​Project Overview

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Meiners Oaks Parks 501(c)3 (MOP), an all-volunteer nonprofit organization is developing an abandoned commercial property into a vibrant 2-acre nature-focused park in the community of Meiners Oaks located in the Ojai Valley.  The MOP invites professional and emerging artists or artist teams to submit qualifications for the design and creation of sculptural artwork that inspires connection between art, nature, community, and play.

A jury of community representatives will select one to three finalist(s) to develop imagery or rendering for sculptural installation(s) that reflect the Park’s natural setting and cultural richness.  Selected artist(s) will present their work at a public meeting, where community members can engage directly and/or by submitting written questions to be read aloud by a moderator.

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Project Intent

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This is an Open Call Request for Qualifications for artists with the vision and ability to design and install sculptures that are inviting to park visitors and spark their engagement.  Artists should demonstrate the ability to create public artworks that are made with sustainable materials, are safe to touch, low maintenance, and that can be seamlessly integrated into the Park’s landscape.  The goal is to create artwork that inspires play and reflection, while fostering a deeper connection between people and nature.  

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Successful proposals will:

•  Embody the Park’s theme of art, nature, and community

• Encourage unstructured play and exploration by children and adults

•  Integrate with the natural landscape and Park design

• Reflect the cultural heritage and/or current culture of the Meiners Oaks community

• Utilize sustainable or recycled materials where possible

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Site Overview

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Meiners Oaks (pop. 4,000), offers so much: great neighbors, walkable streets, library, restaurants, and bodegas.  It unfortunately lacks one integral component—a neighborhood park. Meiners Oaks Park (MOP), a grassroots organization, has been working with the County of Ventura, Assemblyman Steve Bennett and local residents to create a nature-focused park on 2 acres of abandoned commercial property owned by the county and an eyesore at the gateway to Meiners Oaks for 30 + years. Our vision is to develop a park where children play, families gather, and all visitors find a connection to art and nature, and find joy and healing (forest bathing) there. We aim to inspire the power of community to transform this abandoned commercial property into a dynamic neighborhood park. 

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An essential element of the Park will be original art including one to three sculptures and a mural. As visitors enter the Park through an entryway lined with native trees, they will find a ¼ mile ADA compliant walking path landscaped entirely with native vegetation.  A mural designed by local artists celebrating native plants and animals will be painted by local school children on an unsightly 5’ by 500’ cinderblock wall on the west boundary. What better way is there to teach about the local environment than through a hands-on mural project?   

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Continuing along the path, visitors will find a play area intended for children aged 1 – 8 years with play equipment designed to stimulate imagination and sensory awareness. Waiting to be discovered will be interactive, artistically-designed structures to encourage unstructured play in nature for kids ages 8-12 years. These features will encourage problem-solving, promote cooperation, and increase their connection to nature, especially important for children in our high-tech world.  If kids don’t enjoy nature today, who will advocate for nature tomorrow?  

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One to three site-specific and/or central sculpture(s) scattered throughout the Park will draw attention to cultural, social, and environmental elements in the Park. For example, a garden composed entirely of plants historically used by native Chumash people could feature an original art piece drawing attention to and connecting the visitor to Chumash culture.   Jurors will select finalists from a pool of artists who respond to a broadly-circulated Request for Qualifications.  One to three selected artists will present their work at a public town hall style meeting where the public can ask artists either directly or through written questions read by a monitor.  With this format the entire community will be engaged in the process.

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Cultural and Historical Context

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The cultural focus of the Park includes the following. Successful proposals will most strongly evoke one or more of these influences in the landscape.

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• The heritage of the Chumash people, who have lived in this region for millennia

• The Theosophist movement, which influenced the area’s spiritual and artistic sensibilities

• The agricultural influence beginning with John Meiner in 1876 to local organic farmers serving the Farm-to-Market movement today

• The modern, small-town Southern California culture – vibrant, multiethnic, outdoor focused, community-oriented, and informal

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