Teddy Bear

Every year, the Soroptomist International of Gresham put on a Teddy Bear Parade. In 2017, the Soroptomist International of Gresham and the Bemis family paid for this bronze to celebrate 35 years of the Soroptomist Teddy Bear Parade in Gresham. Here are some photos of the really fun unveilling!

Mayor Bemis and Gresham Soroptomist

Mayor Shane Bemis with "Mr. Gresham" Todd Kirnan

Locals Hillary and Debbie

Artist Chad Caswell and wife Erin

Charlotte Becker with Teddy

Carol Nielson with her family

Joan Albertson, Mayor Bemis, Teddy, Alix Bemis, Chad Caswell with Gresham Soroptomist looking on.

Come by downtown Gresham to check out this great new addition.

Artist: Chad Caswell

Chad started sculpting with clay early on in life, as soon as he was old enough to realize it wasn't something to eat.

"I grew up around art, and it became a way for me to turn my imagination into something physical," he said. "My mom and dad worked in a gallery, its where we were raised."

Now, Chad enjoys the combination of technology with sculpting, using digital programs to create his pieces on a computer screen.

"It's not much different from the standard process, just that the lump of clay is on a screen," Chad said. "I've been trying to grow that industry and help other artists."

Chad's favorite piece was a monument he made for McMinnville — a statue honoring World War II veteran Leonard DeWitt. DeWitt served in Japan, and was nominated for the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the war. For Chad, it was a special project because he met with DeWitt while sculpting the piece. He made the statue when he was 20 years old, the same age DeWitt was when he served overseas.

Read more of the original article at:
https://pamplinmedia.com/go/42-news/370222-253164-family-sculpting