Twelve bears have been spotted in Granby over the Labor Day weekend – but there’s no need for alarm. These bears were cutouts, which talented local artists transformed with their paint brushes. The public could then view the bears at Art in the Park on Sept. 2. The creative festival was hosted by Destination Granby, with assistance from the Granby Public Art Committee.

The creative project began with Gabriel Daniels creating the wooden cutouts at the Bowerbird’s Den. The bears then traveled to Polhamus Park, where artists got to work, each person creating a unique design. Community members could watch the creation in action.

Art in the Park also featured free art activities, live music from Steepland String Band, food and a beer garden. The bears will be installed along Granby’s long wall mural. The aspen leaves that formerly graced the wall got auctioned off at Art in the Park. The aspen leaves were created at the 2022 event.

After watching the artists create, the public then voted on their favorites. The top three winners received cash prizes. Echo Zoyiopoulos won first place, Edie Dafoe won second place and Mackenzie “Mack” Foote won third place.

Now the bears will be on display for all to see in downtown Granby – until next year’s Art in the Park brings new creations.

About the winning artists

Echo Zoyiopoulos was born and raised in rural Michigan. She has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Kendall College of Art and Design and a master’s degree in arts from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. She moved to Colorado in 2009 seeking outdoor adventure in the mountains, and has never looked back.

She enjoys skiing, biking, hiking, paddleboarding, and painting images inspired by her adventures. She also enjoys crocheting and creating pottery. Her work has been featured on the Winter Park Art Trail as well as the Fraser Mountain Mural Festival. She currently has some work for sale at Two Pines Supply in Granby, as well as Sharky’s Eatery in Fraser.

Edie Dafoe is native to Colorado and has always called it home. She enjoyed skiing and snowmobiling in Grand County for 20 years, before becoming a full-time resident in 2011. Edie met her Canadian husband, Doug, in the late 1980s. Together they have two children, McKayla and Hunter, grandchildren, Nova and Grey and the most adorable dog in the whole wide world, named Kamire.

Surrounded by the incredible beauty of the Colorado mountains, she finds endless inspiration for her projects. Dafoe’s art is available at The Bowerbird’s Den, High Country Autumn’s Nest, Wild About Birds, Mountain Shire Books (cards only) and Art on 8th in Glenwood Springs.

Mack Foote, a neuro-divergent commission based artist and muralist, resides in the serene landscapes of rural Grand County. With a vibrant and surreal perspective, their artwork captures the essence of their unique lens on the world. Foote’s creations are a manifestation of their sensory experiences, reflecting the colorful, expressive, and psychedelic nature of their perception.

You can find their work around Grand County from the rear three walls of Fraser River Beer Co, to The Colorado Center for Couples Therapy, to the Granby Skatepark and Polhamus Park Band shelter, Grand County’s Mobile Sauna and The Bowerbird’s Den.

Artist’s biographies were provided by Destination Granby. To read more about all the participating artists, visit DestinationGranby.com/Events and click on “Art in the Park.”