Okanagan’s massive t-rex sculpture creator enters contest for $25,000 USD
A Chilliwack artist who's creating a massive metal t-rex sculpture, to be located in Penticton, is vying for $25,000 USD in an online contest. Kevin Stone is working on a 15-metre tall t-rex for a private property owner in Penticton. He figures the entire project will require somewhere...
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A Chilliwack artist who's creating a massive metal t-rex sculpture, to be located in Penticton, is vying for $25,000 USD in an online contest.
Kevin Stone is working on a 15-metre tall t-rex for a private property owner in Penticton. He figures the entire project will require somewhere between 500 and 600 hours worth of labour to complete. Having started in June 2021, he is hoping to have it completed by February, 2023.
READ MORE: B.C. artist will finally have a masterpiece as steel T-rex takes shape in Penticton
The winner of the DIY Hero contest will be featured in Make Magazine and earn the $25,000 USD. Each week, contestants move on to the next round depending on how many votes they receive from the public. The contest donates 75% of proceeds raised to the American Lung Association.
Stone is currently in the quarter-finals, with the next round ending on April 21. If he can make it into the semi-finals, voting runs from April 22 to 28 before the finals start April 29, ending May 6.
“It would be fun to win and get a little bit of publicity and help raise some funds,” Stone said. He placed first in the first round out of 56 contestants and has been bouncing between first and third place in the quarter-finals.
The contest currently isn't his top priority though. The head for the t-rex has been completed and mounted on a frame and work will soon commence on the body and legs, he said.
“It’s close to 3,300 square feet of stainless sheet metal to cover it for a skin so now we’re starting the daunting task of cutting metal and hammering all the texture into it and welding it onto the body and creating the body so we’ve got a busy summer ahead of us,” Stone said.
READ MORE: B.C. artist will finally have a masterpiece as steel T-rex takes shape in Penticton
The sculpture's legs and hips will be completed outside of his shop as they’ll be too tall to finish indoors. Once completed, the t-rex will be trucked to the Okanagan. The total weight of the beast will reach 15,000 pounds.
The chrome t-rex will be able to see it up on a mountain when they look out across the beach in front of Salty’s Beach House in Penticton.
Vote for Stone here. Residents can vote for free daily or donate to the non-profit for more votes.
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