By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
Clarence the Catfish is the 2022 SculptureTour Salina People's Choice Award winner.
Salina Mayor Mike Hoppock, who also serves as chair of SculptureTour Salina, made the announcement late this morning at Clarence's current location near the northeast corner of N. Santa Fe Avenue and E. Iron Avenue.
"This would not be possible without our sponsors and our friends. This is a privately funded sculpture tour and without those individuals, the funding would not be available," Hoppock said of the tour.
The current tour, which features 22 pieces of art throughout downtown Salina, including Clarence the Catfish, will be available for public viewing through mid-April.
"So if you haven't had a chance to come down and see them, pick a nice day, come downtown, see the sculptures, visit the merchants. Downtown Salina is vibrant and continues to grow in excitement, so we'd love to have you down here," Hoppock said.
Clarence the Catfish was created by Joe and Terry Malesky, the artistic team of New Adventures Sculptures, Strafford, Mo., according to information from SculptureTour Salina.
As the People's Choice Award winner, Clarence the Catfish will be purchased by the City of Salina for its permanent sculpture collection and will be placed somewhere in the city for the public to enjoy. This will be the 12th year that the city purchases the People's Choice Award winner, Hoppock said. Previous People's Choice Award winners appear below.
Hoppock first announced the Kids' Choice Award winner: Say Cheese by Justin Deister of Louisville, Colo. That award carries with it a $500 cash prize for the winner.
"We think it's important that the youth get involved in this so we started doing a kids' choice," Hoppock said.
Say Cheese currently is located in front of Barolo Grille, 112 S. Santa Fe Avenue.
The other award announced was the People's Merit Award which is given to the sculpture that receives the second most number of votes in the People's Choice voting, and carries with it a $1,000 cash prize. This year's People's Merit Award winner is Ratatouille by Dale Lewis of Hastings, Minn.
Ratatouille currently is located in front of Martinelli's Little Italy, 158 S. Santa Fe Avenue.
Hoppock also said that the artwork for the 2023 sculpture tour has been selected. The UNwrap Party for the 2023 sculpture tour is scheduled for 11 a.m. May 6 at the City Lights Stage on the southwest corner of N. Santa Fe Avenue and W. Ash Street. More information about the UNwrap Party will be announced at a later date.
Previous People's Choice Award-winning sculptures and their locations in Salina include the following, according to SculptureTour Salina.
2011 – Watch Dog by Louise Peterson, on display in Oakdale Park Sculpture Garden, 730 Oakdale Drive
2012 – Sweet Kisses by Marianne Caroselli, on display in Oakdale Park Sculpture Garden, 730 Oakdale Drive
2013 – Farmer by Lawrence Starck, soon to be on display at Salina Senior Center, 245 N. Ninth Street.
2014 – Next Up by James Haire, on display at Kansas Wesleyan University, 100 E. Claflin Avenue, near the tennis courts.
2015 – Daughters of Peace by Benjamin Victor, on display on the second floor of the City-County Building, 300 W. Ash Street.
2016 – Slim by Dale Lewis, on display at Tony’s Pizza Event Center, 800 The Midway.
2017 – Picasso’s Violin by Jodie Bliss, on display at The Temple, 336 S. Santa Fe Avenue.
2018 – Patches by Dale Lewis, on display at The Smoky Hill Museum, 211 W. Iron Avenue.
2019 – Wheat Harvest by James Mages, on display at the City-County Building, 300 W. Ash Street.
2020 – For the Love of Steel by Sunny Corbett, on display on N. Santa Fe Avenue in front of The Voo, 249 N. Santa Fe Avenue.
2021 – Butterfly Tree by Reven Swenson, on display south of the Salina Public Library, 301 W. Elm Street.