"Fear the Turtle" Sculptures Debut on Charter Day

	Artist Adrienne Burrows is working on her Testudo sculpture in the Comcast Center. Click on the picture for other completed statues.

Maryland's Charter Day festivities March 6 will showcase the first four (of 50) "Fear the Turtle" sculptures that are set to make a grand appearance across the region in time for Maryland Day on April 29.

Last fall, the university invited regional and local artists to offer their ideas about how to transform a cast resin terrapin into a one-of-a-kind "Fear the Turtle sculpture that will become a centerpiece of the university's 150th Anniversary celebration . A jury of artists headed by Patsy Mote - the wife of Maryland President C.D. Mote, Jr. - selected finalists from a field of 80 entries.

The statues waiting for their artists in December, 2005. Click the picture for a slide show.

The sculpture is one of the most visible - and whimsical - ways Maryland is celebrating its year-long anniversary, that concludes this coming fall. Major events this year include a campus-wide birthday party on Charter Day - March 6, as well as a public celebration during Maryland Day - April 29, 2006. A new video history of the university, as well as a coffee-table book (now available in the campus book store) are also part of the celebration.

Ultimately, all 50 statues will show themselves off on campus, as well as communities throughout the region until October, when a selected group of the sculptures will be auctioned off at a gala university event. All proceeds go to student scholarships.

Bob Madigan is WTOP's "Man About Town." (Quicktime)

See all the designs on the web.

See a slide show of artists picking up their statue(s).

Read a blog by UM's Webmaster Linda Martin as she works on her "Fear the Turtle" sculpture, which she affectionately calls "TurtleBoy." The official title is "Taste the Tradition."

Reach for the Stars
Artist: Stephen Riordon
Sponsor: Mills Corporation

For more information, please contact:

Cassandra Robinson
Assistant Communications Director
Office of University Communications
University of Maryland
(301)-405-4625
cdrobins@umd.edu

or

Dave Ottalini
Senior Media Relations Associate
University of Maryland
(301)-405-4076
dottalin@umd.edu

Testudo, My Testudo
Artist: Joshua Solomon
Sponsor: Bob and Margie Bedingfield

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