Artist Sought For ODNR/Great Seal Park Commissioned Monument Work

Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc.

(ODNR)- In remembrance of those lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft is seeking design, production, and installation of a sculpture and two signage structures that display text (listed a close of RFP). The sculpture and signage structures should incorporate creativity and artistic elements to enhance the aesthetic and define the COVID-19 memorial grove located at the Great Seal State Park.

ABOUT THE GREAT SEAL STATE PARK
Great Seal State Park is dedicated to the wilderness spirit of Ohio. Ohio’s early statehood is centered in these rugged hills. Challenging trails take visitors to scenic vistas of distant ridgetops and the Scioto Valley below. These very hills are depicted on the Great Seal of the State of Ohio, from which the park gets its name. Ancient history is recorded in the sandstone hills that comprise Great Seal State Park. It lies upon the Appalachian escarpment, a line of hills stretching across Ohio’s mid-section which outline the edge of the Appalachian plateau in the state. North and west of the line are glaciated plains while south and east rugged hills extend to the foothills of the mountains. This definition is obvious from the trails in the park where one can see Columbus on a clear day to the north and unbroken forested ridges to the south.

ARTWORK PROPOSAL/SCOPE OF WORK
Together the ODNR Division of Parks & Watercraft and Ohio Arts Council will accept proposals for a sculpture and two signage structures. Artist may propose up to three design concepts to be considered for acceptance. Design concepts include a sculpture and two signage structures. The signage structures should be compatible with the sculpture design. Proposal must be all inclusive of design concept, fabrication, delivery, and installation oversight.

The Work:

• may be constructed of metal, stone, wood, or compatible materials.
• must be constructed of durable materials suitable to the outdoor environment, and relatively maintenance-free.
• should not include electrical or lighting elements.
• must be family-friendly.

A landscape rendering of the site is included in this RFP. Artist may visit the site at 4908 Marietta Road, Chillicothe, OH 45601 for planning purposes.  

Text for each signage structure:
Sign Structure #1 – referred to as the Memorial Grove Sign. This would be located near the scenic vista:
 
On April 30, 2021, Governor Mike DeWine dedicated this site to honor the lives that were lost, the sacrifices, and the bravery of so many Ohioans to care for others during the COVID-19 Pandemic. May this memorial grove be a place of peace, solace, and remembrance for Ohioans of this time in our collective history.
Dedicated by Governor Mike DeWine
April 30, 2021

Sign Structure #2 – referred to as the Great Seal Sign. This would be located near the loop entrance:
 
The hills you are standing on were inspiration for the design of The Great Seal of the State of Ohio. The seal, first depicted in 1803, was often reconfigured until the present image was sanctioned by the Ohio General Assembly in 1967 and modified in 1996. In 1803 the law prescribed the sheaf of wheat to represent Ohio’s agricultural roots and the bundle of seventeen arrows to symbolize Ohio’s place as the seventeenth state in the Union. In the background is a range of hills, including Mount Logan, as viewed from Thomas Worthington’s estate, Adena, now a state memorial. The sun’s thirteen rays represent the thirteen original colonies. The Scioto River flows between the hills and the cultivated fields in the foreground. Tradition attributes the design to the cooperative vision of Thomas Worthington, the first U.S. Senator and “Father of Ohio Statehood,” Edward Tiffin, Ohio’s first governor, and William Creighton, Ohio’s first secretary of state. After an all-night meeting at Adena, they viewed the sun rising over Mount Logan and chose the scene for the state seal. Much of the land illustrated in the Great Seal of the State of Ohio now comprises Great Seal State Park.

Application Process:
Interested artists should complete the online form by visiting: https://odnrgreatsealcovidrfp.artcall.org
In addition to the four (4) images uploaded of color sketches of each proposed design:
1.  examples of similar work, four (4) maximum         
2.  a current resume/or artist statement as pdf
3.  statement of details of concept design, including budget, materials, and timeline (as one pdf)
 
Submitted proposals will be reviewed by the selection committee and the selected artist will be contacted for the next steps.