Salem Public Art Commission June 8 2017 Salem Civic Center Public Works, Room 325 Commissioners Rachel Bucci Chris D Arcy, Vice Chair Nathan Good Carol Hausser Eileen Cotter Howell Rick Yurk, Chair Staff Courtney Knox Busch, City Manager s Office 1. Call to Order With a quorum present, Chair Rick Yurk called the meeting to order at 12:06 p.m. 2. Introductions Chair Yurk asked Commissioners and guests to introduce themselves. 3. Public Comment None. 4. Approval of Consent Agenda for a. Approval of agenda Motion: Move to approve the agenda. Motion: Commissioner D Arcy Seconded: Commissioner Hausser Action: Approved agenda of, unanimously. b. Approval of minutes of May 11, 2017 Motion: Move to approve the minutes of May 11, 2017, as presented, with a change to 5a, Art Selected for City Manager s Office, to correct the artist Susan Trueblood Stuart s name. Motion: Commissioner Yurk Seconded: Commissioner Bucci Action: Approved the minutes of May 11, 2017, as corrected, unanimously.
Page 2 5. Public Hearings: Proposed Downtown Murals a. Work by Blaine Fontana for east Chemeketa Parkade stairwell Chair Yurk opened the public hearing for Public Art Review Case No. 17-02 at 290-350 Chemeketa Street NE and asked staff to read the hearing procedures and criteria for decision into the record. Courtney Knox Busch provided an overview of the public hearing steps to include a staff presentation, Commissioner questions of staff, and the applicant s presentation. In this case, the applicant is the City. Next, testimony is taken from neighborhood association representatives and the public. Questions are asked of staff and the hearing is closed prior to Commission deliberations. Chair Yurk then asked whether any Commissioners wished to declare a conflict of interest or ex-parte contacts. No conflicts were noted. Chair Yurk called for the staff presentation. Staff entered the staff report and mural application into the record. The staff presentation began with a brief overview on the muralist selection process which began in January and resulted in the Commission s selection, on March 6, of Blaine Fontana s and Damien Gilley s conceptual designs of for further development in preparation for today s hearing. The work is being commissioned by the City, proposed for a City-owned facility with Urban Renewal funding, in recognition of the important role the visual arts can play in elimination of blight. The proposal is to install Blaine Fontana s original mural, Waldo Stewards, on the more than 1,800 square foot surface of the Chemeketa Parkade east stair well. The artist has extensive experience in developing murals, has a graphic arts background and has works featured nationally and internationally. The Salem Public Art Commission s authority for the public mural program is established in the Salem Revised Code Chapter 15 and its policies and guidelines manual, as adopted by City Council in May of 2012. A Commission decision regarding the public mural program is final and may not be appealed. The Commission can approve, conditionally approve, or deny the application on the basis of the project s conformity with the criteria. The mural must remain in place for not less than seven years and be only on non-historic buildings which are not residential in use. The Public Art Fund includes a maintenance budget. The location is accessible by the public, owned by the City and will not include electrical, moving components or lights. Other findings based on the criteria for the public mural program were made related to the strength of the artist s original concept, the craftsmanship of the artist, appropriateness of the mural to the scale of the wall and neighborhood, the relevance of the mural to the site and support from the property owner, neighborhood and area businesses. The mural proposal and notice of the public hearing was provided to the Downtown Advisory Board, CAN-DO, City Council, the 300 business and property owner email notification list maintained by Urban Development, and posted at the proposed mural sites. The majority of feedback to-date has been supportive and enthusiastic. Staff reported that all feedback received to-date, including the petition in opposition of the murals, has been incorporated into the record, provided to Commissioners in advance of the meeting, and is available at the public hearing.
Page 3 In its selection criteria of the proposed mural, the Commission noted the artist s ability to complete the mural on time and on budget. Staff recommended the Commission approve the proposal, based on the information presented for their review in the application and staff report. Following the staff presentation, Chair Yurk called for public testimony. Noting no representative from CAN-DO was present, he proceeded to the roster of those who signed up to provide public testimony. In calling the first audience member forward, it was noted that the individual s testimony was intended for both murals. Chair Yurk polled members of the audience and learned that all present wished their comments to be addressed to both murals. The Chair suspended the rules to keep the public hearing on the proposed Blaine Fontana mural open and sought the staff presentation for the proposed Damien Gilley mural, with the intent to take all public testimony following both staff presentations. b. Work by Damien Gilley for City-owned retail space between Commercial and Liberty Streets NE Chair Yurk then opened the public hearing for Public Art Review Case No. 17-01 at 290-350 Chemeketa Street NE. Chair Yurk then asked whether any Commissioners wished to declare a conflict of interest or ex-parte contacts. No conflicts were noted. Chair Yurk called for the staff presentation. Staff entered the staff report and mural application into the record. The mural is proposed for a City-owned facility with Urban Renewal funding. The proposal is to install Damien Gilley s original mural, Mirror Maze, on the 560 square foot surface of the City-owned retail space in the alley between Liberty and Commercial. The artist has extensive experience in developing murals, is an educator and has works featured nationally and internationally. The Salem Public Art Commission s authority for the public mural program is was entered into the record for the Blaine Fontana proposal. As with the Blaine Fontana mural proposal, this proposed mural would be maintained with Public Art Fund s resources, is not being proposed for a historic or residential building, will be accessible by the public, and will not include electrical, moving components or lights. Other findings were made based on the criteria for the public mural program related to the strength of the artist s original concept, the craftsmanship of the artist, appropriateness of the mural to the scale of the wall and neighborhood, the relevance of the mural to the site and support from the property owner, neighborhood and area businesses. Staff presented information on both proposed murals simultaneously and received supportive and enthusiastic feedback. All feedback received to-date, has been incorporated into the record, provided to Commissioners in advance of the meeting, and is available at the public hearing. In its selection of the proposed mural, the Commission ensured the ability of the artist to complete the mural on time and on budget. Staff recommended the Commission approve the proposal, based on the information presented for their review in the application and staff report.
Page 4 Chair Yurk called for public testimony. The Commission took testimony from Sandra Burnett, Rich Harcourt, Aaron Terpening and Gretchen Stone in support of the murals, and from Carole Smith, Geoffrey James, and Jim Scheppke in opposition to the timing of the murals. As part of her testimony, Carole Smith submitted an additional eight signatures to the petition, which asked the City of Salem and Public Arts Commission to cease and desist placing additional artwork, including murals, downtown until the Streetscape plans are finalized and we can determine whether these murals, artworks, sculptures, etc. fit into our community s final design. Following the testimony, the Chair asked Commissioners if they had questions of the speakers. Commissoner Bucci and Commissioner Good asked questions about the Streetscape Work Group of the Downtown Advisory Board, the role of the DAB in funding both the murals and the streetscape design, the timing of the streetscape project and how to become involved in the future design work. As the applicant, staff elected not to provide a rebuttal. Chair Yurk closed the public hearings at 12:57 p.m. Commissioner D Arcy expressed her appreciation for the comments provided as part of the testimony and her hope for future collaboration. Chair Yurk referenced the Commission s previous deliberations in developing the two mural proposals to this point. Motion: Accept these two murals into the Salem Public Art Collection, as part of the Salem Public Art Collection, per the schedule and findings outlined in the application and materials. Motion: Commissioner Yurk Seconded: Commissioner Good Action: Approved accepting these two murals into the Salem Public Art Collection, as part of the Salem Public Art Collection, per the schedule and findings outlined in the application and materials, unanimously. The group discussed the unveiling of the Damien Gilley mural on July 5 and the inclusion of the Blaine Fontana mural in the festivities associated with the August 2 celebration of the Peter Courtney Minto Island Bridge. Mayor Bennett stopped by and congratulated the Commission on their work to secure two new murals for the Public Art Collection and downtown Salem. The Commission discussed the role of Salem s changing demographics in developing the art collection. 6. Discussion Items a. Oregon Artist Series Foundation (OASF) Update Vice Chair D Arcy, who also serves on the Oregon Artist Series Foundation, provided an update on the acquisition of a Mel Katz piece for outdoor placement within Downtown Salem as part of the Salem Public Art Collection. At the May SPAC meeting, the Commission expressed interest in the piece and allocated funds to support its relocation and installation. The artist has since expressed interest in a low pedestal and a different grate. OASF will prepare a summary of its request to SPAC for support in placing the piece. The artist would like to repaint the piece, as well, prior to its installation.
Page 5 b. Report from Collection Subcommittee Commissioners Cotter Howell and Bucci, as members of the Collection Subcommittee, spoke to their involvement with the Library rehanging project and a possible intern to support development of the spaces for displaying works in the collection and background information on the works in the collection. Notes from the Subcommittee s discussion were included in the Salem Public Art Commission packet. c. Oregon Environmental Council: Project Concept In celebration of the legacy of Oregon environmental law, the Oregon Environmental Council is developing works honoring the beach bill, bottle bill and land use law. Cannon Beach is hosting a work related to the beach bill. The group discussed interest in both the bottle bill and land use law topics but would like to better understand the role of the Salem Public Art Commission for the work. The group discussed available funding and other priorities. d. Salem Public Art Commission: Next Steps, Calendar Courtney volunteered to send a Doodle poll out to the group to gauge the best date for a July SPAC meeting and an August retreat to discuss future priorities and direction for the Salem Public Art Commission. 7. Commissioners Comments None. 8. ADJOURN With no other business before the Commission, Chair Yurk adjourned the meeting at 2:10 p.m. *****