Ostrich Statues

Chandler, Arizona

Chandler is a fairly ordinary and conservative town that occasionally makes a deliberate leap into the bizarre. One of these quirks is the Annual Ostrich Festival, created by the Chandler Chamber of Commerce and first held in 1989. For the 20th festival in 2008, artists were commissioned by the Chandler Chamber of Commerce to paint a dozen life-size fiberglass ostrich statues, which were then put on display around Chandler. I've been able to find six of these painted ostrich statues on public display (although some o them have subsequently disappeared), plus one metal ostrich sculpture. If you know the present location of any of the other six ostrich statues, please write to me at the email address at the bottom of this page.


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Olivia Ostrich Says Eat Fresh, Buy Local, by artist Ruth Knowles.
Directions: Chandler Sunset Library, 4930 W. Ray Road.
Last Visited: April 2010 (Update January 2013: library renovated, ostrich gone).


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The Green Spot that is Chandler, by artist Debra Jones.
Directions: Chandler Museum, 178 E. Commonwealth Ave. No admission is charged, but donations are accepted.
Last Visited: May 2010 (Update November 2012: Museum on Commonwealth Ave closed, some items on display at McCollough-Price House at 700 S. Chandler Village Drive -- loction of ostrich statue unknown).


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Clark Gable on the Golf Course, by artists Diane Howell & Anne Marshall.
Directions: In the lobby of the Crowne Plaza San San Marcos Golf Resort, One San Marcos Place.
Last Visited: May 2010. Update July 2015: Statue was reported vandalized (beheaded) and in danger of being discarded; employees of Crowne Plaza were trying to get in touch with the artists to arrange return or repair of the statue.


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Photo by Bizarre Backroads contributing photographer Pam Orman.

Cee Cee the Ostrich, by artist Laurie Fagen.
Directions: On the sidewalk in front of Sibley's West Gift Shop, 72 S. San Marcos Place.
Last Visited: November 2011.
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Queen Patina, by artist Joan Waters.
Directions: Basha Library, 5990 S. Val Vista Drive (at Riggs Road).
Last Visited: October 2015.
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Dreamin' In Style, by artist Cheryl Fecht.
Directions: Hamilton Library, 3700 S. Arizona Avenue.
Last Visited: October 2015.


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Ostrich, a seven-foot metal scuplture by artist Mike Lynch.
Directions: In the atrium on the second floor of the Chandler Main Library, 22 South Delaware St.
Last Visited: May 2010.



Standard disclaimer: Sites are described for entertainment purposes only, as they were at the time of my last visit. I can not vouch for the current condition of the site or its accessibility.

Revised: October 24, 2015
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