$1,500 reward in art vandalism case
Michele Hart, owner of The Rug Queen, sits next to what’s left of ‘The Cat’s Meow,’ a sculpture by Round Rock artist Dar Richardson. On June 14, the 3-foot-tall statue was stolen after being wrenched from its location at 216 Main St. in downtown Marble Falls. Staff photo by Suzanne Freeman
A $1,500 reward by downtown business owners has been offered for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible for the recent vandalism of public artwork on Main Street in downtown Marble Falls.
Tammy and Raymond Whitman of Service Title initially offered $500 via a Facebook post for information about the destruction of their bronze statue of a Native American woman playing a flute on horseback and a sculpture of a bass jumping out of the water. Both were in front of their business at 117 Main St.
“Since then, two other people have stepped forward and added to the reward,” said Tammy Whitman in an emailed response to questions from DailyTrib.com. “It is now $1,500. Someone has information and someone could sure use the $1,500, I am sure of it!”
Marble Falls police are asking for information to help identify the suspect or suspects who damaged the two pieces of art as well as stole another sculpture, “The Cat’s Meow,” from in front of The Rug Queen at 216 Main St.
“If people see something, or know something, they should definitely call the police, and we will go from there,” said Capt. Jimmy Cole of the Marble Falls Police Department’s Criminal Investigations. “These are happening in the middle of the night when no one is around. None of the cameras in the area picked up anything identifiable. We have nothing to go on right now.”
“The Cat’s Meow” was one of two cat sculptures on display in front of Michele Hart’s business, The Rug Queen, which shares space with Ciao Bello and Rudy Moreno Jewelers in the historic building that was once Michel’s Drug Store. “The Cat’s Meow” was stolen on Saturday, June 14, a week after the bronze statue of the Native American woman was knocked over.
“I’m just crushed that someone would do that,” Hart said about “The Cat’s Meow,” which was ripped from its base. “I’m really devastated that this has been destroyed.”
The other cat statue, which is by the same artist, Dar Richardson of Round Rock, almost suffered the same fate. Hart noticed that it was loose on its base as if someone had also tried to take it.
“People loved these cats,” Hart said. “They sat on the benches and took selfies with them. It’s such a wonderful way to connect with and share the love of art.”
The bronze horse and woman statue has been moved to a foundry in Bulverde, Tammy Whitman said. When it was pushed over, the woman broke off from the horse.
“It took four strong men to move it,” she said, adding that this was not the first time the statue had been targeted. “Two months ago, they tried to take the flute. They were not successful, but they did do unrepairable damage to the flute. It will have to be completely recast.”
The bronze bass sculpture was damaged late June 13 or early June 14, the same time the cat was stolen from The Rug Queen.
None of the damaged pieces were part of Sculpture on Main, a public art project by the nonprofit Highland Lakes Creative Arts.
“We have been so fortunate to have dozens of our pieces on display for 20 years and very little incident of vandalism,” said HLCA board member Bill Rives. “I like to think that shows the appreciation and respect and how much our local people value having a public display of art.”
Rives was adament that the recent vandalism would not affect the downtown exhibit.
“You can’t let something like that, the act of some misguided individuals, make you forsake your mission to bring additional beauty to downtown,” he said. “It is certainly a sad state of affairs, but this does not reflect our community. I would be surprised if the vandals were local people.”
Whitman shares that sentiment.
“I am so proud to live in the Marble Falls area, a community with people who really care about each other,” she said in her emailed response to DailyTrib.com. “We are so fortunate on so many levels. I am excited to see my grandchildren grow up in OUR community and experience the closeness that comes with living among people that really do care about you.”
Marble Falls police, downtown merchants, and HLCA officials said they will increase their vigilance in protecting the downtown area.
“The three merchants at this location (The Rug Queen, Ciao Bella, and Rudy Moreno Jewelers) have 70 years of paying rent on Main Street,” Hart said. “We want to give people an experience they will remember when they visit us. I could have had those pieces at home and enjoyed them, but I brought them to share with the community. I’m just crushed that someone would take the time to damage and destroy these pieces.”
Anyone with information about the vandalism and theft should call the Marble Falls Police Department at 830-693-3611. The MFPD is not involved with the reward, said Capt. Cole.
“We didn’t know anything about it,” he told DailyTrib.com. “That will be handled by the people who are offering it.”
2 thoughts on “$1,500 reward in art vandalism case”
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Oh NOOOO!
Sounds like more patrol cars are needed….. at least!!!!
How are there no cameras? …On main street… After all these parades where people are shot or run over… In the area with the highest concentration of publicly intoxicated individuals… After all these years of unreported incidents and reported incidents… across the street from where the old police station used to be… Also Oneils where that guy started his nationwide killing spree… Ya know they did put a yellow blinking light up by Higlandhaven after that lady got smeared all over the road. That took like one death…. Oh yeah! Isnt the skatepark down the road where individuals love to do drugs and host fights on the weekly? Dunno if this stretch of road would benefit from some sort of surveillance.. We would need a smart person like a lawyer or politician to make those big boy decisions for us. I bet lollipops has more cameras inside that store than the whole road from old bank to lakeside pavilion.