With Odessa’s population growing and new residents making this part of the Basin home, the peculiar jackrabbit statues scattered around Odessa might leave a new resident scratching their heads in question.
These planted hoppers have become a backdrop with few questions about their past. The more than 30 colorful jackrabbits, each unique with its own story had me as a new Odessan myself curious as well.
I wanted to know the story behind these statues. I tracked down three women who were apart of the planning committee for the Jackrabbit Jamboree project to learn more.
The projects publicist Nancy Wells tells me the concept was born from one very large jackrabbit.
“In the 60’s when John Ben Shepherd was the head of the chamber of commerce he decided to have the jackrabbit named the official city mascot, so Jack Ben Rabbit sits over here in front of the ECISD administration building.” Says, Nancy.
The Jack Ben Sculpture was created to bring tourism to Odessa by celebrating the jackrabbit roping competitions held during the annual Odessa rodeos in the early 1930’s.
Wells says this sculpture is the reason rabbits multiplied in Odessa. That’s because in 2003 proceeds from a memorial for former Odessa mayor Bill Hext funded the jackrabbit jamboree
Former executive director of the Odessa council for arts and humanities Carla Bryant tells me it was mayor Hext’s goal to bring public art to Odessa.
“There were about three or four of us thinking about, but it was his memory and his foundation is the one that got it going, so he left a very good legacy for Odessa.” says Carla.
Carla had the important job of finding the artist to help this project hop of the ground.
“We did a call for artist. We put it in the paper, we told what the requirements were they had to do a design on a form we sent out. I think I sent it to all the artist I could find.” says Carla.
One of those artist responsible for a handful of these oversized bunny’s is Sonya Haynie
This project meant so much to her she showed me a scrapbook full of newspaper clippings and pictures she keeps to archive the fun she had creating her art.
When I called here a historian she responded, “Can tell I’m a member of the Heritage of Odessa group.”
Sonya tells me she is proud of the legacy the project has left behind for the businesses that purchased their rabbits as a campaign to beautify Odessa
“The businesses have consistently left them in place I have heard that one of them have been destroyed by a car accidentally on Grant and Andrews but most of them are still out looking good and showing Odessa’s earliest days.” says Sonya.
The jackrabbit jamboree was such a success the planning committee didn’t expect the rabbit love.
Nancy Wells – “I think the response was much greater than we ever expected. We thought if we can break even we’ll be fine we ended up making enough money that we were able to create four murals afterward so this was all about creating public are and celebrating our history.” says Nancy.
Carla tells me this art endeavor sparked a call for local art and is in part responsible for the city’s master plan that now included an art initiative.
“And now there is a public art committee through the art council that is working on public art for the entire city so I see this as an empties to our further public art that will make Odessa more beautiful, it was just the start.” says Carla.
So the next time you spot public art in Odessa you can thank these baby jacks, each one with their own story.
For more information on the Jackrabbit Jamboree and a full list of locations with pictures you can visit the Jamboree Rabbits you can visit the Odessa Convention & Visitors Bureau’s website, http://odessacvb.com/visitors.cfm?l=113&b=1
(Information from YourBasin.com)
