Barry Goldwater Statue

This statue of Barry Goldwater was given to the National Statuary Hall Collection by Arizona in 2015.

Barry Goldwater served five terms in the United States Senate representing Arizona and was the 1964 Republican candidate for President of the United States. Author of The Conscience of a Conservative (1960), he is widely recognized as the founder of the modern conservative movement.

The bronze statue depicts Goldwater as a man in his fifties or sixties, during the time he was a United States Senator. Wearing a suit with cowboy boots and a southwestern bolo tie, he stands in a casual pose as if in mid-conversation, gesturing with his right hand; his left hand is hooked in the pocket of his pants. The self base of the statue has two levels, suggestive of the uneven, rocky landscape of the Arizona desert.

The pedestal of Juparana Florence granite supports the statue. On its front is inscribed "BARRY GOLDWATER / 1909–1998 / ARIZONA."

Artist

A panel formed by the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission selected sculptor and Arizona resident Deborah Copenhaver Fellows (1948– ) to undertake this commission. An avid horse enthusiast and accomplished rider, she is best known for her small bronzes on western themes. She has also completed portrait statues of several notable figures, including singer Bing Crosby, businessman Adolph Coors, and philanthropist James Irvine. Fellows sculpted Vietnam Veterans memorials located in Missoula, Montana, and Spokane, Washington, as well as the Korean War Veterans Memorial at the state capitol in Olympia, Washington. She has been a member of the National Sculpture Society since 2008.

Podcast Episode: Meet the Artists

This podcast is part of the Shaping History: Women in Capitol Art series created by the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center. Listen below to hear about the women artists and women historical figures depicted in the art of the Capitol.

Conversations with Deborah Copenhaver Fellows and Artis Lane
Download the transcript or read more about this episode.