Victoria’s favourite driftwood artist is back at it and caused social media to go wild over the weekend!
While the cougars have since been relocated, they’ll be back out on the prowl soon.
Tanya Bub’s works of art hold prominent displays all around Greater Victoria, including a wild horse outside the Victoria Tourist Centre, several driftwood animals can be seen throughout the Malahat Skywalk and a mermaid can be found at the Oak Bay Marina.
Bub surprised locals this weekend when she posted a picture of three cougars made of driftwood displayed at an iconic spot along Dallas Road.
To the dismay of many people who made the trek to see the cougars, they were only temporarily displayed while the sun graced Victoria with its presence for a photoshoot.
“There was a bit of confusion about that because I posted it but I did it for a photo shoot,” Bub told Victoria Buzz.
“They’re for a show that I’m doing in March to raise money for Wild ARC which is a wild animal rehabilitation centre, so they will be on display for my show outdoors in a tree outside the gallery.”
“Everyone was like, ‘we’re dying to go see it,’ and I had to say, ‘no, don’t go, they’re not actually there,’” chuckled Bub.
Bub has been known to tie her creations to something meaningful and charitable over the years. Most notably, she did a larger than life piece of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Related:
James Bay art gallery sold driftwood sculpture of Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy for a good cause
In doing this she and two other women were able to give a donation of $3,000 to the Ukraine Vancouver Island Society, who house and provide for Ukrainian refugees who come to Canada with absolutely nothing.
She told Victoria Buzz that although she is not Ukrainian and has no immediate ties to the country under siege, she was really moved by the President’s character.
“Zelenskyy became not only a person and a leader but a symbol for the people of Ukraine’s courage.”
After being inspired to create a piece that could help Ukrainian Refugees coming to her home on Vancouver Island, she chose Wild ARC because of how localized they are to BC.
“I want it to be like a great big, fun celebration of art, wild animals and community,” said Bub.
Her showing at Gage Gallery will feature the three cougars, a mother wolf with her cubs, an eagle, several owls and herons, an octopus and more.
“The show was originally going to be called Wild, but I think I want to call it Wild BC because it’s all going to be BC animals.”
“One thing I do want to do with my show is make it evident that we are sharing this space with all these wild animals like wolves and cougars and bears,” Bub told Victoria Buzz. “To kind of bring those animals in sculpture form to an urban setting was part of the idea.”
Bub said that 25% of the show’s proceeds will go to Wild ARC to help the BC SPCA rehabilitate wild animals whose natural habitats continue to be threatened due to urban sprawl.
Wild BC will be at Gage Gallery in downtown Victoria’s Bastion Square from March 28th to April 16th.
