Statue at State Park Museum of Natural History Defaced;
Peregrine Falcon Portion Stolen
by Jerry Kirkhart & Judy Sullivan
California State Parks is requesting assistance from the community for any information associated with the vandalism and damage of a bronze statue at the entrance to the Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History located in Morro Bay.
Sometime in the late evening or early morning hours between September 5th & September 6th, 2009 the bronze statue "Seasons Come Seasons Go" was vandalized by an unknown suspect or suspects at the Museum of Natural History. A portion of the statue, a Peregrine Falcon, was stolen and the statue was damaged when it was removed by force. The $25,000 piece of artwork, completed by artist Mark Greenaway, was donated in 2002 during the re-opening and re-dedication of the Museum.
Repair of the damage to the statue and replacement of the Peregrine Falcon is estimated at a minimum of $7,000. The mold for the bird was destroyed in 2002 after completion of the work. Greenaway gave that figure as just the cost of a new mold and foundry; it doesn't cover his own time. He added that it had to have taken a considerable amount of force to remove the welded on piece and speculated that the thief had perhaps tied the sculpture to a vehicle to yank it off its base.
If you know anything about this vandalism or the whereabouts of the stolen Peregrine Falcon portion of the sculpture, please contact California State Parks at (805) 927-2065, or Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP (7867) or through their website San Luis Obispo / Crimestoppers.
Photo of undamaged sculpture. Click on the image to view the larger version and to read Mike's comments.
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View of the sculpture after the Peregrine has been stolen. Note damage.
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Photo by Mike Baird. After vandalism.
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Article contributors: California State Parks, Jerry Kirkhart Photos by: Mike Baird Click any image to see larger version.
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