Bears Roam Freely in Cherokee!

Well, sorta. You might get lucky and glimpse a real bear, but these are just a few of the 15 painted bears placed throughout Cherokee as a way to highlight tribal artists.

This first one honors Sequoyah, the man who transformed the Cherokee language into a written syllabary. There's a famous portrait of Sequoyah showing him with a pipe and turban-like hat, so that's why the bear is shown in this manner. Some characters from the syllabary are also shown on the bear.

I just liked the design on this second bear, but I'm not sure if there's any special representation.

And last, I love the mountain scene painted on this bear. Beautiful colors.

Click here to see more bears and read about the art project. More Cherokee info and pics to come!