Sculptures created by Judith Greavu stand in front of Wetland Pond, closeby to the Dial-Roberson Stadium. The sculptures are a new addition to the area, and sit along the path of the popular university recreational path, the Green Monster. (Northern Review/Gabriel Mott)
Students who frequent the university recreational path, the Green Monster, have likely noticed them: a series of four medium-size, bluish metal sculptures depicting aquatic wildlife in cross-section. Perhaps even more notable, however, is what’s missing: at the time of writing, there are no physical signs, plaques, or inscriptions on or around the sculptures indicating their origin or meaning.
According to Ohio Northern Grounds Manager Bradley Looser, the artwork “was made by Judith Greavu, associate professor emerita at Ohio Northern University.” The grounds department helped only nominally in the “installation of the stone boulders and assisted [Greavu] in fastening the art on top of the boulders.”
Greavu confirms to Northern Review that she is behind the sculptures, and says her inspiration came from a former project of hers: “The inspiration for the sculptures was from a pond I had built on Hardin Co[unty] property in the 1990s. We stocked the pond with catfish, bluegill and bass but the range of life forms that came to enliven the pond was vast and amazing.”
“The sculptures celebrate that pond life so I am delighted that they are permanently placed near a pond on campus.”
The sculptures themselves were created using an old “wax bronze casting method.” Greavu says it’s “an ancient method still used today when precise detail is desired.”