Statue sits near intersection of East Grant and North Country Club in Tucson. Photo Credit: Sam Lowe
TUCSON — Near the intersection of East Grant and North Country Club roads here, a faded and aging lady with protruding eyebrows and sinister eyes stands holding two bowls. She’s a sculpture, more than 15 feet tall, and she’s been standing in the same place for more than 40 years. Artist Jesus Corral sculpted the lady in the 1960s and placed it in front of a restaurant he owned.
The statue served a dual purpose. She was not only a giant greeter for those who entered, but was also the chimney. And the two bowls were fountains. The restaurant closed more than 20 years ago, and a furniture store has moved into the building. But the statue remains, although now partially concealed by trees that line the sidewalk in front.
I ate there when I was in grad school at the UofA in the late 1970s. I think the restaurant was called “Tia Elena’s” — Aunt Helen’s…