Light showers did nothing to diminish the excitement for the dedication of a mural depicting the Native American heritage of Zanesfield on a rainy Saturday afternoon. The mural, made possible by a grant from the Ohio Arts Council with assistance from the Logan County Visitor’s Bureau, showcased the talents of students, local artists, community partners, and other supporters.
As previously reported on peakofohio.com, the mural was created through a collaborative effort led by LoCo Art, Benjamin Logan High School visual art students, and student artists from across Logan County. The project was supported through a Tourism Grant from the Logan County Visitors Bureau as part of Logan County’s participation in Ohio’s America250 initiative.
LoCo Art Co-director and Benjamin Logan High School Art Teacher Jennifer Davis said the mural grew out of collaboration with Todd McCormick, Director of the Logan County History Center. She said McCormick, widely considered an expert in local Native American culture, was invaluable in the design of the mural. He provided pictures and documents that highlighted the Zanesfield region’s importance in the area’s early history.
Davis said that after talking with McCormick and with input from Logan County Visitor’s Bureau Director Jamison Thornton, Zanesfield was selected for the location of the mural:
Davis also said that Vicki Murphy, a mosaic artist from Columbus, added a depiction of the Mad River to the mural, which was crucial to life in the local Native American culture. The mural also acknowledges the stewardship of the area’s natural resources shown by the Native American tribes.
According to Davis, the mural was designed by Benjamin Logan Teaching Artist Richard Duarte Brown. Davis talks about the design process:
The mural is located on the side of the Firehouse Pizza building in Zanesfield. Visitors can also scan the QR codes on the mural to learn more about the mural and LoCo Art.
The dedication also featured music from the Benjamin Logan Alumni Jazz Ensemble.
