SEBASTIAN — The June 24 Sebastian City Council meeting opened with an artistic flair, as the new Official City Seal was unveiled in its high-visibility location on the wall above the Council dais.
Created by Sebastian graphic artist Curt Oxford, the elegant, 3-dimensional, 82” X 40” work features a central oval depicting a pelican in flight above the Indian River Lagoon. The lettering – separate, 3-dimensional elements – says “City of Sebastian” above, and “Home of Pelican Island” below. The entire piece has the look of carved wood.
Oxford, who is a nationally sought-after designer of feature signs, says creating a City Seal for Sebastian “has been on my Bucket List for years,” and he has had the design in mind for quite some time. In fact, eight years ago, Oxford had approached the Council with his proposal, but the time wasn’t right.
Then-Mayor Andrea Coy had spoken in favor of Oxford’s proposal and design.
“I never thought I’d see the day!” she told Oxford, before Wednesday’s big reveal.
Mayor Richard Gillmor shared a bit of the City’s sign history.
“In recognition of the year 2000,” he said, “76 years after our 1924 incorporation as the Town of Sebastian and 75 years after our 1925 reincorporation as the City of Sebastian, as the world celebrated the new millennium” the city contracted with Oxford to create a welcoming entrance sign for Sebastian. “Through Curt Oxford’s workmanship and artistry,” the familiar pelican-in-flight seal was created and placed on signs at the City’s main roads, parks and public facilities.
That seal, Gillmor continued, was officially adopted Oct. 11, 2000. As slides of the dedication ceremony flashed onto the big screen above the dais, Gillmor listed the city and county leaders present back then: Mayor Walter Barnes, Council members Joe Barczyk and Jim Hill, Charter officers City Manager Terrence Moore, City Clerk Kay O’Halloran, City Attorney Rich Stringer; County Commissioners Fran Adams and Ruth Stanbridge; and current County Tax Collector Carol Jean Jordan.
Gillmor acknowledged Oxford’s earlier proposal and explained, “During a time of economic downturn throughout the country, the City wasn’t able to make it happen. Recently, it was brought to the attention of City Council that Sebastian is the only local government in Indian River County that did not have its official seal in its chambers. Staff contacted Mr. Oxford. . .”
And the rest is (or will be) history.
Pre-meeting, Oxford, talked about his artistic process: As newer, more pliable, durable materials become available, Oxford has moved from wood into various resins. The process employed in creating the Seal is complicated and time-consuming and requires great precision.
Oxford explained that the original pelican was carved from 15-pound density polyurethane (the lower density easier to carve in precise detail); from that, he made a silicon mold from which the final piece was formed. The 3-dimensional lettering is a separate element of the Seal and was crafted with 45-pound density polyurethane.
The backdrop is PVC and was coated with epoxy to create a slight dome. The finish includes multiple layers of “clear coat,” and various shades of metallic urethane, giving it the same depth, richness and durability as in automobiles.
