Calico Cat and Roy the Dog

Have you ever wondered about the two sculptures at the entrance of Downtown Davis?

The John Natsoulas Gallery is home to two of the most iconic landmarks in Davis! The Calico Cat (2016) and Roy the Dog (2015), were built to honor the history of the gallery, and they are a reminder of how far we’ve come.

The Calico Cat

In 2016, John Natsoulas, Stephen Souza, and a dedicated group of community members built the beloved Calico Cat sculpture. The design was directly inspired by the lineage of calico cats that had lived at 521 1st Street for decades. After discovering a photograph of a cat from the early 1900s, long before the property became a gallery, Natsoulas wanted to honor the legacy of the many animals who had watched the gallery transform and grow.

First design for the Calico Cat

Constructing the Calico Cat, video by Monto Kumagai

Roy the Dog

In 2015, John Natsoulas, Stephen Souza, Amanda Larson, George Hubert, Mark Rivera, Bill Maul, Robert Haemmerling, SCRAP-SF, and other volunteers, constructed the now-famous Roy the Dog sculpture. Built from old records and other recycled materials, the sculpture is a playful dedication to Roy de Forest, who inspired and mentored John while he first established the gallery. This large sculpture memorializes the great artist and his love of dogs.

Artist Hasan Entwistle, left, and gallery owner John Natsoulas check out the progress on the head

By Wayne Tilcock

Roy the Dog head under construction