Benjamin Logan High School students are leading the way on an exciting new public art project coming to Logan County.
Student artists enrolled in Art II and Portfolio classes at Benjamin Logan High School will soon begin work on an America250 mural after LoCo Art was awarded a $2,500 tourism grant from the Logan County Visitors Bureau Council. The mural will highlight Native American history connected to the Zanesfield and Mad River areas, celebrating the land, water, and cultural legacy that continue to shape Logan County today.
BLHS students will design and paint the initial stages of the mural on campus under the direction of Jennifer Davis — LoCo Art co-director and visual art teacher at Benjamin Logan High School — and teaching artist Richard Duarte Brown. The project will then move to the LoCo Art studio at the Holland Theatre, where students will continue their work in a professional studio setting.
At the LoCo Art studio, Davis and mosaic artist Vicki Murphy will work alongside student artists as the mural enters its next phase. The final stages will feature a mosaic-style Mad River, created using glass and mirror. This portion of the mural will be completed by high school students from multiple schools across Logan County, including homeschool students, making it a truly countywide student collaboration.
A key student contributor to the project is Tony Tambaro, a Benjamin Logan High School sophomore, who will assist with the America250 mural. Tambaro has also contributed to the En Gedi Ridge Zoo mural, reflecting the growing impact of Benjamin Logan students in community-based public art.
The completed mural will be permanently located on the Firehouse Pizza building in Zanesfield. LoCo Art expressed gratitude to the building owner and business owner for their willingness to host the mural and provide a visible space to share Logan County’s Native American history.
The grant check was presented by Jamison Thornton, director of the Logan County Visitors Bureau, and accepted on behalf of LoCo Art by Bruce Smith, LoCo Art board president. The presentation provided an opportunity to celebrate the partnership supporting students as they create a public artwork designed to encourage cultural tourism and exploration throughout Logan County.
The America250 mural will not only enhance tourism, but will also stand as a lasting testament to the creativity, collaboration, and historical awareness of Benjamin Logan High School students and student artists across Logan County.
*Sally Stolly, Benjamin Logan Local Schools, provided information for this article.
