The local art community came together to help a man whose life's work of sculptures was stolen from his trailer so he could have a booth at the Estero Fine Arts Show.
Ben Foster is a third generation sculptor.
Three days before Christmas, he went to get one of his pieces from his trailer at a storage facility, only to find out the trailer, filled with nearly $250,000 worth of bronze sculptures, was stolen.
Foster was disappointed, thinking he'd have to miss out on the art show, but the local art community joined forces tomake it happen.
He makes sculptures of almost any animal you can think of: bears, roosters, sea otters, the Florida Panther, even the symbol of our country, and couldn't believe the trailer housing all of his works was stolen from the I-Storage center off Collier Boulevard.
"Oh my goodness, it was devastation," Foster said.
It happened ten days before the Estero Fine Arts Show at Miramar Design Center, and Foster never thought he'd have a booth.
"There was no way it was going to happen. We were going to have to cancel all our art shows," he said.
But the producer of the show, Patty Narozny, wouldn't take "no" for an answer.
"I said 'Ben, you can't cancel. We still have ten days to find that artwork!" Narozny said.
She started sending emails to art lovers across the country, then Foster started getting calls from his collectors.
"They said "Ben, we've been collecting your work for years. Come borrow whatever pieces you want and show them, and we can sell them, use them as display models," Foster told Four in Your Corner's Lisa Greenberg.
Other artists in the Estero Fine Arts Show lent Foster pedastals and everything he needed to display his works.
"It was definitely a miracle. I never thought it would be possible a week ago. Just out of the kindness of people's hearts we've been able to do this," Foster said.
Foster received an award of distinction at the show.
He has a message to whoever has his life's work;
"There's no hard feelings. No questions asked, I would love to have my artwork back. That's what's most important for our family right now," Foster said.
He also has a messge to folks working in the metal or scrap indusrty: If you see any of these sculptures signed with Foster's name, please don't melt them down.
If you have any information about where these works of art could be, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.
