The Dunbar Bear

A towering bear sculpture has been unveiled in Dunbar, Scotland, marking the legacy of one of East Lothian's most famous sons. The work of art is in tribute to Mr. John Muir, who was born in Dunbar in 1838.

The bear is symbolic of his travels through America's wild places. It is located off the A1, near the Spott Roundabout in Dunbar. Muir emigrated from Scotland in 1849, and played a key role in the development of America's national parks, petitioning the Congress for the National Park Bill, which established Yosemite National Park.

Sculptor Mr. Scott, a graduate of Glasgow School of Art who has completed more than 70 projects across the UK and internationally. The welded artwork, standing at 18’-0” tall x 8’-8” wide x 7’-4” front to back, was sculpted by Scottish artist Andy Scott.

Andy fabricates and sculpts his works at a small shop in Philadelphia. He has developed a regular, working relationship with his galvanizer in order to push the limits of protecting his ornate art with molten zinc. The amount of time and effort put in by Andy, and investment by his clients, keep Andy coming back to the very best protective coating system to protect his artwork for generations to come.

The sculpture made from mild steel weighs 2.5 tons and took 10 months to complete. It was hot dip galvanized and then painted after galvanizing using an epoxy paint system. The duplex system allowed for even more synergistic protection, along with the gift of brown fur for the massive bear.