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Valerie Kent's Moose Exhibit |
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Sotheby's Artist
Auction House liked Valerie's sketches so much, they asked her to produce
Moozart. He was placed by the reflecting pool in Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall and
music by Mozart was piped in the background.
Valerie dressed Wolfgang
in a red jacket, reflecting the fact that when Mozart died penniless all he
owned were five red jackets.
Valerie had the choice of selecting moose
with their heads down, or up. She chose up, because, as she said, "I always
like to look my moose in the face." |
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In the spring of
2000, Toronto's mayor, Mel Lastman, announced that moose would represent the
city as part of its Millennium 2000 celebrations.
Valerie got busy and
produced both Wolfgang Amadeus Moozart and Elvis the King, both of whom graced
Toronto's streets during the summer's festivities.
The 200 pound
fiber-glass moose, at six and a half feet tall, were considerably taller than
Valerie, so she had to use a step ladder to paint them outside—they were
too big to fit in the garage. |
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After the success of
Moozart, the Toronto Grace Hospital asked Valerie if she could create an Elvis
The King moose for their 95th Anniversary. She dressed Elvis in his leisure
suit with gold trim, red scarf, and, of course, blue suede shoes.
The
hospital staff were thrilled and took extra special care of their Elvis, taking
his antlers in every night to protect him from vandals. After participating in
the hospital's anniversay celebrations, Elvis paid a visit to Collingwood,
Ontario to take part in the town's Elvis festival parade. He later retired to
the hospital's lobby.
Both Elvis The King and Wolfgang Amadeus Moozart
were auctioned for charity at Marilyn Lastman's Arts Ball in January,
2001. |
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