First artist revealed for ellenor Hospice’s ‘Hunt the Bear’ sculpture art trail in Dartford and Bluewater

By Samuel Johnson

The first artist behind a new art trail inspired by a beloved children’s story has been revealed.

Dozens of colourful bear sculptures are set to appear across Dartford next summer.

It’s to celebrate the children’s classic ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury.

The eight-week trail, launching in July 2026, will feature 30 large bears and 30 cubs, each uniquely decorated by local artists, schools and community groups in aid of ellenor, a Kent-based hospice charity supporting families facing life-limited illnesses across both Kent and Bexley.

Now the first of those artists has been revealed as painter and printmaker Ana Zoob, who will create a sculpture of Blum, the Hero Bear for the trail.

Anna, 30, first discovered her love for painting during the pandemic.

“If I had to pick one moment when I knew I wanted to be an artist, it was during COVID,” she explained.

“The pandemic gave me a massive gift: time. I headed home to Sussex, went into my mum’s studio, and that’s when I properly started painting. That’s when it clicked.”

Her art is inspired by Dartford’s rivers, wetlands and everyday neighbourhoods.

Blum himself is a life-sized bear sculpture with a surface covered in sweeping layers of colour with blue, yellow, green and pink.

Anna added: “The colours were originally going to be muted, but they ended up vibrant. I love drawing ordinary buildings.

“Drawing helps me connect with places I might otherwise overlook – and hopefully people on the trail will do the same”.

The main aims for the project are to raise awareness of hospice care, build a sense of community pride and generate funds through sponsorship and a closing auction.

But Blum the Bear also represents a meaningful landmark in Anna’s personal life.

She added: “I’d been feeling lost and unsure how to make work that felt accessible and positive.

“The bear was a gift – it brought me back into the studio and opened a new way of painting.”