Rating
Call number	NAU.PH.86.5.20.100101
Item number	142060
Creator	Parsons, John
Title	Sedona/Oak Creek [Unusual events or fixtures]
Date	1986
Type	Image
Description	Just upstream from Indian Gardens in Oak Creek Canyon is a small plot harboring these religious statues "made just from sand and water." They have been around for many years and have become an institution in the entire region, not just that little area. When I first saw them I thought they were pretty hokey but I have since fallen in love with them, as have uncounted thousands of others. A few years ago a Phoenix businessman Dave Pizer bought this land and the acreage around it. In the summer of 1986, he approached Coconino County officials for permission to build a 10 unit "retreat house" on the very site of the statues. He was denied and became very childish about the whole thing. As soon as the uproar over the possible removal of these statues began I hustled down there to take pictures of them. I had been meaning to do it for some time and figured they might be in jeopardy one way or another so what the heck? Sure enough in early October, someone clubbed the heads off all the statues! I couldn't believe it! I first saw the damage as I was headed down to speak in a candidate forum at Wayside Chapel in Sedona and told some of the media people about it but they seemed unconcerned. In a day or two the Phoenix metromedia picked up on it and went nuts with the topic, front page, TV, etc. I made another special trip to get pictures of the damage. On a campaign trip later in October I was extremely lucky to pass by as 85-year-old Ted Conibear was resculpting them with a model and a big crowd. The lighting and the mood was perfect and I had a fresh roll of 36 pictures in the camera. I could hardly believe my luck! I am sure Mr. Conibear will not be with us long but he was in fine form that day and I consider these pictures priceless!
Collection name	Parsons, John
Repository	Northern Arizona University. Cline Library.
Rights	Digital surrogates are the property of the repository. Reproduction requires permission.
Subjects	Statues Sand Sculptors
Places	Sedona (Ariz.) Oak Creek Canyon (Ariz.)
Physical format	Color transparency
Physical dimension	35mm
Master file name	142060.tif
Master file creation date	2011-06-16
Master file size	187310000
Master mimetype	image/tiff
Master file format	tif
Hardware	Imacon Flextight 848
Software	Photoshop 9.0
Master color scheme	RGB
Master image bit depth	16-bit
Master resolution	5000
Master compression	No compression.
Master pixels horizontal	6774
Master pixels vertical	4608

Sedona/Oak Creek [Unusual events or fixtures]

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