Page 104 - Abilene Living

For the 1986 exhibition, Wayne Amerine installed eight wooden Holstein cows. Installed at the Butternut Street underpass, Abilenians took an immediate liking to the herd. Sadly, less than a month after the cows started grazing, vandals engaged in repeated acts of “cow tipping,” two pairs of horns were stolen, and then, the unthinkable happened… an entire cow disappeared. Wayne asked that the statues be returned to him in Dallas before any further damage occurred. The community was not happy about the potential loss of such an outstanding work of art causing one incensed art lover to put a $200 bounty on the head of the thief. Glenn Dromgoole, then editor of the Abilene Reporter News , led the effort to raise funds to commission a new permanent Herd that would belong to the city, and the Reporter News donated the frst $250. Later that week, the stolen cow was recovered, and a variety of fundraising efforts were set in motion. Larry Millar designed “Save Our Cows” buttons, which were sold for $1 each. A

TOP Wayne Amerine’s Herd of Cows was one of Abilene’s more well known outdoor sculptures. When vandals damaged the original installation calling for its removal, there was a huge pub-lic outcry to “Save Our Cows.” This resulted in a new installation in a different location with more permanent materials. ABOVE

Sculptures such as Celtic Talking Stones by David McCullough and Happy Chicken by Carter Ernst have graced and improved the Abilene landscape. OPPOSITE PAGE Joe Barrington’s artwork is the most frequently purchased by Abilene. Pieces like this Des-ert Mule Deer Skull can be enjoyed around the city.