Whenever I describe Greater Cleveland to out-of-towners, I often summarize it as an artsy area. From the Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument in Public Square to the Free Stamp, there are all sorts of oddities in and around The Land to delight visitors. Oftentimes, I find myself stopping to admire art throughout Greater Cleveland. One of the more unusual finds I've encountered is a piece of public art in Chagrin Falls that's truly unusual: a massive bronze cat. Grab a sunhat, because we're going to spending some time outside while we unravel this local mystery.

There's a local oddity hiding in Riverside Park in Chagrin Falls.

The aptly-named Riverside Park is known for its riverside promenade, offering stunning views in a serene setting. Throughout the year, events are often held here, bringing foot traffic to the pretty park. Some sharp-eyed visitors can't help but notice the strange statue on-site, and boy, does it have a story to tell.

At four feet, seven inches tall, The Sassy Cat is easily eye-catching.

The aged look of this bronze statue initially implies that it's been outside a while... decades, perhaps. Visitors can just sense that there's a story to tell here, so I set out to unravel its hidden history.

There's not a ton of information on the statue to go hunting with, and there's not a ton of information on this oddity online.

"In memory of Marguerite Kelly, Founder of The Sassy Cat" is our only clue here. Fortunately, that was enough to start unraveling the yarn. As it turns out, The Sassy Cat was a local not-for-profit consignment store that began in 1967. They specialized in American art, featuring more than 200 artists in the space to ultimately generate more than $400k for local charities and nonprofits. Suddenly, the statue is starting to make sense!

Also known as the Chagrin Valley Woman’s Exchange, the store occupied two local storefronts during its decades-long run.

First, it was near Village Exchange from from 1967 until 1968. That year, it found a more permanent home in this building on Main Street, where it operated until closing in 2006. Operated completely by volunteers, this little art store held a special place in the hearts of locals, who adored its collections of ceramics, pottery, glass, and more.

The Sassy Cat must have held a special place in the heart of its featured artists, too.

Perhaps that's why this statue was introduced in 1980. According to a survey by The Sculpture Center, Michael Keeney was the sculptor behind this unusual, eye-catching statue. As it turns out, Keeney was a local with a Master of Fine Arts from Kent State! A 1979 article in the Akron Beacon Journal shows some of his work from the era, though this particular example was made from epoxy and fiberglass. Clearly, this type of work is a bit different than working with bronze. Tracing his journey further, we learn that Keeney ended up going to North Carolina after spending four years casting bronze in Cleveland. His specialty? Portraiture and animal compositions. So it's very possible that this beauty was made at Cleveland's Studio Foundry!

A piece of local art and a long-standing non-profit supporting American artists... The Sassy Cat really is the story of American successes and support.

Artists and art lovers coming together is truly a tale as old as time. And now, for the past 44 years, this statue has stood as a silent monument to Chagrin Falls' support of local art. It's also a testament to the enduring style of local artists, having been crafted by someone who studied art here and perfected his craft with bronze right in The Land. As the decades continue to march on, finding information on unique pieces like this will only get harder if we don't dig and make an effort to immortalize the stories these pieces tell. Fortunately, even if details get lost to the past, we'll have enduring pieces of local art to tempt our minds to run wild, possibly even inspiring a work of art in each of us dreamers.

Next time you find yourself in Chagrin Falls, stop to admire this unique piece of local art.

This decades-old Cleveland-made statue truly reminds us to continue telling stories, making a difference in our communities, and making art.

This work of public art in Chagrin Falls truly tells the story of its community. In preserving local art and the influence of one prominent group of volunteers, it reminds us of the high standard our predecessors set.

Want to dig into more Cleveland art history? Visit Fort Huntington Park to learn about the Battle of Lake Erie.