Pumas on Parade

“Paradise Found” by Amorina Lee Martinez, Mancos
“Puma Ranch Estates” by Page Holland, Moab
"Leave Only Footprints" by Bonnie Bryant, Mancos
“Soaring Raven Cat” by Miki Harder, Durango

Twenty years ago, SJMA launched the much loved community art campaign “Pumas on Parade”. Records show that approximately 29 artists were commissioned to put their stamp on the Pumas. The art pieces were then purchased by aficionados or businesses across the southwest.

The archives reveal a letter to the editor from former Executive Director Susan Bryson reminding the community that “education and stewardship are at the heart of [SJMA’s] mission. Pumas on Parade is a project designed to support SJMA’s ongoing educational programs, heighten our effectiveness, and enhance public awareness of the unparalleled value of the more than 2.5 million acres of public land that surround our communities. We embraced this campaign because we believed it provides an effective opportunity to showcase local talent, while uniting our communities in support of stewarding the region’s incomparable, irreplaceable landscapes. Our common goal is to ensure that these public lands remain healthy and viable for future generations.”

The beautifully crafted Puma sculptures, which are now lurking in protected dens from Moab to Cortez to Mancos to Dolores, were based on the magnificent bronze, “On the Alert” by Loveland artist Rosetta. Rosetta’s superb artistry exquisitely captures the puma’s grace, power, and mystery. The finished works of art, painted by regional artists, with imagery unique to their respective visions debuted on July 4th, 2005 as part of Durango’s Independence Day celebration, which coincided with the centennial celebration of the San Juan National Forest.

These magnificent sculptures were created to serve as fine art ambassadors for land and wildlife protection by reinforcing SJMA’s mission and highlighting the puma as a symbol of a sustainable, healthy environment. It seems fitting to resurrect that symbolism in 2025.

As you prowl forth, we challenge you to seek out as many of these powerful, graceful, majestic wild cats as possible. You might stalk up on Miki Harder’s “Soaring Raven Cat” at the Durango Public Library, or pounce on Jeff Glode Wise’s “Occupied Intersection”, (nicknamed Pete by local children) at the Durango Nature Center. If the sandstone faces and dripping canyon ledges of Mesa Verde are more to your liking, swing into the Mancos Community Center lounge to take in “Paradise Found” by Amorina Lee-Martinez.