Strength and Courage

Stock Status: Custom
$255
This item is custom made.

Description

Sculpture Title "Strength and Courage"

For this piece I drew from 2 inspirations, the Native American Bear fetish and the colors that come from the American Gay Bear flag. I am fascinated by both of these inspirations. Years ago when people started selling on the internet I ordered a turquoise and silver bear fetish necklace from a Native American who called himself Blue Eyed Bear. I ordered the necklace and 6 weeks went by and I wondered if the whole thing was a scam. On about the 12 week the necklace came in the mail and I was so elated. I wore it for years and I then took it off to clean it and hung it on a mirror and wore another necklace that I had ordered at an Art show in Pittsburgh. When I went to wear the bear fetish necklace ii wasn't hanging on the mirror. I searched all over for the necklace but I couldn't find it. I asked my wife and my child if they had seen it and they both said, No. I thought it would show up eventually. 10 years went by and the necklace never surfaced. I was really bummed because it was a one of kind work of Art. One summer I decided to thoroughly clean the bedroom which included moving the dresser and mirror that sat on top of it. Of course there was a quarter inch of dust under the dresser and I swept it and a black metal object showed up I looked down and I thought, no, is that my necklace. I bent down and sure enough it was. I thought Holy S**t, all these years and there it was. I polished it up and I still wear to this day. About 5 years ago my late life partner, Randy, went to Oregon for his daughter's wedding and he brought me back another silver and turquoise bear fetish necklace and I wear both now and I never take them off. 

For those not familiar with the Gay Bear Flag, it was created in 1995 by Craig Byrnes. He wanted a flag to represent men that were hairy and usually on the stocky or chubby side. I have always been considered a bear in the Gay community. I've noticed that the bear flag is getting harder and harder to find, so maybe it has run its course and served its purpose for a time. Seems like the Gay world now has a flag for every kind of sexual preference. I still fly the American Flag and I believe that flag is for everyone and it will always have meaning to me.

Size: Length = 8" Width = 7"