Cows haven’t been seen roaming the Garden City since the 17th century — at least not until one recently showed up outside Bill Joyce’s Newtonville home.
At the corner of Newtonville Avenue and Harvard Street, the colorful bovine beast stands on a patch of grass, gazing at passersby. Named “Commit,” the 400-pound fiberglass sculpture (and base) is much more than a whimsical lawn ornament -– she represents the importance of raising funds during the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) for the fight against cancer.
Joyce first learned he could bid to own the statue, which was painted by former Newton resident Richard Banfield, during this summer’s Jimmy Fund Day at Fenway Park. He was ecstatic when he won the creature with a bid of $2,650.
“It’s worth it … it’s a huge cow. … It reminds me of the Hilltop cows,” Joyce said, referring to the iconic statues once located outside of the defunct Hilltop Steak House in Saugus.
He was enthusiastic about Banfield’s vibrant pink, yellow, and teal artwork because the PMC’s route is painted in an orange line across the cow’s body. Joyce said he is an avid bicyclist and aims to tackle the PMC’s charitable ride in the future. However, he has been a longtime donor to the cause even before his partner, Michelle Karalekas, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2020. Now in remission, she was treated at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which receives 100 percent of the PMC’s rider-raised funds, according to the organization.
Joyce hopes that Commit brings more attention to cancer research, and her fanbase is growing. He said people make positive comments “every single time I’m outside.”
Trucks will pull over and block traffic to see her, and children stop to “feed” her. If visitors want to learn more about the cow, Joyce helpfully left a written explanation hanging from Commit’s neck and hopes her presence will encourage more people to donate.
Inspired by love
“Grief teaches you that life can be a little grey,” said Banfield about why he chose to make his artworks so colorful.
Banfield is no stranger to grief himself. His wife, Kristy Banfield, had breast and pancreatic cancer and died in January 2022 at the age of 38.
Banfield was asked by Dana-Farber and the PMC to paint two of the 75 cow sculptures that were made as part of the benefit. Members of the herd were then auctioned off as part of the CowParade New England fundraiser for the cancer center. Before arriving at Joyce’s Newtonville home, Commit was on display outside of the State House in Boston.
As for why he named the piece “Commit,” Banfield said it is part of the conversation at the PMC: First, riders commit to participating and then they figure out how to do it (in terms of training and fundraising). “It’s a call to action,” he said.
Banfield himself has bicycled the entire 211-mile PMC for the past two years.
In addition to his two painted cow sculptures, the artist said he’s “donating a portion of every print sale [of his art] to cancer research and care through the Pan-Mass Challenge.”
Banfield said his latest collection, “pays homage to the idea of anti-fragility. My late wife, Kristy’s struggle with cancer is a case of anti-fragility that’s very close to home. Our experience with cancer is that it’s a thief. … It makes you feel invisible. But behind this invisibility is a fighting spirit. A tireless desire to be seen and heard through the veil of the noise of the disease.”
Visit Richard Banfield’s site to learn more about him and his artwork.
Visit the CowParade New England site to see images of the 75 sculptures and learn how the auction raised money for the Jimmy Fund.
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