Arts Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes Arts Commission Wednesday, March 18, 2015 7:00 PM Neighborhood Room - Recreation Building, Sunnyvale Community Center, 550 E. Remington Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 CALL TO ORDER Chair Park called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Neighborhood Room. SALUTE TO THE FLAG Chair Park led the salute to the flag. ROLL CALL Present: 4 - Chair Misuk Park Commissioner Roberta Kiphuth Commissioner Robert Lawson Commissioner Suzanne Moshier Council Liaison Hendricks (absent) PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS None. CONSENT CALENDAR 1.A 15-0314 Draft Minutes of the December 17, 2014 Arts Commission Meeting Commissioner Moshier moved and Commissioner Lawson seconded the motion to approve the minutes as presented. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 4 - Chair Park Commissioner Kiphuth Commissioner Lawson Commissioner Moshier No: 0 City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Arts Commission Meeting Minutes March 18, 2015 PUBLIC COMMENTS None. PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS 2 15-0039 Review and Selection of the Murphy Park Public Art Project Visual Arts Coordinator Kristin Dance provided the staff report and requested the Commission rank the proposals for City Council’s consideration. Each artist explained their artwork and answered Commissioner questions. Artist Pamela Anderson explained the symbolic bridge her artwork titled “From There to Here” creates by linking the past to the present. She described each panel: 1) the Murphy’s journey over the Donner Pass; 2) their arrival in fertile Sunnyvale; 3) the current depictions of the park with the Hendy Mill, cypress trees, table tennis programs, and amphitheater; and 4) the park activities including lawn bowling, picnicking and playing on the play structure. She described how the artwork will enhance the building's architecture with panels that are window shaped, and the mission revival style which would bring the theme full circle to the style prevalent during the Murphy era. Original Spanish patterned tiles would be painted at the base of each panel and she suggested adding Mission styled arm lights directly over each painting. Date palms, matching those found in the park, would be painted directly onto the building between the panels with edges of the fronds spanning onto the panels. She indicated that her proposal of children playing near the doorway will enhance the entrance area. Ms. Anderson answered Commissioner’s questions regarding how the panels would be mounted; the durability of the sealants; and the scale of the art. Artist Peter Hazel described his artwork of a wagon train, and the option of either a steam train or mission motif as the second piece of art, created in 3D ceramic. He described how the ceramic would be attached by an epoxy grout. He stated he would like to have local children involved in the development of the art project by allowing them to paint some of the ceramic pieces at no cost to the city. The ceramic pieces would be fired and attached to panels in his workshop. He also offered to make the panels 11'x5' instead of the proposed 11'x4'. He answered Commissioner’s questions by describing the color of the epoxy grout and the metal frame; the size and number of ceramic pieces he would use to make the art; and how the panels would be mounted. The Commissioners and artist discussed the possibility of reducing the size of the train, and how children in the community could participate while maintaining quality and uniformity of the artwork. City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Arts Commission Meeting Minutes March 18, 2015 Artist Vickie Jo Sowell presented her art pieces “Desert Passage” and “Arrival.” She described the artwork as the historic approach of the Murphy’s journey and arrival into Sunnyvale. The art would be aqua jet cut metal framed images. The wall behind each metal framed image would be colored, similar to a coloring book. She suggested coloring pages, replicating her metal images, could be provided to children to create a fun activity while visiting the park. She answered Commissioner’s questions by describing the color of the metal and the paint; the size of the metal; and how the art would be mounted. Commissioner's questions about safety concerns related to the metal buckling and sharp edges were addressed by Ms. Sowell and Ms. Dance. Ms. Sowell explained the process for creating the art and indicated that the image in the proposal is exactly what the end product would look like. Chair Park opened the public hearing at 7:55 p.m. There were no public comments and she closed the public hearing. Commissioner Kiphuth motioned to rank Ms. Sowell's art work first, Mr. Hazel's art work second and Ms. Anderson's art work third. The motion failed for a lack of a second. Commissioner Moshier moved and Commissioner Lawson seconded ranking the first preference as the ceramic piece by Peter Hazel, with the condition that the train be made smaller and the orchard be emphasized more significantly in the background on both sides of the train, and that the commission recommends community participation of children to paint some of the flowers or the train as determined by the artist. Commissioner Moshier ranked Vickie Jo Sowell's "Desert Passage” and “Arrival” second, and Pamela Anderson's "From There to Here" third. Commissioner Lawson's friendly amendment that the panels be 11'x5' feet on Peter Hazel's proposal was accepted by Commissioner Moshier. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 3 - Chair Park Commissioner Lawson Commissioner Moshier No: 1 - Commissioner Kiphuth Commissioners explained the rationale for their vote. Commissioner Moshier said she likes Ms. Sowell’s large scale panels and the color book idea. She also stated that she likes the color of Mr. Hazel's ceramic piece and City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Arts Commission Meeting Minutes March 18, 2015 getting the children involved in creating the art would make it meaningful. Commissioner Lawson expressed that Ms. Anderson's artwork would be difficult to correct if tagged by graffiti. He said he likes Mr. Hazel's proposal best, indicating it is courageous, a unique design, and exciting. He stated he believes if it gets tagged, it would be easier to clean. He also stated he likes the poppies as a representative image of California. He indicated that he likes the metal piece by Ms. Sowell very much as it reminds him of a California artist named Matthews. Chair Park said Ms. Anderson’s first two murals are admirable, and she prefers those images to the second two panels which represent the activities in the park. She said she likes the scale of Ms. Sowell’s metal piece and that it is thematically apropos. She is drawn to the metal artwork and appreciates that the artist researched the Murphy family, and depicted them going through the desert. She likes the idea of a coloring book, especially the details of the animals in the desert. She stated she prefers Mr. Hazel's ceramic art work for the 3D aspect. She said she likes the colors, which she said are the most saturated of the three proposals, and that the poppies really pop out. Commissioner Kiphuth stated she likes the images that cover more of the wall, that the rust color metal will blend well with the tile on the building and it provides more detail than the ceramic piece, which would require getting physically close to the art in order to see the detail. She said she likes both 3D pieces and the tactile effect. 3 15-0315 Review and Approval of Draft 2015 Work Plan Commissioners discussed the workplan. Commissioner Lawson inquired how to increase involvement related to the Special Order of the Day in October, National Arts & Humanities Month. Community Services Manager Tegan McLane committed to providing a link to Americans for the Arts which lists events that cities have during the month. She also provided information about Hands on the Arts, which is celebrating its 30th year in Sunnyvale on May 16, 2015. She informed Commissioners that performer applications are due by March 27, and young people are encouraged to apply. Commissioners discussed volunteering at the event. The event will be highlighted in Sunnyvale's April "Quarterly Report." Superintendent Wax provided information about the Fit and Fun Earth Day Fair on Saturday, April 25, 2015 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Commissioner Kiphuth moved and Commissioner Lawson seconded the motion to approve the work plan as stated. The motion carried by the following vote: City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Arts Commission Meeting Minutes March 18, 2015 Yes: 4 - Chair Park Commissioner Kiphuth Commissioner Lawson Commissioner Moshier No: 0 4 15-0333 Election of Vice Chair Chair Park announced that Vice Chair Santos had submitted a letter of resignation. Commissioner Lawson nominated Commissioner Moshier for Vice Chair. Commissioner Moshier accepted the nomination. There were no further nominations. Commissioner Moshier was appointed Vice Chair by the following vote: Yes: 4 - Chair Park Commissioner Kiphuth Commissioner Lawson Commissioner Moshier No: 0 NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments Commissioner Lawson inquired about staff's ability to paint or to change the door to the Murphy Park Building into double doors so that it does not appear so utilitarian. -Staff Comments None. ADJOURNMENT Chair Park adjourned the meeting at 8:56 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 5