Ann Arbor Public Art Commission

City of Ann Arbor 301 E. Huron St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 http://a2gov.legistar.com/ Meeting Minutes - Draft Calendar.aspx Ann Arbor Public Art Commission Wednesday, November 8, 2023 7:00 PM Electronic Meeting Wednesday November 8 at 7pm Live Public Art Commission Meeting Live on CTN Channel 19 Wednesday November 8 at 7pm Webinar ID 927 4816 0648 Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device: Please click this URL to join. iPhone or Android device: Please click this URL to join. https://a2gov.zoom.us/j/92748160648?pwd=b3 ROLL CALL Approved Present: 10 - John Kotarski, Allison Buck, Venita Harrison, Peggy Wier-Leonard, Sophie Grillet, Sarah Fuller, Marianetta Porter, Cynthia Harrison, Mary Thiefels, and Fang Zhang Absent: 1- Jamall Bufford APPROVAL OF AGENDA Additions: *Sculpture Donation by Ann Arbor Art Fair *Introduction of Commissioner Fung Zhang - In Ann Arbor since 2016 invited by the University of Michigan as a scholar. Works at U-M as adjunct lecturer and taught at EMU this past semester. Currently preparing for a ZOOM conversation with the Curator of Contemporary Art with the Center for Chinese Studies and co-sponsored by UMMA. Desire to return to teaching contemporary art this coming winter. Mother of three and will contiue reachcer of Asia art to her students. Approved with changes City of Ann Arbor Page 1 Ann Arbor Public Art Commission Meeting Minutes - Draft November 8, 2023 PUBLIC COMMENT Presenters; Manny Montoya, City Cellular Infrastructure Manager Melissa Schacht, Adopt-a-Park Coordinator The City of Ann Arbor will celebrate its bicentennial in 2024, and as part of the celebrations, City staff are seeking artists to submit proposals for mural designs that recognize the past, present, and future of our community and celebrate 200 years of Ann Arbor! One selected artist will receive a $25,000 contract with the City for the purchase and installation of their design on two basketball courts in City parks. Bicentennial Murals installed at Leslie Park and Southeast Area park on the basketball courts with NCAA court standards. With inclusion of the City Bicentennial logo in the center of the court and the use of water-based traffic paint. Proposals must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Monday, December 4, 2023. Proposals should be submitted by email to bicentennialmurals@a2gov.org. Must include: I. Photos or sketches of proposed mural design.Only one design per entry. II. A written description of the design’s inspiration and relation to the city’s bicentennial. III. A written description of the proposed installation process,including: *list of proposed materials *plan for incorporating at least 10 volunteer hours IV. A brief description of the artist’s connection to AnnArbor. V. A proposed budget breakdown. The City will allocate $25,000 for the installation of both identical murals,inclusive of all materials,labor,and creative effort. The City will select three finalists from the proposals submitted which meet the criteria below. Finalist entries will be displayed online and at Larcom City Hall for community input, which will begin Friday, January 12, 2024. The City will consider this community input when selecting the winning proposal, which will be announced in March 2024. The two runners-up will each receive $500. City of Ann Arbor Page 2 Ann Arbor Public Art Commission Meeting Minutes - Draft November 8, 2023 Questions/Recommendations and Discussion; *Three weeks does not seem long enough for an artist - can more time be added? Staff - Yes, we can be flexible and work with the artist on their needs. The final timeline sets announcement in July of 2024. Call for art ask for a list of materials and this will allow staff time to assist. Commissioner Kotarski - *Call out and requirements will guide this process *Survey out to the community *Materials have been shared with Art Commissioners *Located on the surface of the court (2) half courts and (1) full court (Leslie) (Court could be identical or elect to change design. *Send out to UM and EMU School of Arts. Perhaps students can work together as a team *Public Engagement is planned and welcome feedback from the community *Selection process is a great way to promote the project, artist and parks. 1) Panel/judges are professionals and rep of parks and community 2) Criteria that the panel will be clear and be distributed out to community i.e, how this group will evaluate the artist, etc. 3) Public input to select finalists so community will understand that final selections will vote and one with most votes is selected. This will build community interest and public input matters. Commissioner Thiefels - Ground murals are becoming more and more popular. Best practices on materials and the surface prep and cleaning should be done ahead of time. City should do in-kind support in this area. Design examples /complexity can be helpful to the artist. Creative Washtenaw is a great resource to reach help reach the community. Timeline may be a little tight. There is a research that will need to take place and efforts in the proposal - this is a lot of work and need to make sure this is attainable. Artists usually receive a stipend for their design work. Must have realistic parameters for the artist to work in. Request for Qualification might be better as you can look through it and select (25) artist that you invite to see a design and this is attractive to artist. Staff - These two courts have been prepped for a mural. City of Ann Arbor Page 3 Ann Arbor Public Art Commission Meeting Minutes - Draft November 8, 2023 Commissioner Fuller - This is a great project! Potential resources via non-profit company, Project Backboard out of California has created these types of projects. They share great examples of designs that incorporate markings and are still vibrant; good resource. Commissioner Zhang - Encourage artist to do research on Ann Arbor 200 year history and share more details with the artist to help them develop artistic themes. Staff - Staff will review your suggestions and notes to collect information to share with the team. _______________________________________________________ Artist, Richard Morgan (Richard Allen Studios) Donation Ann Arbor Art Fair is made up of three non-profits; Guild of Artisans, State Street and original Art Fair. All three purchased a sculpture by Artist, Richard Morgan (Richard Allen Studios) to donate to the City in celebration of the Bicentennial. This piece is 11.16 feet by 41 inches wide near the base; with the top point being 62 inches. Recommended placement would be State St and North University; where all (3) fairs come together. Input from the artist re for maintenance, placard, etc. Suggestion for lighting to be added as part of the install. January 19thh kick off event with Destination Ann Arbor. Time for presentation and an unveiling to add some additional and excitement from the community. Approved as presented APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approved as presented City of Ann Arbor Page 4 Ann Arbor Public Art Commission Meeting Minutes - Draft November 8, 2023 OLD BUSINESS Murals That Bridge - After speaking with Northstar Painting, we have learned that the containment tarps that are being ordered will take up to 4 weeks before they are completed - this puts our timeline for painting the murals at the very end of October. We are placing the restoration and mural work on hold until spring of 2024 but will still move forward with all of the necessary agreements and paperwork that MDOT's and WATCO. *Project a has been pushed to back to March. Required MDOT and Legal items have tied this up. Project is fully funded and will proceed once MDOT/WATCO requirements are met. UM Prison Creative Arts Project Donation - This mural, a metamorphosis of the tree will take place, evolving into a kaleidoscope. Council Member Harrison and Sarah Unrath reviewed possible locations and placement of the mural, a metamorphosis of the tree will take place, evolving into a kaleidoscope of butterflies that were individually created by community members'. The final product resulted in 3 - 4' x 5' panels that are designed to be hung as a triptych. *CM Harrison, Sarah and staff reviewed several locations for the placement of this piece. Recommended location is Municipal Center above the security station. Staff has since found out that this location is actually Ash trees and there is a concern that this area should be maintained as is. This wall is an art piece and as the emerald ash trees were removed thorough out the City; this wall commemorates this event and perhaps a plaque should be installed. Manhole art Final Castings - Our Public Works team will switch to our final manhole art- expect to begin seeing these covers during our upcoming constructions season. PowerART! Vinyl Artwork Reproductions - The DDA/City planning for new round of PowerART! Legal team currently working on Agreement with Creative Washtenaw. The DDA/City continue to work on a partnership on a maintenance agreement/schedule. *Excited to see another round of installations. Approved as presented City of Ann Arbor Page 5 Ann Arbor Public Art Commission Meeting Minutes - Draft November 8, 2023 NEW BUSINESS As IT begins to work in this space, there was an opportunity to install a mural within the ceiling alcove of Council Chambers. The Ann Arbor Art Center vetted artists for this installation and selected Tess Marhofer. City Council chambers is adorned with a new ceiling mural entitled “They Will All Be Dreaming.” Painted over the weekend of Oct. 20-22 by artist and Michigan resident, Tess Marhofer, the work stemmed from their desire to bring a touch of escapism into the everyday environment. Marhofer used acrylic paint and brushes while perched on scaffolding to reach the raised portion of Council chambers. Staff and visitors are encouraged to look for themselves, with the artist’s reminder that, “even amidst the chaos of life, there’s a tranquil world above, waiting to ignite our imagination and provide a sanctuary for dreamers and thinkers alike.” *Staff will add to the online City art tour. Teams working on Golden Paintbrush, Flag project. As CIP project come onboard staff reaching out to share upcoming projects. *Flag project on track. Mayoral committee in place and staff continue to pull together all submittals for final sharing with the community. Commissioner Leonard Ann Arbor Public Schools Art great time to talk about the City and what makes the city great. Great time sharing flag history lesson on Ann Arbor flag history with the students. Perhaps we could share this information with the Mural team as they begin the call for the basketball court murals. Google doc will be shared with Manny and his team. REPORT FROM STAFF City of Ann Arbor Page 6 Ann Arbor Public Art Commission Meeting Minutes - Draft November 8, 2023 REPORT FROM COMMITTEES Report on Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Commission Meeting Mid September Commissioner Marianetta met with Aaron Seagraves as a leader of the Ypsilanti art Commission. The Ypsilanti Art Commission has merged with the Parks department. First meeting upcoming and a have an additional (3) members. Request to meet as a team to coordinate an introduction meeting and to discuss ways to better collaborate with one another. Venita will reach out to Aaron and share 2024 AAPAC meeting dates. Interesting that most of our recent projects have been championed by our Parks teams. Kudos to Commissioner Grillet for her efforts to recruit young people to the commission. Interest from a U or M Masters Business student. Invitation to attend as a non-voting member as well as on some of our committee meetings. By- laws allow AAPAC to appoint members. We will share our working groups for him to understand where his interest are. Golden Paintbrush Award announced presentation to City Council send a reminder out to commissioners. Leadership survey out to all. Please review and share your input by the 17th and we'll then need an election of new chair and vice-chair at our next meeting. Design Review Board did not meet; no update to share. ANNOUNCEMENTS: *Successful Westside Art Hop even with the chilly weather. Here forward planned for 3rd weekend in June. *Motawi Tile to hold first winter market event. Staff art sales displayed; Mr and Mrs. Claus will be present, tile signing and partnering with Metzgers Restaruant for the sell of German delicacies. Saturday, December 9th at Motawi tile. *Keep an eye out for all the winter window art throughout town. Over 70 storefront sign ups in Washtenaw County. Mary and her team currently in Midland right now. *November 11th Guild of Artisans fundraiser is this weekend at the Ypsilanti Cocktail Club. Big Top Bizarre! Activities, contortionist, painting, City of Ann Arbor Page 7 Ann Arbor Public Art Commission Meeting Minutes - Draft November 8, 2023 silent auction and other fun surprises! ADJOURN All persons are encouraged to participate in public meetings. Citizens requiring translation or sign language services or other reasonable accommodations may contact the City Clerk's office at 734.794.6140; via e-mail to: cityclerk@a2gov.org; or by written request addressed and mailed or delivered to: City Clerk's Office 301 E. Huron St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Requests made with less than two business days' notice may not be able to be accommodated. City of Ann Arbor Page 8