From Carolina Morning News, April 2000
Cows Have Beaufort Speaking in Puns
by Lolita Huckaby
They're here and everyone's talking about them.
"Them" is 27 of the Chicago cows. They arrived in Beaufort last weekend for an extended "vacation" through early July.
The life-size fiberglass art objects were quickly dispersed about the countryside, from Point South to Hunting Island, and the community hasn't stopped talking.
"They're simply 'bovine,' " said Bay Street attorney George O'Kelley, who has "Spring Flowers" grazing next to his law offices.
"It's been a moo-ving experience," said Hillary Barnwell of the Beaufort County Library, where "Alphabet Milk" and "Guernsica" are spending their holidays.
"Our visitors are loving our blue and red cow with the big white stars. She's certainly been turning some 'herds,' " said Jim Wescott, executive director of the Lowcountry Tourism Commission where "Moolennium Cow" welcomes visitors to the coast.
Cow puns have peppered local conversation all week and Eric Holowacz, executive director -- or "head wrangler" as he's now being called -- of the Arts Council of Beaufort County is pleased.
"It's really exceeded our wildest expectations," Holowacz said this week.
To begin with, local businesses and individuals came forward with funding to sponsor the cows. Since their arrival, others have called the arts council asking how they can get a cow in their front yard, inviting them to various social functions.
School teachers have called with proposals for various art projects. A local artist is proposing a traveling shrimp show to accompany the cows, making it a "surf and turf" display.
The "Cowalina" cow, donated to the county by the city of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs, has been decorated by local artist Del Holt and has already taken a boat trip, arriving at Harbour Town Marina on Hilton Head Island last Sunday, during the final round of the MCI Classic.
Beaufort's "Cows on Vacation" are part of a larger herd, close to 300, that participated in Chicago' public art cow project during the summer of 1999. During the exhibit, officials there estimated 10 million people viewed the works of local artists.
Holowacz and the Beaufort Arts Council have been the only community to successfully lobby the Chicago program and private owners of the cows to borrow the exhibit and thus far, they've been pleased with the local reception, said Michael Lash, Chicago's director of public art, who came to Beaufort last week to oversee installation of the cows.
"From what we've seen, it's a great place for the cows to visit," Lash said. "The community seems pleased they're here and the cows appear to be enjoying it themselves."
There have been a few incidences of vandalism against the cows -- a horn was torn off one, a pair of sunglasses stolen off another -- but Lash said some vandalism also occurred while the cows were in Chicago.
"We would certainly hope people would respect these objects as art pieces even though they're not on display in a gallery or museum," he said.
The damaged cows have been repaired, largely through the creative efforts of city work crews, said Holowacz, and police officers as well as citizens are helping to keep an eye on the cows to make sure they're not damaged.
"We see this as a wonderful experience for the community and hope others will feel the same. It's not only the cows coming to Beaufort and bringing a different cultural experience, it's a great opportunity to build a partnership with the city of Chicago," he said.
For more information on the cows, including a map of their locations, visit the Beaufort County Public Library Internet page. The Web page includes information about the exhibits as well as a list of related links, including the original Zurich, Switzerland, cow project.
by Lolita Huckaby
They're here and everyone's talking about them.
"Them" is 27 of the Chicago cows. They arrived in Beaufort last weekend for an extended "vacation" through early July.
The life-size fiberglass art objects were quickly dispersed about the countryside, from Point South to Hunting Island, and the community hasn't stopped talking.
"They're simply 'bovine,' " said Bay Street attorney George O'Kelley, who has "Spring Flowers" grazing next to his law offices.
"It's been a moo-ving experience," said Hillary Barnwell of the Beaufort County Library, where "Alphabet Milk" and "Guernsica" are spending their holidays.
"Our visitors are loving our blue and red cow with the big white stars. She's certainly been turning some 'herds,' " said Jim Wescott, executive director of the Lowcountry Tourism Commission where "Moolennium Cow" welcomes visitors to the coast.
Cow puns have peppered local conversation all week and Eric Holowacz, executive director -- or "head wrangler" as he's now being called -- of the Arts Council of Beaufort County is pleased.
"It's really exceeded our wildest expectations," Holowacz said this week.
To begin with, local businesses and individuals came forward with funding to sponsor the cows. Since their arrival, others have called the arts council asking how they can get a cow in their front yard, inviting them to various social functions.
School teachers have called with proposals for various art projects. A local artist is proposing a traveling shrimp show to accompany the cows, making it a "surf and turf" display.
The "Cowalina" cow, donated to the county by the city of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs, has been decorated by local artist Del Holt and has already taken a boat trip, arriving at Harbour Town Marina on Hilton Head Island last Sunday, during the final round of the MCI Classic.
Beaufort's "Cows on Vacation" are part of a larger herd, close to 300, that participated in Chicago' public art cow project during the summer of 1999. During the exhibit, officials there estimated 10 million people viewed the works of local artists.
Holowacz and the Beaufort Arts Council have been the only community to successfully lobby the Chicago program and private owners of the cows to borrow the exhibit and thus far, they've been pleased with the local reception, said Michael Lash, Chicago's director of public art, who came to Beaufort last week to oversee installation of the cows.
"From what we've seen, it's a great place for the cows to visit," Lash said. "The community seems pleased they're here and the cows appear to be enjoying it themselves."
There have been a few incidences of vandalism against the cows -- a horn was torn off one, a pair of sunglasses stolen off another -- but Lash said some vandalism also occurred while the cows were in Chicago.
"We would certainly hope people would respect these objects as art pieces even though they're not on display in a gallery or museum," he said.
The damaged cows have been repaired, largely through the creative efforts of city work crews, said Holowacz, and police officers as well as citizens are helping to keep an eye on the cows to make sure they're not damaged.
"We see this as a wonderful experience for the community and hope others will feel the same. It's not only the cows coming to Beaufort and bringing a different cultural experience, it's a great opportunity to build a partnership with the city of Chicago," he said.
For more information on the cows, including a map of their locations, visit the Beaufort County Public Library Internet page. The Web page includes information about the exhibits as well as a list of related links, including the original Zurich, Switzerland, cow project.