Artists, organizations urged to be part of Oxen in Orleans effort

Meeting on Saturday at Hoag Library will go over initiative to help celebrate county’s bicentennial

Photo by Tom Rivers: This ox painted with an Orleans County Fair and agricultural theme is shown in Albion’s parade on Dec. 14.

ALBION – The Orleans County Bicentennial Committee is urging artists and organizations to be part of public art project featuring fiberglass oxen.

The oxen bodies can be painted in themes celebrating the local community as part of the county’s 200thanniversary this year.

A first ox was painted during the Orleans County 4-H Fair last July. The ox then was featured during the Medina Parade of Lights on Nov. 30 and then Albion Christmas parade on Dec. 14.

The Town of Clarendon has since bought an ox body. The Bicentennial Committee also is planning to purchase an ox and have it painted to be displayed on county property in Albion. The Friends of the Orleans County Marine Park also is pursuing an ox and artist to have a painted ox at the County Marine Park in Carlton.

The Bicentennial Committee will have an informational meeting at noon on Saturday at Hoag Library in Albion to go over the costs of acquiring an ox statue and having it delivered. The ones at the Fairgrounds and for Clarendon were bought from a manufacturer in Texas and then shipped by FedEx.

Each organization, business or municipality that acquires an ox will need to work out a contract with an artist to paint the ox body.

Albion native Stacey Kirby Steward painted the ox at the fairgrounds. That ox will be at Hoag for artists and others to get a close look at.

The committee also will be available to try to connect organizations with artists and help brainstorm themes for the oxen.

More information about the painted oxen should be available soon on the County’s Bicentennial page.