Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 08-13-2009 ART IN PUBLIC PLACES COMMITTEE MEETING Grants Conference Room August 13, 2009 Vice-Chairperson Jack Connolly called the meeting to order at 03:40 p.m. Members Present : Jack Connolly, Marti Reno, Nelson Merchan-Cely, Caryl Westergren, Lee A. Drake, Members Absent: T. A. Wyner (Chair), James Gibson, Joe Holiday. Staff and Others Present : John Hayes, Heather Lueke, Jody Bonet, William Hoeffner, Suzanne Antonetti. Minutes Caryl Westergren moved to approve the minutes of May 2009. Lee Drake seconded the motion. All in favor, motion passed. UPDATE ON ONGOING PROJECTS: Artsview It was agreed upon those present that Tom Reno will be the graphics designer for the next edition of Artsview magazine to keep the style it has had for past editions. Members discussed briefly the design and the possible articles that may be included. MLK Dreamland Park Jody stated she had spoken with representatives of the City of Fort Pierce and although they had notified they will not be able to contribute with their $60,000 match to their project, there is a possibility of getting help from Housing and Urban Development (HUD); in November we will be advised as to if HUD will contribute with $20,000. If so, the total amount available for this project would be $80,000. Dynamics by Jorge Blanco Jody announced the sculpture to be installed at the Fenn Center would go up the following Wednesday (08/19/2009). Children of the World by David Langley The concrete pad for the sculpture for Lakewood Park will be put in just a few days. The contract with the artist has been extended to give him a few more weeks to install the piece if there are unexpected circumstances for it not to be installed before the original deadline. Highwaymen Obelisk by Stephanie Jaffe Werner and Mosaika The City of Fort Pierce has been preparing the site to erect the Obelisk. The festival is still lined up for November 13-15. Highwaymen Festival and Ribbon Cutting for the Lakewood Park Sculpture Jody handed out copies of the request from Lincoln Park Main Street (LPM) for funds to contract for promotion of these two events. AiPP members discussed this request and mentioned Children Services Council (CSC) is very likely to grant monies for them. Committee members requested that LPM bring to the next meeting a more detailed budget that lines out what kind of promotion they will get from the media they plan to use (i.e.: copy of the radio station’s proposal); not just request for lump sum amounts. It was also decided the group would wait for the CSC response in terms of how much they will grant for the celebrations. There was also mention of the availability of the public announcement services that radio stations provide for free for this kind of events. 1 AIPP PLAN Jody announced the sculpture by Dennis Koval that was provisionally at the Fenn Center had been moved to the Oxbow. Garden City Elementary Gates It has been approved to add Garden City Elementary Gates project to the AiPP plan. They have to be measured and write an easy to understand description of the needs for the project to prepare a “Call to Artists”. The sub-committee for this project has not been formed yet; Caryl volunteered to chair it. WOW3 Jody applied for a grant to see if the show can be boosted by 5 sculptures in addition of the 20 that have been originally planned. John Hayes is still looking at applicants to complete the group; he has decided on at least 12 with 4 alternates. The dates planned for the symposium are May 12-14, 2010 to make it coincide with the Florida Public Art Administrators Conference that is being planned for Fort Pierce during those days of May 2010. The WOW3 symposium and art opening will be combined with the conference’s activities. There was conversation in regards to the hotel accommodations for the attendants from out of town and the positive impact it would have to the area in regards to tourism. Zora Neale Hurston gravesite The AiPP plan has $12,000 allocated for an archway type project at the gravesite. Staff has been in conversations with an artist to provide a proposal to this project. Jody handed out copies of the illustrations provided by the artist (James Liccione). Nelson Merchan-Cely moved to assign the project to artist James Liccione. Marty Reno seconded the motion. Motion approved unanimously. Highwaymen mural in Avenue D. There are plans to build a small wall along Avenue D (about 5ft long) to request one or several Highwaymen to paint a mural on it. Ravenswood Pool Mural Artist Lori Quinlan is the applicant that the sub-committee has selected to paint the mural. Nelson Merchan-Cely moved to accept the sub-committee’s recommendation to select Lori Quinlan’s proposal to paint the mural at Ravenswood pool. Lee Drake seconded the motion. All in favor, motion passed. The great response this call to artists generated (14 applicants) made staff realize the amount of local artists that are available in this area and the many possibilities there are to use their services for murals around the community. There are $15,000 allocated for this purpose and since the Avenue A mural has already been restored, commissioned by Fort Pierce Main Street, those monies can be used for other murals around town. The artist that restored the Avenue A mural is the same that originally painted the mural on Citrus Avenue called “The Great Recovery” and he has been contacted by staff to submit a proposal to restore that mural. The artist has stated he would restore it to its original look for $4,000. Lee Drake moved to make a Call to Artists for the Open Area pool. Marti seconded the motion. All in favor, motions passed. Staff will wait for a response from the owner of the building where “The Great Recovery” is painted before moving forward with contacting Greg Kulinski, the artist and deciding to include it in the plan. 2 Painting exhibited at the Clerk of the C. Court building Lee Drake inquired what artists are next in line to exhibit at the New Clerk of the Court building. Jody stated Leslie Szakacs’ paintings were still up and legacy Highwaymen artist Angela “A.J.” Brown was lined up for September, but she graciously turned over her slot for a Hispanic artist that comes originally from Chile, being that it will be Hispanic Heritage month. A.J. Brown will be exhibiting during the month of October and Nelson Merchan-Cely has information on at least another artist originally from Ecuador that is looking for spaces where to exhibit. John Hayes stated Leslie had a talk the day before this meeting at the CC building and a couple of local artists expressed interest in also exhibiting there. Jody also stated that the Property Appraiser’s office had also inquired about these exhibits and offered a big blank wall at their office in St. Lucie West to add on to the program if the AiPP committee was interesting in expanding this program. The meeting adjourned at 6:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Suzanne Antonetti 3