Commission gives conceptual approval to Hilltop park mural; asks artist to consider revisions and signage

The Columbus Art Commission voted April 16 to approve the conceptual design for a mural to be installed on a park shelter in the Hilltop area, while asking the project team and artist to consider minor revisions, add interpretive signage and include anti-graffiti coating to preserve the work.

Jamie Schlichting, project manager with the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks, and Brian Suter, founder and president of Catalyst Columbus, presented the proposal for a ceiling mural to be installed on a park shelter. The project team said the shelter is part of a larger park renovation and that Edge Landscaping and other contractors are handling site construction.

"My name is Jamie Schlichting. I'm the project manager with Recreation and Parks overseeing the construction of the project," Schlichting told the commission. Brian Suter described Catalyst Columbus's role as the project's producer and said the artist, identified in the materials as Maya, was selected after community engagement and a presentation of candidate portfolios.

Commissioners praised the goal of placing public art in a park with limited horizontal surfaces but several asked the team to address public concerns and practical maintenance issues. Multiple commissioners said a small number of people in the meeting read the composition as resembling a human figure in a way that could be misinterpreted; presenters said they had not previously received that feedback and welcomed the comment.

The project team said they had presented two concept options to the park producers and that the installed work would be either painted on ceiling panels between structural elements or painted in the panel spaces; some elements of the ceiling are structural and will remain unpainted. Schlichting said the team is exploring applying an anti-graffiti coating and will include that in budgeting discussions to protect the work.

Catalyst Columbus and Recreation and Parks told commissioners the selected artist had developed two concepts and the project producers and landscape architects chose the submitted option after community review. The presenters said installation is expected mid-summer (June'July 2025), with most of the artist's work completed off-site and final installation performed on location.

Commissioners recommended specific changes and follow-up steps: asking the artist to consider replacing or softening imagery that could be read as a body, adding native plants or animals shown in the artwork to better tie the design to the site, and providing a small plaque or QR code with a brief description and credit line so visitors understand the intent. Presenters agreed to explore signage and to return with revised language or, if needed, additional design options. The commission moved to approve the concept with those follow-up expectations; the transcript records a motion and a second but does not include a numeric roll-call tally.

The commission and project team discussed maintenance and placement. Presenters said the City of Columbus would retain maintenance responsibilities for artworks located on city property and that they are evaluating a protective coating to reduce vandalism. Catalyst Columbus said they typically add a plaque with a QR code linking to project information and said they would consider similar signage for this installation.

Next steps: the project team will consult with the artist on the community feedback, confirm whether revisions or a second concept should return to the commission, finalize any anti-graffiti coating and signage language, and proceed toward a mid-summer installation schedule.