Bulldog Project’s last hurrah
The final litter of Bulldog Project painted statues have been completed and are waiting for their moment to shine at an auction tonight. Pictured are the dogs painted by Camellia Bailey, Hannah and Nick Bustamante, Whitney Caskey, Whitney Trisler Causey, Melanie Douthit, Fairan Hayes, Anna Grace Lee, Leanna Patterson, Emily Vaccaro and Bailee Golden (not pictured). Leader file photo by Caleb Daniel
Six years of providing bulldog- themed public art to the Ruston community will come to a close tonight as the Ruston Cultural District hosts the final Bulldog Project Auction.
Ten more fiberglass bulldog statues-turned works of art — plus one unpainted dog — will be sold to the highest bidder to go on public display around the community, joining the initial litter to form a final set of 22 vibrant art installations in town.
Doors at the Dixie Center for the Arts open tonight at 6:30, with the live auction set to run from 7 to 8.
Initially unveiled in 2018 after years of planning, the Bulldog Project became the Ruston Cultural District’s signature undertaking, aimed at brightening up the community with new works of art and simultaneously raising money for future endeavors to support the arts in Ruston.
This spring artists submitted roughly 130 designs, hoping to be chosen to paint one of the project’s final 10 creations.
Now the finished products have been given a weatherproofing coat by Courtesy Automotive and are ready to find their new homes, with bidding starting at a minimum of $2,500 each.
A blank bulldog will also be auctioned off. The buyer will be able to commission an artist to execute a custom design, though that statue must still be put on public display like its siblings.
The event will begin with a wine and cheese social at 6:30. Attendees are invited to check out the statues up close during this portion, and those wishing to bid must check out a paddle by 7.
As a condition of sale, bidders understand the bulldog must remain in public access for a minimum of three years to maintain its purpose as a public art installation.
Here’s the list of bulldogs that will be up for auction:
• Blank Bulldog (winner is responsible for covering cost of artist commission
• “Luna” by Camellia Bailey
• “Louisiana Natives” by Hannah Bustamante
• “Vincent” by Whitney Caskey
• “Temporal Radiance” by Whitney Trisler Causey • “Let’s Play” by Melanie Douthit
• “Storybook Bark” by Bailee Golden
• “Postal Pup” by Fairan Hayes
• “Stained Glass Bulldog” by Anna Grace Lee •“ Au Printemps” by Leanna Patterson”
• “Disco Dog” by Emily Vaccaro The Bulldog Project was originally conceived in 2016, before the cultural district was even officially formed.
After some delays, the original 10 bulldogs were unleashed in the fall of 2018, with an 11th “Bonus Bulldog” later added.
To provide startup funds for the project, three of them were sold to community sponsors from the start, while the remaining seven were planned to go to auction at 2020 after taking up residence at temporary sites. Like everything else in 2020, that didn’t go as planned. It wasn’t until 2022 that the remaining canine creations were at last auctioned off to their permanent homes for a total of about $71,000.
Along the way there have been multiple waves of Puppy Project spinoffs, featuring smaller statues made more for sitting on a desk than a front lawn.
Organizers say it’s all about promoting arts and culture in the Ruston community and raising funds for further projects to do the same.
