Courtesy photo Artist Rose Peltier stands next to her “Marley” sculpture, handing a donation — half the proceeds from the sale of the artwork — to Jennifer Sovey and Stephanie Viau of the Delta County Cancer Alliance.

ESCANABA — The patchwork fabric-covered sculpture of Marley the Lion that was created by local artist Rose Peltier and has been a mascot-like figure in Escanaba since 2017, standing sentinel at the Bonifas Fine Arts Center and at the East Ludington Gallery, has been sold and is soon to make its way to Ogden, Utah.

Though the sale has been finalized, a “SOLD” sign is hanging around Marley’s neck at the East Ludington Gallery, and a crate is in the back of the gallery waiting for him, the buyer hasn’t actually seen the sculpture in person.

Peltier said that the logistics of Marley’s relocation are being coordinated with the buyer — a Utah business owner — and her parents, who live in Cornell.

“The parents were in the gallery over the holiday and saw Marley and fell in love with him, and told their daughter about him, and she decided she wanted to buy it,” Peltier said.

She said that she thinks the woman will be impressed to see Marley up close, since photographs don’t quite do the artwork justice.

They also don’t capture his story.

Peltier was a professional quilter and was getting back into art a few years after a 2014 cancer diagnosis when she began working on the sculpture.

“After I got through all my treatments, and I realized that I kind of beat it — I had a clear disgnosis in 2017 — so I decided I wanted to do more, and do something bigger, and stretch myself a little bit,” Peltier explained.

The sculpture was a challenge — Peltier said she was close to throwing it in the garbage a couple times, “but then I could finally start seeing it come together.”

Marley’s pose features his two front paws on the third and highest step of a platform. One of his hind legs is on the second step, and the other is on the first. At the core, he’s foam, then covered in muslin. Atop that, Peltier painted a layer of gesso to help hold individual triangles of cloth in place, then sealed the surface so that his body can be wiped clean. His mane, though, is made of hanging coils of fabric. His eyes are bright blue marbles with paper reinforcement stickers for the irises.

Following completion, Marley has had a journey. He took home an award from Northern Exposure at the Bonifas, went to Mackinac Island before Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize in 2018, stood in the old (now gone) East Ludington Gallery location, prevailed over the lobby of the Bonifas, and now perches proudly but very temporarily at the new home of East Ludington Gallery — 1000 Ludington St, formerly the Morrison Shop.

Peltier said that she’s heard a lot of positive comments about Marley, both directly and relayed to her secondhand by people at the Bonifas, and that she’s very grateful for the love he’s gotten over the years.

On Marley’s purchase and his upcoming cross-country trip to a new home, “I thought I would be sad, you know, but we’ve had a lot of time with him, and I think it’s just time for him to move on and share him with others,” she said. “He’ll be out west where other people can enjoy him.”

Because overcoming a battle with breast cancer had been the inspiration for the creation, Peltier decided back in 2017 that when Marley sold, she would donate half the money to a cancer organization. Staying true to herself, she presented a donation to the Delta County Cancer Alliance (DCCA).

“We want to thank Rose, not only for her incredible donation to the Delta County Cancer Alliance, but for sharing her story with us and the community, and being such an inspiration to many,” said Stephanie Viau on behalf of the DCCA.

The notion of creating a website or Facebook page for Marley has been discussed. Peltier suggested that it would be nice to have a QR code at his new home and one at the East Ludington Gallery so that people can share memories and keep up-to-date on his status.

Other work by Peltier is currently on display at the Bonifas Arts Center. She’s been doing eco printing, embroidery, and marble mobiles lately, in addition to jewelry and bags — but says she’s thinking about taking on another sculpture.