They mystery behind the googly eyes placed on Bend’s public roundabout art has been solved — well, partially.

Bend resident Jeff Keith has come forward and said he’s a prankster who puts clothes on statues and put the plastic wobbly eyes on two pieces of art in Bend, but not the other six pieces that were tagged with strategically placed, oversized googly-eyes. Keith, 53, said he offered to reimburse the city for any damages done by the prank.

But the city of Bend “has no intention in pursuing a criminal investigation at this time,” said Jacob Larsen, Bend community relations manager. “City staff are focused on city operations. Our understanding is that an individual has identified themself in connection with alteration to public art.

“The city is not pursuing anything at this time nor are city staff in direct conversations with the individual.”

Keith has a history of pranking neighbors and family members, he said. In fact, he spends part of his monthly allowance on pranks, he said.

“I am the man behind the googly eyes,” Keith said. “I find respite behind my pranking. Most of my pranks don’t last the night. Some make it in the newspaper, as this one did and others make a major splash.

“I am mindful not to do damage.”

Typically Keith’s handiwork can be found on the deer sculpture at 14th Street and Simpson Avenue called “Big Ears,” and sometimes he adds clothes or objects to the seated statue at Wall Street and Franklin Avenue, called “Art.”

Keith said that the other six pieces of art were done by copycats in this latest round of googly eyes from September through December.

“This is my way of releasing some tension I get from the work I do,” Keith said.

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Keith is the executive director of the the Guardian Group, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing and disrupting sex trafficking of women and children in the United States, according to the 2023 nonprofit’s tax filing. He moved to Bend in 2006 to start a church and then moved full-time to run the nonprofit, he said.

The spate of googly-eyed art pranks in Bend drew snickers from some but concern from others, especially when it comes to potentially damaging residue that can be left behind by adhesives. The city of Bend issued a plea in December for the pranks to stop.

“We love our roundabout art in Bend, so let’s do our part to take care of it. While the googly-eyes placed on the various art pieces around town might give you a chuckle, it costs money to remove them with care not to damage the art. While we don’t condone the wreaths, leis and Santa hats, let’s stay away from adhesives, graffiti and all things that can damage the art,” the city posted on its Facebook page.

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The eight pieces of roundabout art that had googly eyes placed on them, according to the city, were: “Bueno” on Newport Avenue and Ninth Street, “Big Ears” on Simpson Avenue and 14th Street, “Crossroads” on Colorado Avenue and Columbia Street, “Three Rising” on Reed Market Road and 15th Street, “Orb” on Skyliners Road and Mt. Washington Drive, “Atilt, Sundra and Garden Gate” at Shevlin Park Road and 14th Street, “Might of the Workforce” on Butler Market Road and 27th Street and “Phoenix Rising” at Galveston Avenue and 14th Street.

The city owns the roundabout sculptures, but they are commissioned by the nonprofit Art in Public Places, which donates them to the city. The sculptures are funded by the Bend Foundation.

Artist Joshua Wiener, who created the art called “You and I” at Powers Road and Brookswood Boulevard said he doesn’t mind when things get attached to his art as long as the items are not permanently attached.

“When it’s permanent, it changes what the art says and becomes something different,” Wiener said. “But something that’s temporary, and stays there for a day or two, and is done lovingly gives a sense of ownership.”

Keith said his decorations on the public art work is done out of fun and is lighthearted pranking.

“I’m cautious about respecting the art,” he said. “I think it’s good for people to know us as a community that knows how to have fun and when to be serious.”