On parade: CyclONE City statues to be on display throughout Ames
From “Farmer Cy” to “Dr. Cy” and even a mirror-covered reflective Cy titled “See Yourself in Ames,” 30 life-size statues of Iowa State University’s beloved mascot are on display throughout Ames.
Each individually decorated by an artist, the 30 CyclONE City statues were unveiled to the public this morning in front of the ISU Alumni Center before the ISU’s season opening football game at Jack Trice Stadium.
The Cy statues were commissioned by the Leadership Ames Class XXVII, a program run by the Ames Chamber of Commerce, and will be on display in city parks, downtown Ames, on ISU’s campus and in front of some of the sponsoring businesses beginning Sunday until Dec. 5.
The Leadership Ames class began working on the idea for CyclONE City last October and are excited for the public to see the artistic talent put into each completed design, said Makenzie Heddens, a member of the class and one of the project co-chairs.
“We’re really just hoping that everyone is pleased with the statues and the community is excited about the project,” Heddens said.
The project is a fundraiser for three local charities, with each statue being sponsored by a local business or organization. The proceeds from the sponsorships and an auction for some of the statues to be held later this year are being donated to the Emergency Residence Project, Mainstream Living, Youth & Shelter Services, and are also helping establish an ISU scholarship for an Ames resident.
Ames artist and illustrator Tim Read decorated two of the statues, including a football-inspired “ALL IN CY” with a traditional white ISU jersey that was sponsored by Great Western Bank.
“They wanted something that would represent the university and sports and the traditional Cy himself,” Read said. “So we went with the white shirt football uniform, which is a really nice tribute to Cy and the football program overall.”
Read also did an Elvis-inspired “Cy-House Rock!” complete with a studded white leisure suit.
“It’s iconic, there’s a cool factor along with it and it’s legendary,” Read said of the Elvis look that was sponsored by Greenhills Retirement Community.
“It has the whole rock star persona that I thought was fitting for Cy,” he said.
Read, who primarily does two-dimensional computer illustrations under the name 5 Finger Creative, said it was a challenge to work on a three-dimensional project like the Cy statues.
“To see the other sculptures, it’s kind of intimidating, because there are a lot of really creative people out there that did very artistic approaches to this program … I’m just honored to be amongst all the rest of those creative people and to be a part of that,” Read said.
Hugo Kenemer, an Ames tattoo artist, worked on three of the statues, including a “CYtes of Ames” where he painted scenes of well-known from Ames and the ISU campus such as Ada Hayden Park and the Campanile.
Kenemer said he had ideas for a few Cy designs as soon as he heard Leadership Ames was looking for artists to submit sketches for the project.
“It was a chance to paint something like that and that would be on display in the community, you couldn’t pass that up,” Kenemer said.
Kenemer, who owns Heroic Ink Tattoo, also did “Super Cy,” a superhero complete with a flying gold cape that was sponsored by Hy-Vee and will be outside Hilton Coliseum.
Kenemer also collaborated with Ames artist Ben Nelson on “Dia de los Ciclones,” a Day of the Dead-inspired Cy.
“It’s going to be pretty cool for people just to be around town and just seeing one out of nowhere, I think,” he said.
Some statues have been purchased by their sponsors and may be displayed permanently. The remaining statues will be auctioned off in December at a date to be determined.
CyclONE City tour:
See Yourself in Ames: Kellogg Avenue & Main Street; artist Michael Gilger, Ames; sponsored by Ames Chamber of Commerce
Celebrating 150 Years of Town and Gown: Inis Grove Park, 2500 Duff Ave.; artist Samantha Statia, Ames; presented to the city of Ames as a sesquicentennial anniversary gift by the Ames Chamber of Commerce
Dia de los Ciclones: YSS Family Life Center, 125 S. Third St.; artists Hugo Kenemer & Ben Nelson, Ames; sponsored by Leadership Ames Class XXVII
CYtes of Ames: Ames/ISU Visitor Information Booth, University Boulevard & South Fourth Street; artist Hugo Kenemer, Ames; sponsored by Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau
Protect and Serve Cy: City Hall, 515 Clark Ave.; artist Molly Nagel, Mason City; sponsored by Ames Police Benefit Association
DeCYde to Get Fit: Ames Racquet & Fitness Center - Somerset, 2622 Stange Road; artist Keith Nelson, Britt; sponsored by Ames Racquet & Fitness Center
Local Banker, Local Hero: Bankers Trust, 3725 Stange Road; artist Julie Masimore, Des Moines; sponsored by Bankers Trust Company
Cy Strong: Converse Conditioned Air, 3116 S. Duff Ave.; artist Sara Converse, Ames; sponsored by Converse Conditioned Air
ExCYted to Serve: Fareway - Somerset, 3619 Stange Road; artist Julie Takemura, Mason City; sponsored by Fareway
ALL IN CY: Great Western Bank, 316 S. Duff Ave.; artist Tim Read, Ames; sponsored by Great Western Bank
Cy-House Rock!: Green Hills, 2205 Green Hills Drive; artist Tim Read, Ames; sponsored by Green Hills Retirement Community
Cy’s All In for An Ames Tradition!: Hickory Park, 1404 S. Duff Ave.; artist Katie Esslinger, Harlan; sponsored by Hickory Park Restaurant Co.
Super Cy: Hilton Coliseum, near University Boulevard; artist Hugo Kenemer, Ames; sponsored by Hy-Vee Ames
Cy’s Tribute: ISU Memorial Union; artist Lou Wendel, Cedar Rapids; sponsored by Iowa State University
Graduation Cy: ISU Parks Library, Osborn Drive & Morrill Road; artist Elizabeth Rhoads Read, Cedar Rapids; sponsored by Iowa State University
What We Love About ISU: Reiman Gardens, 1407 University Blvd.; artist Sticks, Des Moines; sponsored by Iowa State University
Dr. Cy: ISU Veterinary Medicine Building, South 16th Street; artist Molly Nagel, Mason City; sponsored by ISU College of Veterinary Medicine
Inventions of CYence and Technology: Brookside Park, 1325 Sixth St.; artist ISU Biological/Pre-Med Illustration Club, Ames; sponsored by ISU Research Foundation
eCy: Campustown Clock Tower, Stanton Avenue & Chamberlain Street; artist Asa Wentzel-Fisher & Tiberiu Chelcea, Ames; sponsored by Kingland Systems
Construction Cy: Manatts, 2120 E. 13th Street; artist Shawn Palek, Slater; sponsored by Manatts
Anatomy of a Cyclone: Medical Arts Building, 1015 Duff Ave.; artist David Cheney, Rochester, Minn.; sponsored by Mary Greeley Medical Center and McFarland Clinic
Spirit of Fashion: inside North Grand Mall, 2801 Grand Ave.; artist Holland Evermore, Ames; sponsored by North Grand Mall and VisionBank
Farmer Cy: Sygenta, 1524 S. Bell Ave.; artist Shawn Palek, Slater; sponsored by Prairie Engineering Inc.
Cy the Dentist Guy: Pyfferoen Pediatric Dentistry, 301 Fifth St.; artist Shari Scigliano, Des Moines; sponsored by Pyfferoen Pediatric Dentistry
BusinessCy: Bandshell Park, 450 Duff Ave.; artist Heather Straszheim Johnson, Ames; sponsored by Renewable Energy Group, Inc.
MetalliCy: Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Ave.; artist David Cheney, Rochester, Minn.; sponsored by Todd & Sargent, Inc.
M Wally B: new Wallaby’s location, 2733 Stange Road; artist Cassidy Ringena & Stumbo Auto Body, Steamboat Rock & Boone; sponsored by Wallaby’s Bar & Grill
LegaCy: Tribute to Jack Trice: Jack Trice Stadium, 1800 S. Fourth St.; artist Heather Straszheim Johnson, Ames; sponsored by The Weitz Company
Cyclone Classic: University Boulevard & Lincoln Way; artist Hilde DeBruyne Verhofste, Cumming; sponsored by Workiva
Bronze Cy: ISU Alumni Center, 420 Beach Ave.; artist Michael D’Ambrosi, Cave Creek, Ariz.; gifted by Michael & Jean Steffenson family