The fiberglass bison

SOUTH BEND — An unusual delivery is expected to arrive at 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22, at Logan Center in South Bend — a 5-foot-tall fiberglass bison.

The event will be streamed via Twitter’s Persicope app on the Logan Center Facebook and Twitter pages.

The bison is part of the statewide Bison-tennial Public Art Project, a joint endeavor of the Indiana Bicentennial Commission and the Indiana Association of United Ways to mark the 200th birthday of the State of Indiana. As part of the project, a local artist is selected in each county to paint and decorate the 100-pound sculpture.

For St. Joseph County’s entry, the clients at The Studios at Logan were chosen to design and decorate the bison, said Matt Harrington, executive director of the United Way of St. Joseph County and the area’s project lead. The Studios at Logan is an adult day services program for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and features multiple arts classrooms.

“We’re so excited to see what our artists at The Studios will create for our county’s bison,” said Clint Bolser, president and chief executive officer of Logan. “The goal of the Bison-tennial Public Art Project is to spread awareness of the programming supported through United Way funding. Logan is a terrific example of what this support can accomplish. The Studios at LOGAN give adults with IDD a creative outlet, a place where they can focus their artistic energy and experience new things.”

“United Way of St. Joseph County is proud to lead this legacy project celebrating Indiana’s Bicentennial,” Harrington added. “Both United Way and Logan have long histories of service in our community and because of that we are excited to be working together on this public art display representing St. Joseph County.”

Following the bison’s arrival, the artists at The Studios will work with staff to sketch out their creative vision, and will have until Memorial Day to finish their artwork. Once completed, the bison will be displayed until later in the year when it will be part of the Bicentennial Torch Relay that takes place in September and October, and used as part of the Bicentennial Statehood Day on Dec. 11.

The bison could also be displayed at the Indiana State Fair in August.

There are 92 counties in Indiana. Once painted and sealed, fiberglass animals typically last about 30 years outdoors. Harrington expects the local bison to be on permanent display somewhere within our community.

For more information on the Bison-tennial Public Art Project, visit www.iauw.org/bison or contact Matt Harrington, executive director for the United Way of St. Joseph County at (574) 232-8201.

For more information on The Studios at Logan, visit www.LoganCenter.org or call Nichole Maguire at (574) 289-4831.