An "opulent sun sculpture" resting in a mural of the Rogue River replete with swimmers is a selection committee's top pick for a $100,000 public art piece to adorn Medford's new Rogue X aquatic center. The proposal comes from Ashland artists John Pugh and Melissa Ghiglieri, both of whom have been involved in public art pieces locally and internationally.

An “opulent sun sculpture” inside a mural of Rogue River swimmers and a multicolor “X” sculpture that would be painted with help from local youths are among the leading proposals from Southern Oregon artists to adorn the entrance to Medford’s soon-to-open Rogue X aquatic center.

Medford’s Parks and Recreation Commission will discuss the Public Art Selection Committee’s top picks for the potentially six-figure public art project in a Tuesday evening public meeting, and outline the next steps for the public art installation planned for next year. 

Rogue X, a $76-million aquatics and sports center in west Medford, 901 Rossanley Drive, will hold its “First Splash” grand opening event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6. The event will include early access to the recreational pool, waterslides and basketball court. Proceeds raised will support youth swimming and recreation program scholarships. 

The public art installation has “up to $100,000 earmarked for the project,” according to a Medford Parks and Recreation staff report on the agenda. It provides a glimpse at the proposals artists submitted after the city put out a call for submissions earlier this fall.

The city received six submissions for the project as part of a request for proposals, five of which met the minimum requirements, according to the staff report.

The selection committee’s top pick is a combination mural proposal from Ashland artists John Pugh and Melissa Ghiglieri described in concept as “an opulent sun sculpture that rests in the Rogue River.” The 3D mural would include a half-sphere shaped collection of circular mirrors would be installed in the siding above the windows of the complex. Inside would also be a smaller sculpture of a golden brown trout and a mural inspired by the Rogue River “replete with swimmers.” 

“World class frosting for your new chic cake,” the design proposal from Pugh and Ghiglieri states. 

Pugh lives in Ashland and has completed more than 250 public art projects across the United States and in countries around the globe, including Japan, New Zealand, Barbados and the United Arab Emirates.

Ghiglieri grew up in the Rogue Valley, is a Southern Oregon University graduate and has been doing murals and public art for the past five years. Most of her work has been in Southern Oregon, including the viaduct murals in Hawthorne Park in Medford and the “Diversity and Unity” mural on the side of the historic Acme building in downtown Medford, but she has also painted murals as far away as Cape Town, South Africa. 

Medford parks commissioners will discuss whether to accept the selection committee’s top recommendation and proceed to contract development in a public meeting slated for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in Rogue X multipurpose Room 123; commissioners also could recommend a different proposal.

Parks and recreation staff hope to have a finalized recommendation for Medford City Council to vote on by February.

The selection committee’s secondary pick is also submitted by Ghiglieri — a multicolored 12-foot tall “X” sculpture to be painted in partnership with the youth organization LIFE Art with expressionist vignettes of different types of athletes in a palette of vivid magenta, lime green and sky blue.

Ghiglieri said in her proposal that she wants the piece to “celebrate the spirit of swimming and other athletics,” and to become a “photogenic community icon.”

The selection committee’s third place alternate is a trio of tubular steel monolith sculptures that would be installed near the front entrance that are 14.5, 12.3 and 2 feet tall. The proposal was submitted by Southern Oregon artist Ross Kellogg. It’s intended to evoke “the playful image of children’s building blocks,” the artist said.

The committee’s fourth-place selection comes from Travel Medford, and is a three-dimensional sculpture made from the Medford “Heart of the Rogue” logo composed by Travel Medford’s graphic designer and creative manager Celeste Moreno.

Travel Medford Senior Vice President T.J. Holmes stated in his proposal that officials have been in contact with Tube Art of Portland, which constructed Rogue X’s signage, as well as local sign and fabrication company The Sign Dude “to confirm the proposed design concepts can be delivered on time, within budget and to exceptional quality.”

The fifth-ranked proposal is a salmon-themed sculpture from metalwork artist Seth Emerson Palmiter of Rockport, Maine. The 18-foot tall piece as envisioned by Palmiter would include a curved base layer of textured aluminum, a blue stream of “hyper shift painted aluminum” and seven salmon rising up the sculpture made of a blue-and-gold patinaed bronze.

Palmiter has public art pieces installed across the United States. In his cover letter to the city, the artist said he wants to “transform the audience’s perception of place.”

“I have developed art for similar civic sites and will provide museum-caliber art that is inviting to all who visit the Community Complex,” Palmiter stated in his letter.