Downtown Art Tour

Downtown Ojai Art Tour

The City of Ojai has over 40 works of public art represented in four Public Art Tours. is self-guided walking Downtown Tour starts at Cluff Vista Park and goes through Libbey Park, the Arcade Plaza, and onto Matilija Street.

Downtown Tour brochures are available at the Ojai Valley Museum.

Docent-led tours available by advance appointment 9a.m. - 10:30 a.m. $10 per person. Contact Ojai City 805-646-5581 x 103.

For more information: www.artsojai.org/ downtown-tour

City Public Art Tours

by

VALERIE FREEMAN, CHRISTINE GOLDEN, COLLEEN MCDOUGAL, AND OJAI CITY ARTS COMMISSION

A: CLUFF VISTA PARK A-1: West End Guardian Spirit:

Standing sentinel at the entrance to the park on the west end is a tall basalt column by master stoneworker Paul Lindhard. A-2: Corona de Robles: Under the park’s pergolas, Corona de Robles (Crown of Oaks) oak branches and leaves hand-forged out of stone, copper, and wood, was designed by metal artist Jan Sanchez.

A-3: Overlook Circle Fountain:

Overlook Circle Fountain by Paul Lindhard symbolizes the sun with an omphalos stone in the middle of the fountain. A-4: Trail of Discovery: A map displays the impressions of leaves, fossils, reptiles, birds and other animal tracks that can be seen scattered throughout the park.

A-5: East End Guardian Spirit:

By Paul Lindhard, a basalt column with an onyx cap and fiber-optic lights stands at the end of the park.

B: THE OJAI VALLEY MUSEUM COURTYARD B-6: Museum Side Gates:

Crafted of hand-forged steel by artist Doug Lochner, the side gates are a four-panel bi-fold design echoing the “river of life” curves found in the museum’s carved-wood entry doors.

B-7: Condor and Youth Soaring for

Freedom: A sculpture carved by Carlyle Montgomery from Belgian limestone and red serpentine. Montgomery passed away in 1998 and his artist friends helped complete the piece. B-8: Mountain Dreamer: Ojai artist Dennis Shives conceived the idea of the sleeping brown bear. Roger Embury of Rock & Water Creations manufactured the fi berglass-reinforced concrete sculpture.

B-9: Museum Entry Gates: Doug Lochner’s two-panel, hand-forged steel gates refl ect several architectural elements of the museum, including the arched tower, main doors, and plaster relief above.

C: THE OJAI VALLEY LIBRARY

C-10: California Quail: A large tiled mural of a California quail highlights the library’s west wall. The mural, by artist Viqui McCaslin, a Yaqui Indian, transports the viewer from city life to nature. C-11: Charlotte’s Chair: Inside the library at the end of the east corridor is a door leading outside to “The Secret Garden.” Ceramist Merilee Eaton created Charlotte’s Chair in memory of Charlotte Bronstein, an accomplished actress, fi lm director, and storyteller.

D: LIBBEY PARK

D-12: Fun for All: In the playground, Doug Lochner’s three pieces: a cast concrete lizard, a lady-bug, and an archway reminiscent of children’s building blocks.

D-13: Trimpin Sound Arch:

Internationally acclaimed artist Trimpin was chosen for his 12-foot-high Sound Arch that visually echoes the curved arch of the bowl. The arch “sounds’’ by means of a motion-activated sensor. Percussive sequences are chimed on 24 reclaimed metal tubes of varying lengths. The Sound Arch can be preprogrammed by musicians performing at the Bowl to play a specifi c theme. Also, a phone app allows passersby to choose a tune from a select list. (Look for instructions on the base’s bronze plaque.)

E. THE OJAI ARCADE

E-14: Matilija Poppy Fountain: Awardwinning artist Sandra Kay Johnson created the centerpiece of the Arcade with the petals cast in bronze and welded to a stainless steel base.

E-15: Early Bird Shopper:

On a rock base near the rear entrance to the plaza stands a cast-bronze sculpture by iconic Ojai artist Sylvia Raz. A playful interpretation of an eagle honors the bird life in the valley, while traditionally styled clothes refl ect the Chumash Native Americans. A chocolate kiss serves as a hat that represents the sweetness of Ojai. The artist tells us that if you rub the little gold button on her purse, it will bring you good luck. E-16: Elliot the Bear: A pedestal at the east end of the Arcade features a COR-TEN steel sculpture of a bear that lumbered its way into downtown Ojai and climbed a tree on the corner of Aliso and Ventura Avenue. Eventually the bear was tranquilized, causing it to fall from the tree and su er an injury. It was euthanized. Mark Benkert, a metal sculptor who owns the property where Elliot took refuge, forged a memorial

C-11 D-13

D-12 E-14

E-15

piece. It features a mirror image of the words “A Hard Day’s

Night.”

E-17: EVO-3:

In front of Sane

Living Center,

EVO-3, a seamless stainless-steel sculpture sloping from a height of 8 to 4 feet, takes the form of a question mark lying on its side. A compass represents the question mark’s dot under which a time capsule is buried.

Envisioned by

Sane Living Center developer Aubrey

Balkind and public artist Ray Cirino.