Happy Birthday, America!

Click for a better look!

This is a refined, painted version of a drawing I did a couple years ago. Inspired by the fact that among all the mascots roaming the Mall of America, they have no official character to represent the mall as a whole. There's Sharky from the aquarium, a frog from the Rainforest Cafe, a disgusting plush shrimp from Bubba Gump, a moose from a mini-golf course, and of course there's Spongebob & Co., but no official icon from the Mall of America to greet the guests. This is my pitch.

It's been a while since I've done an acrylic painting of anything other than a celebrity, and I think there is much work to be done. There are several areas of slop here. Time to not use the busy summer season as an excuse for not painting more.

Proposal to The Mall of America

The Mall of America has no character of its own, some kind of mascot to meet and greet the guests, vistors, shoppers, consumers, vultures, etc. A true symbol of the largest mall in the country is in dire need for this tourism hot spot, and is long overdue for an appearance.

One of the many spectacles this mecca of interest has to offer is the Underwater Adventure, the "World's Largest Underground Aquarium". They have their mascot, Sharky.

The "new" theme park in the center of the mall, Nickelodeon Universe, has theirs (among others):

The Mall does not have anything of its own to represent the place as a whole, so this is my pitch and prototype for something new. The only thing that is missing is a name. Any ideas?