Commission for the Arts

Agenda Royal Oak Commission for the Arts Meeting Monday, March 17, 2025, 7:00 p.m. City Hall, Room 122 203 S. Troy Street Royal Oak, Michigan 48067 Anyone planning to attend the meeting who has need of special assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is asked to contact the city clerk’s office at 248-246-3050 at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting. Pages 1. Call to Order 2. Public Comment 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Approval of Minutes 5. New Business a. Mural Proposal 2 b. Artist Laureate Update 11 c. Art Explored Contract Extensions Update 6. Old Business 7. Subcommittee/Program Reports 8. General Announcements 9. Social Media 10. Adjournment  City Manager’s Office 203 S Troy Street Royal Oak, MI 48067 248.246.3200 COMMISSION FOR THE ARTS AGENDA ITEM Title Mural Proposal SUBMITTING DEPARTMENT City Manager’s Office PRESENTER Alayna Brasch MEETING DATE 3/17/2025 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (include history of previous Commission action/discussion, background, scope of work, etc.): Members of the Commission for the Arts: Daniel Solomon sent us a mural proposal that the DDA received recently. It would be on the side of the Henry Ford medical building along the wall that faces where the back-alley meets 2nd street (110 E. Second Street). . Page 2 of 40 The artist is Tori Kurtzhals, and she is seeking approval so she can begin painting. The idea for the mural is to paint large flowers, leaves and clouds onto three separate brick walls (all side-by-side). The name of the proposed mural is ‘Blooming Continuum.’ Should the Commission for the Arts recommend the approval of this application request to the City Commission, the City Attorney will draft a contract and licensing agreement for the project. Respectfully submitted, Alayna Brasch Graduate Fellow Page 3 of 40 Public Art Application I. Contact Information First Name:Daniel Last Name: Solomon Address:203 S. Troy Street City: Royal Oak State: Michigan ZIP: 48067 Email:DanielH@romi.gov Phone:x3286 Website:www.downtownroyaloak.org II. Proposed Locations for Artwork (Please prioritize.) Priority 1: Priority 2: Site: 110 E. Second Street Site: Please attach visual representations of proposed sites. III. Artwork Identification Artwork Name: Blooming Continuum Year:2024 Artist:Tori Kurtzhals Medium/Material: Painted Mural Dimensions: Wall 1: 23'10"x13'9", Wall 2: 23'10"x13'9", Wall 3: 13'2"x13'9" Footing Requirements: N/A Value of Artwork: $20,911.50 Page 4 of 40  IV. Visual Representation of Artwork-Attachment  Drawing, photograph or other visual representation of artwork indicating its height, width, and relationship to desired site are to be attached with proposal.  Additional information including brief narrative of proposal including concept or visual representation of footing requirements may be attached if necessary. V. Artist Statement-Attachment  Brief description of artist’s work. VI. Artist Bio and References- Attachment  Please attach an artist biography and three (3) professional references. VII. Liability and Legal Requirements  All installed public art is subject to a contract and license agreement between the artist, owner, or representative and the City of Royal Oak for the duration of display. Projects shall not be initiated until legal requirements are approved by City Staff and the City Commission. VIII. Submission of Application  Send completed application with required attachments to ROCFA@romi.gov. Failure to provide the information outlined above may result in the City’s rejection of this proposal until all the requested information is provided. For any questions regarding this application or the Royal Oak Commission for the Arts, please contact Assistant to the City Manager Susan Barkman at 248-246-3204 or Susanb@romi.gov Page 5 of 40  Painting Downtown Artist Submitted On: Application Sep 3, 2024, 02:49PM EDT City of Royal Oak, MI Full Name First Name: Tori Last Name: Kurtzhals Email toriartandco@gmail.com Phone Number 7343019473 Full Mailing Address Street Address: 1041 E Evelyn Ave. City: Hazel Park State: MI Zip: 48030 Selected Artists will be required to carry liability insurance as a contractor of the Royal Oak I do not have ins urance, but will acquire prior to beginning the Downtown Development approval proces s . Authority. Do you have liability insurance, or will you have it for the work to be completed? Artist Resume Upload A link to a portfolio website may be accepted in place of a Toriartandco9.wixs ite.com/murals traditional resume Proposed Mural Site Site B Materials to be used (be as Chalk to map out the des ign specific as possible) Drop cloths Scaffolding Step ladder Water Power was her Painters taped Outdoor paint Paint trays Paint Brus hes & rollers Budget Breakdown (please $25/s quare foot detail all expected costs) Drop cloths $100 Chalk $20 Brus hes $80 Paint trays $10 15 different colors of outdoor paint $400 Pop up canopy to protect from the elements during application $120 Safety Plan (please detail If chos en, I will pos ition cones and caution tape around the walls that safety precautions in detail) I’m prepping/painting Page 6 of 40 to give mys elf enough s pace to s tep back without impeding on pedes trian or vehicle traffic. The tape will bring  awarenes s to the area and inform the public to keep out. This als o ens ures a lack of public acces s to any materials that could be s pilled/tampered with by unauthorized pers ons . I own s caffolding that will be brought to the s ite and taken down at the s tart and end of each day to ens ure it’s not a hazard to the public. Paint will be applied by hand, us ing brus hes and rollers and will not pos e any threat to the s afety of air quality in or near the area of the mural. I will als o be wearing bright colored clothing/ves t to make my pres ence known for anyone traveling pas t. Along with obtaining ins urance. Longevity (please explain Prep of the wall is very important! Ens uring a clean s tarting s urface techniques or materials which will s et the mural up for longevity. I plan to s crub and power was h will ensure the mural will have the walls , and give it ample time to dry before applying paint. a long life) Sealants do not provide any more longevity for murals , therefore I do not apply them. If anything, they can caus e yellowing. Name of Mural Blooming Continuum Mural Imagery Description Taking ins piration from the cities vis ion s tatement “To be a dynamic balance of progres s ive vis ion and traditional values .” I combined ros es which s ignify tradition, with s ilk trees which res emble res ilience- s omething Royal Oak has echoed for years , es pecially s ince the 2020 pandemic. The clouds in the background repres ent the dreams and pos s ibilities s till left to be unearthed within the city. I’ve attached photos of the propos ed des ign below but I’m unable to s ee confirmation on whether or not they have s ucces s fully attached. Pleas e reach out via email if there’s any attachment is s ues . Proposed Mural Design Larger Files may require you send a dropbox or cloud link, please do so here I, the above stated artist or authorized legal representative, attest that this submission of artwork is done so lawfully and in good faith of completing the proposed mural installation in a safe and timely manner. I agree that the commissioned mural I agree work is a work for hire and that Tori Kurtzhals the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority is the author for purposes of copyright ownership; and that the artist assigns all rights in the art, including copyrights, if any, so that the public can fully Page 7 of 40 benefit from the art. Signature Data Firs t Name: Tori Las t Name: Kurtzhals Email Addres s : toriartandco@gmail.com Signed at: September 3, 2024 2:46pm America/New_York Page 8 of 40 Page 9 of 40 Page 10 of 40  City Manager’s Office 203 S Troy Street Royal Oak, MI 48067 248.246.3200 COMMISSION FOR THE ARTS AGENDA ITEM Title Artist Laureate Update SUBMITTING DEPARTMENT City Manager’s Office PRESENTER Alayna Brasch MEETING DATE 3/17/2025 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (include history of previous Commission action/discussion, background, scope of work, etc.): Members of the Commission for the Arts: We are currently working on a communications plan for Roberta’s poetry book, Poetry Now Playing. As of now, we are thinking about first making a Facebook post announcing the book, then a post the following week about how to order it. The book will also be announced in any available newsletters we may access. If Roberta would like to do a live book reading in the library, we will get the word out about that via Facebook and the City’s web page. Regarding printing and distribution, Roberta has met with Tammy Crooks of Image Printing who could print the books for under $5 each. Roberta’s idea is to have 100 copies printed to give away to those who would like one with the ask to give a donation of $10 or more to the CFA or the Library. Judy Davids had the idea of having a few copies of the book made to put in the Library and Senior Center, and then she could print several magazine-like paper copies in house to distribute to those who would like one. Additionally, as Roberta’s contract comes to an end, it is important to make note of the fact that per her contract, she is to be paid $2,500.00 upon the completion of her book. Respectfully submitted, Alayna Brasch Graduate Fellow . Page 11 of 40  POETRY NOW PLAYING A Collection of Poems Written by Royal Oak Residents And edited by Roberta Brown As part of the Artist Laureate Poetry Project 2023-2024 Page 12 of 40 Page 13 of 40  POETRY NOW PLAYING A Collection of Poems Written by Royal Oak Residents And edited by Roberta Brown As part of the Artist Laureate Poetry Project 2023-2024 Copyright 2025 by the city of Royal Oak Page 14 of 40 Editor’s Note: All of the poems in this collection are written by Royal Oak residents. Some are published poets, others are secret poets - but now the secret is out! Page 15 of 40 An “I Remember” poem is exactly what the title says: a poem written in list form to remember people, places, and/or things. I wrote this poem to remember people, places, and things about Royal Oak. I Remember By Roberta Brown I remember -​ Les Auteurs restaurant on the NW corner of Washington and Fourth Street and meeting Chef Keith Famie before he made it big on “Survivor” -​ The Maverick Restaurant on Woodward north of Normandy and its famous steaks -​ Patti Smith’s clothing store on Washington where I bought a dress and hat from the 70’s to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Redford Theater -​ Buying a red London Fog raincoat from Field’s which I wore until it was threadbare -​ Feasting on a chocolate croissant on Fat Tuesday from Hagelstein’s Bakery -​ Watching movies at the Washington Theater with our children -​ Missing Harvey Keitel’s infamous nude scene in “The Piano” at the Main Art Theater because the person in front of me moved Page 16 of 40  -​ Shopping at the Kresge’s dime store on Washington and eating at the soda fountain -​ Buying kids’ animal alphabet books at Books Abound while owner Skip Rosenthal played his banjo outside -​ The 1991 shooting at the Royal Oak Post Office and finding out my three children who attended Dondero High School nearby were safe I highly recommend visiting the Royal Oak Historical Museum at Webster and Crooks to discover additional information about the above places and all things Royal Oak! Page 17 of 40  Erasure Poems by Members of the Royal Oak Commission for the Arts, the Royal Oak Arts Council, and the Artist Laureate According to poets.org, “Erasure poetry, also known as blackout poetry, is a form of found poetry wherein a poet takes an existing text and erases, blacks out, or otherwise obscures a large portion of the text, creating a wholly new work from what remains.” The following group of poems were generated during several Artist Laureate events held in person and over Zoom. Page 18 of 40 Night By Roberta Brown Bird ​ ​ counting Dawn ​ Until Moonlight would Fly Revealed Beings Seen Better Late Frolic Quite Watched Appeared Noticed Few Fluttering Page 19 of 40  All Started Promising Others Creating Darkness After “Night” by Charles R. Murphy: The Waking Hour Page 20 of 40 Swing By Jason Gittinger I must Throw I hold clown I hold kites I feel my skeleton Groove, Rising up Gasp, swoon Synaptic swell Blastoff Swing! After “A Poem in which I Try to Express My Glee at the Music My Friend Has Given Me” by Ross Gay Page 21 of 40 Animal Rescue By Jodie Ellison Say nothing, Headlocked in the wire – Slippery inch of rain Wall of death Poured out Moths and wasps Sheep, newt, spider Bat flopping cobweb Angled skulls Taken into This borrowed house Let you go. Now, who’s coming for me? After “Animal Rescue” by Antony Dunn Page 22 of 40 Praise Song By Melanie Macey Each day Speak All noise, Thorn Our tongues Some Wooden woman Considers. Begin. Words cross Know better See Sing glittering song No harm Page 23 of 40 Beyond casts, Sparkle, Made, Praise Light. After “Praise Song for the Day” by Elizabeth Alexander Page 24 of 40 Drawing By Alesha Beistline Take any Divide… Between Eyes The color See Shade Light “Where, exactly? And when?” Precise Or Branching Noise Narrowing Pencil Point Upright Stretching out Smile “I found you.” After “Drawing for Absolute Beginners” by Monica Youn Page 25 of 40 Why I am Not By Laura Bonnell Statue Museum Luxury pizza Eye pencil bisons Glossy Eggs designer toilet Magazine Scarf Scheme A lisp Marvelous sausage Inquisition in 1582 Leg greyhound velvet settee thoroughbred Persian cat Frivolous ceiling Admired Designer toilet cistern (Although I am not Carelessly thrown) Exhausting inanimate Freshly-filled cannoli Know why After “Why I Am Not a Sculpture” by Jane Yeh Page 26 of 40 Catch Everything By Denise Reske Fall Catch Everything you lost Silver Gold Bright things Not to decay. What has survived. Swimming Fabric speaks Textile is a text – Love Worth keeping Failed experiments Of use Page 27 of 40 rug of dust Land holds lovingly Not too late Bow knowing this. After unpublished poem “Until the fabric speaks & the textile is a text” by Victoria Adukwei Bulley Page 28 of 40 Soft Rains By Susan Barkman Soft rains Swallows circling Frogs singing wild Robins whistling Not one Care Neither bird Nor tree Perished Spring Woke at dawn. After “There Will Come Soft Rains” by Sara Teasdale ​ ​ Page 29 of 40 Baby Thoughts By Alayna Brasch Baby thoughts Float Rainy parasol Laboring Cheers Ball Flags Jagged Zones on fire battles On the wet field He is a man now Tumbles & Finds a route To launch A shifting After “All the Thoughts at a Football Game” by Juan Felipe Herrera Page 30 of 40 Fish By Corinne Elizabeth Often lighter or Easy by Water. You can buy 5 minutes rest In water Stand Discard The Week or months From page 12 of “Ramen for Beginners” by Robin Donovan Page 31 of 40 Together By Corinne Elizabeth Journey vibrant Landscape, Amidst plant Life Spot Family friends Completed. From the back of the puzzle box “The World of Frida Kahlo” Page 32 of 40  Lunes by Royal Oak Manor Residents and the Artist Laureate According to Robert Lee Brewer of Writer’s Digest, “The lune is also known as the American Haiku. It was first created by the poet Robert Kelly (truly a great poet) and was a result of Kelly's frustration with English haiku. After much experimentation, he settled on a 13-syllable, self-contained poem that has 5 syllables in the first line, 3 syllables in the second line and 5 syllable in the final line. Unlike haiku, there are no other rules. No need for a cutting word. Rhymes are fine; subject matter is open. While there are less syllables to use, this form has a little more freedom. There is a variant lune created by poet Jack Collom. His form is also a self-contained tercet, but his poem is word-based (not syllable-based) and has the structure of 3 words in the first line, 5 words in the second line and 3 words in the final line. As with Kelly's lune, there are no other rules.” And of course, that includes poetic license! The following lunes were written during an in person Artist Laureate event at the Royal Oak Manor. Page 33 of 40 We rear to bump A hard stance What sour Dilemma Standz UN Wars fortune Dancing By Sandra Doran Rolling Jap to Lune Formed – a smell Trapped odors hang By Sandra Doran Page 34 of 40 Expressing feeling Challenging Wars came unbidden By Key Dobie Morning coffee Wakening my mind A new day starts By Kay Dobie In the hallway Many stories Mingling briefly By Kay Dobie Page 35 of 40 After a spring rain Rainbows’ sweet smells Puddles filled with birds By Lin Parr Page 36 of 40 The red cup Filled with Promise. By Brenda Hayes Royal Oak Manor The home: Now. By Brenda Hayes Page 37 of 40 Birds and blooms abound Floral scents Nature’s perfume spills. By Fran Lewis Time, ticking, time Hands move Over and over again By Fran Lewis Page 38 of 40 Royal Oak Manor Two benches Hold our memories By Roberta Brown Reading the weather Hot, humid air Book pages stick to my fingers By Roberta Brown Page 39 of 40 POETRY NOW PLAYING A Collection of Poems Written by Royal Oak Residents And edited by Roberta Brown Page 40 of 40