Head 'em up: Cattle call

CowParade 2002 has made its way to Southern Nevada. In fact, a dozen of them are on display in Summerlin, colorfully painted and in various poses at the master-planned community's home finding center on Town Center Drive, between Sahara Avenue and Charleston Boulevard.

The Howard Hughes Corp., developer of Summerlin, was eager to support a public art program that has proved successful in other locales, according to Tom Warden, vice president of marketing and community relations for Hughes Corp.

"While public art has the unique ability to influence, enhance and provoke thought, CowParade is all about fun," Warden said. "This whimsical and clever program was designed to make people laugh. That's why we selected our home finding center, where traffic is steady and constant, as the Summerlin Herd pasture for the next few months. The cows are sure to be a big hit with home buyers and residents alike."

The herd will be on display through January 2003.

CowParade has been touted as the world's largest public art event. From Chicago and New York in 1999 and 2000 to Kansas City and Houston in 2001, and now London and Las Vegas, CowParade continues its progression as a fun, interactive art exhibit.

While its emphasis is on art, CowParade also has a charity focus. At the conclusion of the exhibit, the cows are auctioned to benefit the host community. When the cows of CowParade 2002 are auctioned, proceeds will benefit the Andre Agassi Foundation, among others.

"The charity angle was yet another incentive for (us)," Warden said. "As community builders, The Howard Hughes Corp. has a long track record of supporting nonprofit organizations in the community. It was important to us the ultimate outcome of CowParade was long-term and far-reaching."

Each life-sized cow is made of Fiberglas and weighs about 100 pounds. Exhibit sponsors hire CowParade artists or commission their own to paint and decorate them using oils, acrylics, enamel, cut vinyl and a variety of other three-dimensional objects, including wood, rhinestones, pearl glaze and epoxy clay.

Hughes Corp. hired Jerry Misko, curator of The Arts Factory, a collection of artists, architects, photographers, graphic designers and galleries under one roof in downtown Las Vegas.

"We had a lot of fun dreaming up cow themes ...," Warden said. "Each cow is designed to celebrate an aspect of Summerlin, The Howard Hughes Corp. or Fashion Show, the retail center currently under expansion on the Las Vegas Strip by The Rouse Co., parent company of Hughes."

Amanda Farrar's cows include "Under Cowstruction," which features a construction-worker cow with a hard hat; and "Howard Hooves," which has an image of Howard Hughes Jr., the development company's namesake. This cow was designed by Misko and painted by Farrar.

Terrien Hale's cow, "Clothes Cow," celebrates the Fashion Show mall. The cow is dressed in high-end clothing with cow-size diamond stud earrings and French-manicured hooves. Victor Van Braemer's cow, "Grazeful Mooves," is a ballerina, recognizing Summerlin as home of Nevada Ballet Theatre.

"Cowmmercial," created by Misko and Joe Cartino, features a TV/VCR inside the cow's belly that runs a continuous loop of a commercial for the community. Misko is also responsible for "Bull Riders," a cycling cow that celebrates the streets of Summerlin as a popular bicycling route.

Misko created another cow celebrating the community's current print advertising campaign called "Home is Summerlin." Other contributors to this cow were AWOL Graphics and Chris Donahue.

Misko also teamed with Van Braemer to paint "Grade A," a celebration of the community's 17 schools.

K.D. Matheson created "Greener Pastures," marking Summerlin's 100-plus parks; and "Hoofin' It," a hiking cow underscoring the proximity of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

Mary Beth Butman painted two cows. "Udderly Spectacular" depicts scenes from Red Rock and the Strip, while "Home on the Range" celebrates Summerlin golfing.

The community is comprised of villages and aligns the western edge of the valley. There are eight golf courses, more than 100 parks, more than 100 completed miles of trails, houses of worship, shopping centers, medical facilities, cultural facilities and business parks.

Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000.

Custom lots ranging from one-half acre to three-quarters of an acre are priced from the high $300,000s to nearly $1 million, and custom homes are priced from $1.5 million. Apartments offer monthly rents from the high $700s.

To visit the home finding center, travel west on Sahara Avenue, past Hualapai Way, to Town Center Drive and turn north. Or, take Interstate 215 to Sahara and head east to Town Center. Office hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

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