Yellowknife (Aug 11/06) - With the first-annual Yellowknife Arts Festival here and gone, a little reminder of the event has been left behind.

A series of fibreglass ravens has begun to appear in downtown Yellowknife, starting with one perched on a light pole at 50th and 50th.

Artists Angela Gzowski, John Schnell, Barb Round, Chris Brown, Christine Rudolph, Charissa Alain and Erica Silzer stand with Yellowknife Arts Festival director Betty Wilcox and Mayor Gord Van Tighem (not pictured), during the unveiling of the fibreglass ravens that will pop up around downtown this month. - Adam Johnson/NNSL photo

That raven was unveiled during a ceremony last week, presided over by Mayor Gord Van Tighem and festival president Larry Adamson.

"Festivals come and go, but not all have left their mark," Van Tighem said, praising the "provocative colours and designs," that adorned the ravens.

The first sculpture placed belonged to artist Chris Brown, who said he found the process to be unique experience. "It's different. I usually paint motorcycles and stuff," Brown said.

"This is definitely the strangest thing I've painted so far."

Unfortunately, his flame-adorned raven lost a foot during the placement, something Adamson said he was working on a solution for.

Six other artists had their ravens on display, including Angela Gzowski, John Schnell, Pat Winter and Barb Round, Christine Rudolph, Charissa Alain and Eric Silzer.

"I grew up here, so I kind of left my mark, I guess," Silzer said of her raven.

"I hope it gets me into the arts moreso in Yellowknife."

The event mirrored the unveiling of the "large" raven at city hall the night before. Adamson said the smaller ravens should all be up by the end of August, while their larger counterparts will start appearing by the end of September.

One surprise, Adamson said, was the number of people looking to buy the ravens.

"We have one solid offer for a large one and 10 offers for the small ones."

He said he was pleased with the way the festival had progressed, and was excited to get going on next year's events. "It's wonderful, absolutely tremendous."