Did you ever notice giant, colourful beaver statues lining the streets of Toronto during the FIFA World Cup? Well, they’re now up for auction, and among them, was one designed by a Barrie artist. Monica Loney’s beaver sculpture was the centrepiece of the display called The Great Beaver Quest, on display in Toronto’s Old Town. The display featured 48 beavers representing countries participating in the World Cup. Now, those beavers are up for auction to support worthy causes. Loney’s is titled the 49th Beaver aka “Infinite Welcome” and is sitting at $2,075 as of Wednesday and among one of the highest bids. Canadian Motif - Maple Leaf Forever, covered in colourful maple leaves is the highest at $5,050. The auction opened on Friday and will run throughout the week until Monday at 11:59 p.m. Proceeds will support Toronto’s First Post Office & Museum and KidSport Ontario. It carries with it deep cultural and personal meeting. “This sculpture tells a story of connection,” Loney says. The design was a nod to her Indigenous roots. Her creation is covered in flags from different countries with dotted black lines weaving around them, something Loney said was inspired by Woodland style art, an Indigenous art form started by Ojibwe artist Norval Morrisseau. The lines are to represent the interconnectedness of land, water and people, Loney says. She calls the piece “an enduring Canadian emblem,” that represents a layered narrative about connection, identity and shared experience.
