Building a ‘Crow-noceros’ turns into real adventure for Calgary artist

Watching an artist at work is usually a pretty interesting experience.

And in one Calgary neighborhood, it’s now got people pondering a burning question.

“When I was building it, people would walk by asking ‘What are you making?'” artist Neil Meyer said.

Meyer had been working in his garage with the door open, allowing passersby to watch the progress of his project: a sculpture made of repurposed wood.

“I was making this big crow and then I come out and I threw this rhinoceros head on it,” Meyer said. “My wife was like ‘Well, why don’t you call it a Crow-noceros?’”

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Meyer’s put his completed Crow-noceros in his front yard, planning on taking it along on his annual visit to the “Freezer Burn” festival in central Alberta.

“The theme this year is ‘Midnight Menagerie’ – hybrid creatures,” Meyer said.

Freezer Burn is an offshoot of the famous “Burning Man” festival in Nevada, with creations like Meyer’s usually going up in flames.

“My plan was to burn this,” Meyer said. “You don’t get the full effect of the art until it’s lit on fire.”

But fire bans because of wildfires around Alberta mean that may not be able to happen.

Meyer, who’s a volunteer helping to co-ordinate fire safety at “Freezer Burn,” says he and all the other artists at the event will abide by whatever fire regulations are in place at the time of the festival.

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Meyer’s had help from his teenage children during the two months he’s been working on the project, calling it ‘a real adventure’.

He said it’s been a nice change from his day job.

“Working in IT, sitting at home, I need some outlet to be creative,” Meyer said. “A fun side note is the number of crows perching on (the Crow-noceros) has increased exponentially since I put it out.”

Some of Meyer’s neighbours are hoping his creation won’t go up in flames at Freezer Burn.

“Keep it – bring it back,” neighbour Laurie Attrell told Meyer, ”I’m hoping to see it again.”

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Freezer Burn happens June 22 to 26 near Ponoka, Alta.

Depending on fire regulations at the time, the Crow-noceros may end up returning to its Calgary neighbourhood.

“I do have options on whether I take it there and burn it or whether I bring it back,” Meyer said.

“I have room in my backyard.”