A rock chuck sunning itself in the Old Mill District in 2014.   

REDMOND — Redmond’s Commission for Art in Public Places is working toward an unusual fundraiser to benefit its public art mission, using the likeness of a rockchuck, a critter endemic in and outside the city, as an attention-getting tool.

“I think we all like the whimsical element,” said Deborah Cook, the commission’s vice chairwoman. “I sure hope it takes off. It would be great to have something like that in Redmond, something to celebrate every year. The rockchuck is so controversial here; people either love them or hate them. As a theme, it’s a bit different.”

Yellow-bellied marmots are known locally as rockchucks, and their rock dens, burrowing and garden-munching habits are both reviled or endearing, depending on the person.

The commission for art has been discussing the rockchuck idea for nearly two years. Although early discussions included the idea of a citywide celebration, a “Rockchuck Festival” of sorts, the panel has since scaled back its focus — at least for now — to an art project. Initially, the idea was to create an event akin to Eugene’s Slug Festival or Lakeview’s Mosquito Festival. Now, members have been concentrating on the creation of life-size plastic rockchucks that would be decorated by local artists and auctioned off as a tool to fund public art.

The idea is not new — although the rockchuck part might be. Other communities have created and auctioned farm animals, lizards, fish — whatever they feel is representative of their town or region. Twelve years ago, Portland’s Kows for Kids raised $2.5 million.

Realizing pocketbooks and the population are considerably smaller in Redmond, the art commission is thinking on a smaller scale.

“The foundational objective of the project is fundraising,” said Heather Richards, the city’s community development director. Various RCAPP projects over the years have put only $2,000 in the public art fund, she said. “But that’s nothing to sneeze at because we have to nickel and dime everything. But we want to know what we can achieve in Redmond — maybe something more.”

Finding an artist to create a model for the figures and a method to cast them within a very tight budget has bedeviled commission members for months. Artist Kim Chavez, creator of the “Ravens” sculpture in downtown Redmond, offered to sell the commission a model she used for a lifelike bronze of a crouching rockchuck, but the costs have caused the commission to rethink the project.

During a recent commission meeting, members discussed the pros and cons of hitting the reset button.

“If we have no contract with Ms. Chavez, I suggest we look at whether we can create our own model. That way we can see if we can get a vertical rockchuck standing on its hind legs, which will be more fun for the artists, I think,” said commission member Frank Graham.

Richards told the commission that Chavez’s model is part of her inventory, not created for the city, so there is no obligation.

Commission member Ethan Stelzer, who supervised many of the students who created the city’s recently unveiled roundabout sculpture, suggested that creating a model might be possible for student artists. In addition, Graham suggested the commission consider another method for creation of the rockchucks besides fiberglass — which is the most common material for a project like this.

“ABS plastic is much more durable,” he said. “And I’m having trouble finding any local fiberglass companies that can do this kind of work.” After the meeting, Graham said the commission is still interested in Chavez’s bronze rockchuck, perhaps as a public art purchase. The painted rockchuck project timeline goal is to have them created and back from the artists by fall of 2015 to present them for auction at a “gala” fundraiser.

“We’re also developing a marketing plan and talking to artists who might be interested or businesses who want to sponsor one,” he said.

According to Richards, while fundraising is the ultimate goal for the rockchuck art, building awareness of public art in the city of Redmond cannot be discounted. Nor can the idea of using the art as a springboard to a larger community celebration.

“Hopefully people will get excited by something so fun,” she said. “Larger events often build from one effort and as it generates excitement it will come on its own. But we’ve got a shoestring budget right now.”

— Reporter: 541-548-2186,

lpugmire@bendbulletin.com