CowParade debuts March 15 in La Jolla, exhibiting about 40 originally painted life-size fiberglass cow sculptures that will be auctioned off in an effort to raise funds for Rady’s Children’s Hospital and the San Diego Zoo. The parade attracted a few La Jolla artists, including Perry Vasquez, former University of California, San Diego and current University of San Diego art instructor, who says his neon pink cow design was inspired by various world religious viewpoints regarding the bovine species. Preparation for this month’s event took place in the organization’s artist lab at Point Loma’s Liberty Station, which was filled with myriad cows, from an icow to a matador bull whose eye gleam reflects the matador nemesis he recently defeated. Each cow has a corporate or individual sponsor, CowParade’s Katie McLaughlin said. Last May, local artists submitted designs to CowParade officials. Sponsors chose a design and an artist to paint their cow. In turn, the nonprofit CowParade organization asks local artists to paint life-size fiberglass cows, donating proceeds to charity. “Following the public exhibit, the cows are auctioned, with proceeds from CowParade La Jolla earmarked for Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego and the Zoological Society of San Diego,” McLaughlin reported. CowParade began inside Chicago in 1999. Since the first art event, the organization has held more than 55 exhibits worldwide raising more than $25 million, according to McLaughlin. Although CowParade began herding cows ten years ago through more than 50 cities but March marks the first year the group has stomped into California, according to CowParade spokesman Michael Kinsman. CowParade organizers started the event with a more ambitious aim, planning to plant cows throughout San Diego, but the economy’s downturn hit the nonprofit group. “The economy just didn’t cooperate,” CowParade director Bill Trumpfheller said. “There was two options: We could’ve pulled the whole show, or scale the herd down. We decided to move forward.” Trumpfeller said officials decided to move the event to La Jolla last November. So CowParade organizers chose about 40 bovines to feature inside La Jolla. The group will display various cows inside La Jolla’s village and UTC mall beginning March 15. Kinsman said he’s creating a scenario, describing possible locations where the herd will sit on display. He plans to place about four to six cows at UTC and sprinkle the rest around the village. “We’re finalizing the draft, but they’re going to be concentrating them in the village —four at the mall and two at the traffic stop there at UTC,” Trumpfheller said. Since CowParade creates a large tourist draw, the organization will create an online walking map. “What people tend to do at these types of shows is create a type of walking tour of them,” Trumpfheller said. CowParade, La Jolla can be viewed in progress each Saturday, from noon to 2 p.m., at Point Loma’s Liberty Station artist lab, 2855 Perry Road. For more information, visit www.cowparadelajolla.com.