In Focus: Pequot Lakes Art Students Sculpt Bobber Water Tower

Dan Devine is teaching his art students while they all are working on sculpting a replica bobber.

“It started off with the base, and then you started to add on things and different people had different designs,” said seventh grader Brayden Bickford.

A transformation from a lump of clay to a sculpture representing the iconic bobber water tower, the symbol of Pequot Lakes.

“It was really cool to see how everyone added on to it and how everybody created a part of the bobber,” said seventh grader Kiley Newton.

Over 150 students and staff members have all put some time and effort into the bobber and all adding their own additional piece of why they love Pequot Lakes.

“I think it’s fun to see what everybody else thinks of our town from other perspectives,” said seventh grader Tabitha Kiewwa.

This collaborative effort is something that Devine hopes will build his students’ confidence.

“Trying to make sure that they are trying to overcome those little fears,” said Devine. “You might mess up and then you can try it again. Clay is pretty forgiving to do that, and it’s a nice medium to work with.”

A material that goes through many stages over the next few days as the project nears completion.

“The different stages that the clay go through, whether it’s a wet stage to a stage that starts to firm up to then a bone dry stage. After it gets all the way fully dry, then it will go through a firing with temperatures up to 1900 degrees. Once it’s fired it will be solid as a rock,” Devine said.

The sculpture will be fired in 3 separate pieces, glued together and then taken to it’s future home that is still to be determined.

“Possibly getting this out into the community and letting other businesses have this housed in their space,” Devine said.

A project that has given students pride in who they are and the community that they live in.

“Just that unity that and what other can do as they come along with one another knowing that each kid is important in what they do. Hopefully, they can see that as they grow and build that they are an asset to society,” Devine said.

It’s a positive message inspired by the Pequot Lakes bobber.