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Ursa Mater 2016, Artists: Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson, Penny Sculptors, American Artist Team, Sculpture of Mother Bear with two Cubs, San Jose, California

Bear With Cubs
(1 of 6) (10454 views)

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A sculpture, made almost entirely of pennies, depicted a mother bear with her cubs.


Ursa Mater 2016 external link   •  Artists: Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson external link   •  Penny Sculptors external link   •  American Artist Team external link   •  Sculpture of Mother Bear with two Cubs external link   •  172 South Market Street external link   •  San Jose, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 11:23:30 Tuesday 29 May 2018)   •  (Date Published: Wednesday 20 June 2018)   •  © 2018 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C18_6485
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Playa to Paseo
(2 of 6) (6637 views)

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A sign identified this art. It read in part:

Ursa Mater is a 14-foot sculpture of a mother bear and her two cubs covered entirely in pennies. Ursa Mater is the second penny bear created by the artist duo, Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson, and the largest, covered in over 205,000 pennies . . .


Ursa Mater 2016 external link   •  Artists: Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson external link   •  Penny Sculptors external link   •  American Artist Team external link   •  Sculpture of Mother Bear with two Cubs external link   •  172 South Market Street external link   •  San Jose, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 11:23:31 Tuesday 29 May 2018)   •  (Date Published: Wednesday 20 June 2018)   •  © 2018 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C18_6483
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Tourist Scale
(3 of 6) (6632 views)

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Two tourists walked past that morning and gave scale to the sculpture. Only by contrast can you understand its large size.


Ursa Mater 2016 external link   •  Artists: Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson external link   •  Penny Sculptors external link   •  American Artist Team external link   •  Sculpture of Mother Bear with two Cubs external link   •  172 South Market Street external link   •  San Jose, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 11:24:08 Tuesday 29 May 2018)   •  (Date Published: Wednesday 20 June 2018)   •  © 2018 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C18_6486
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Bear Cubs
(4 of 6) (6809 views)

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A pair of bear cubs occupied the flank of the sculpture. They appeared frightened and tried to remain hidden.


Ursa Mater 2016 external link   •  Artists: Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson external link   •  Penny Sculptors external link   •  American Artist Team external link   •  Sculpture of Mother Bear with two Cubs external link   •  172 South Market Street external link   •  San Jose, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 11:24:14 Tuesday 29 May 2018)   •  (Date Published: Wednesday 20 June 2018)   •  © 2018 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C18_6487
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Nose And Eyes
(5 of 6) (6670 views)

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The entire bear was covered in pennies. Only its eyes and nose were non-penny.


Ursa Mater 2016 external link   •  Artists: Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson external link   •  Penny Sculptors external link   •  American Artist Team external link   •  Sculpture of Mother Bear with two Cubs external link   •  172 South Market Street external link   •  San Jose, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 11:24:23 Tuesday 29 May 2018)   •  (Date Published: Wednesday 20 June 2018)   •  © 2018 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C18_6488
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Seafood
(6 of 6) (6610 views)

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The sculpture was placed next to McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks. A reminder that the diet of bears and the diet of humans were similar.


Ursa Mater 2016 external link   •  Artists: Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson external link   •  Penny Sculptors external link   •  American Artist Team external link   •  Sculpture of Mother Bear with two Cubs external link   •  172 South Market Street external link   •  San Jose, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 11:24:38 Tuesday 29 May 2018)   •  (Date Published: Wednesday 20 June 2018)   •  © 2018 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C18_6489
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