse as it case off the Kelpies and Falkirk but it is intended to signify the most potent symbol of American wildlife. The statue  is not as striking as the Kelpies as it has been fashioned out of welded steel that is coated with a brown exterior obviously in keeping with the colour of the bears but I am sure its will stand out in  more attractive lighting so I have done a monochrome version of it.

Bears are particularly significant for our family as my sister lives on an outlying farmstead near the Rockies and bears are frequent visitors to the property. However on our many trips to visit her we have always, until our last visit, somehow managed to miss seeing the bears. I guess this is one bear I will never fail to see. It is intended to be illuminated in the future and as it is so near the A1 it should be visible to many motorists and might make a suitable night shot for me.