UnCommon Art: 'Big Dog Show' setting up in Bradford

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July 16, 2009

'Big Dog Show' setting up in Bradford

By Cara Spilsbury

If one guard dog gets the job done, an army of 20 8-foot tall dogs on your lawn must be even better.

But Dale Rogers' giant canines aren't for protection. The metal mutts are the stars in his a public art event that Aug. 6 through 11 on the Bradford Common, aptly named The Big Dog Show. Viewing is free.

The pooches who will take up residence for a week on the Common are half the size of the iconic metal dog sculpture he has installed along the fence of his family's property, just before Exit 48 on Interstate 495 South. The image, which resembles a retriever-type dog, features a bone cut out of the center.

"The American Dog" is the perfect sculpture to take on the road because of the joy it brings out in people, Rogers said. The dog even gets a reaction on the road. When people see the big pups in tow, they honk and take pictures. Once, while he was coming back from a show in New York, an 18-wheeler next to them on the highway yelled "495?"

"People associate it with Haverhill," said Rogers, 36, a Haverhill High grad. "It's such a positive thing for any area, to build a mental post card."

Rogers' vision is to install 100 of the dogs on Boston Common. He also would love to take 101 dogs on an eight- to 10-city national tour.

For now, he's taking 20 dogs around New England, an event that took two years to plan and required a $200,000 investment. He said it is New England's largest sculpture exhibit by one artist.

Rogers became a full-time metal sculptor in 2002. His very first dog sculpture took shape five years ago.

Rogers' sculptures can be found in public spaces all across the Eastern United States. Locally, his art can be seen in Newburyport and the Bradford Common. His enjoyment comes from bringing art to everyday locations.

"It creates a response," he said. "It invokes a thought."

He said The Big Dog Show will appeal to people of all ages.

"We want people to find enjoyment from this exhibit," Rogers said. "It's cool. It's very accessible."