HomeMy WebLinkAboutC22080 Palm Desert Library Community RoomCITY OF PALM DESERT
Community Services
STAFF REPORT
REQUEST: Consideration to commission an artist to create a mural for the
Palm Desert Library Community Room
SUBMITTED BY: Richard L. Twedt
DATE: May 13, 2004
CONTENTS: Copies of three mural proposals
Recommendation:
By Minute Motion, select one of the three prioritized mural proposals to be
commissioned for the Palm Desert Public Library Community Room in an amount not to
exceed $35,000. Appropriate funds from Capital Budget account #436-454-4001.
Executive Summary:
The Art in Public Places Commission reviewed forty mural proposals at its meeting of
April 21, 2004. The following three proposals were selected and prioritized from one to
three. #1 - Susan Smith Evans, #2 - Wei Laun, #3 - Jeff Whipple.
Discussion:
The Public Art Department was approached in August by library personnel regarding
funding of a mural in the Palm Desert Library Community Room. At its meeting of
September 17, 2003, the Commission approved the concept of using images of people
representing all age groups that use the facilities and symbols of the activities and
programs, which are presented by the Library as the motif for the mural in the
Community Room. Staff developed an RFQ, which was sent out in November 2003 to
mural artists and organizations throughout the United States and was posted on the
official web site advertising the competition. Forty proposals were received by the
deadline of April 9, 2004, from artists throughout the country. The Art in Public Places
Commission reviewed the proposals at its April meeting and selected three finalists who
were prioritized from one to three.
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Submitted by:
Sheila Gilligan
Assistant City Mana
Department Head:
Robert Kohn
er Director of Special Program
Approval:
Community Services
Carlos Ortega, City Manager
Paul Gibson, Director of Finance
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Jeff Whipple
3rd Priority
PROPOSAL FOR THE PALM DESERT PUBLIC LIBRARY MURAL
by Jeff Whipple
In 2002, I painted a 150 foot -long mural for a library in St. Petersburg, Florida. It's titled
"Reading Power" and features 36 people being captivated and transformed by reading
books. Quotes from famous authors appear behind the figures. I wanted the mural to
represent the community so I photographed local people for references for the painting. I
made an extra effort to make the painting resemble the models. That turned out to be
incredibly important to the community as the mural not only depicts the diversity of the
area but actual children and adults who use the library. (That aspect also got newspaper
and TV coverage.) The mural has become a source of pride for the people depicted in it
and several told me that they believe their grandchildren will also feel a personal
connection to the library decades from now. I fmd that extremely rewarding.
A few years ago I painted a 140-foot long mural for a private school that had dozens of
figures and images related to learning and classical history. I used my personal style to
blend the realistically painted imagery with non-objective color areas to create a
composition that is lively but not cacophonous or spotty. I carefully combined images
painted monochromatically and low -contrast with full color images to make the overall
image visually simple but also engaging and intriguing.
I could create a mural for the Palm Desert Public Library that has vignettes representing
the programs and activities that occur in the library. The composition would work
dynamically with the wall and ceiling surfaces and be designed to surprise and intrigue
library users. I think you can see in the photos of the above -mentioned private school how
I can combine a wide variety of images in visually interesting ways without being clunky
or awkward. I could use similar design motifs in your library mural to make an artwork
that reflects sophisticated aesthetic principles while being highly entertaining to the
general public.
I could also photograph actual people who use the library as models for the mural. It isn't
necessary; I could hire unrelated models. But those people who attend the Breakfast,
Books & Banter or the College of the Desert or actual musicians who've played there
might fmd it fun to be in the mural and all their friends and relatives would be excited by
their inclusion. Even people who don't know them would enjoy that aspect because it
would make the library seem more related to the actual people in the community.
I'm very skilled with archival painting materials and I could create a mural that would last
as long as the building and it could be cleaned easily with soap and water. If you'd like a
mural that would outlast the building I could discuss painting methods that would allow
the mural to be removed in the distant future if that was desired.
Thanks for your consideration!
Jeff Whipple
LIBRARY MURAL PROJECT
A Proposal for
The City of Palm Desert
Art in Public Places Committee
Susan Smith Evans, artist
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I would like to thank the Art in Public Places Committee for the opportunity
to apply for the mural project in the community room of the Multi -Agency Library
in Palm Desert.
Since I enjoy the process of mural creation as well as the final product, I
consider my visual submission to be a work in progress, not set in stone. 1 have
deliberately left some areas of the design unresolved, and undoubtedly will make
some changes to other areas. The design will serve as a guide as 1 gather more
reference material and get input from others, and the mural will evolve over time.
I have planned for some collaboration, and find that these are the murals that I
feel are the most exciting to create.
1 bring many assets to this project:
• I am an active member of the community.
I have lived year-round in Palm Desert since 1988, and bring a close
observer's insights into what our community is about. I have taught art at
the College of the Desert for the past 17 years. I have participated in many
local art exhibitions. I helped establish the City of Palm Desert North Wing
Gallery exhibition space, and have not only exhibited my art work there,
but have also curated and juried the work of others. I have attended
numerous events held in the Community Room.
• I have an ability to work with groups.
If selected for the mural commission, I will seek further input from the
community as well as from the people who work in the library and for the
City of Palm Desert. As with my other two murals on the C.O.D. campus, I
plan to offer college credit to a few select C.O.D. students who wish to
study mural painting. I will work with elementary school children to do part
of the design. I enjoy the collaborative aspects of mural painting.
• I enjoy the research aspects of mural painting.
Because my mural plan is a work in progress, I will be doing additional
research for the design. Because I am a photographer, I prefer to take my
own reference photos whenever possible.
• 1 have an ability to paint the human figure.
I regularly draw from the live model, and understand how to make figures
appear lifelike. My design will incorporate representations of actual
people, drawn from my photographs, and I would like some of the portraits
to be identifiable.
• I have an ability to paint words and lettering.
My design incorporates words, referencing the library. A long time ago, I
learned how to do sign painting, and this skill will enhance the mural.
MURAL DESIGN AND COMPOSITION:
The Community Room mural is located in the Multi -Agency Library. This
particular space is used by people from the City of Palm Desert, Riverside
County, and College of the Desert. The Community Room is a symbol of the
varied types of functions that are held there. Overall 1 would like to have the
mural convey a sense of community spirit and be a place of teaching and
learning.
have personally met in that room for numerous community and College
of the Desert functions. Every time I have attended an event in the Community
Room, I have left with a feeling of joy, and a renewed faith in the higher aspects
of human nature. 1 see people sharing knowledge and communicating with each
other, learning from one another. I want the mural to convey this sense of hope
and optimism.
Initially, I want the mural motif to be easily understood, and then to have
detailed elements that would invite further discovery. The composition uses
curvilinear forms, color, and words to bring the various elements together.
The lower portion of the mural features figures representing some of the
event presenters or participants placed along a pathway. This pathway connects
and interweaves with other pathways, creating a "fabric of the community". I
want the figures to appear to be communicating with the audience as well as with
each other. I have chosen to paint specific persons whenever possible, and see
them as representative of the types of groups that they belong to.
The right hand side features the female ethnic music performer, a person
holding a small animal, Michael McCarty, storyteller, 3 costumed children with a
character from Sesame Street. Millie Bird, of the Friends of the Library, Beth
Ziegler, the City Librarian together with other members of the "Breakfast, Books,
and Banter" group. The College of the Desert Board of Trustees completes this
portion of the mural.
On the left side of the mural there is a mother and a child dressed up to
commemorate "Harry Potter Day". A teenage Girl Scout reads to younger
children, and local poet Ruth Nolan is giving a poetry reading. College of the
Desert graduates, a computer users group, and a person exercising his public
duty by voting round out this side. My small-scale design proposal uses collaged
photos as well as painting; the final mural will have more unity, as some of the
photographic detail will be simplified.
On the vertical space above the figures, the words "Community Room" are
shown in 2' high letters that will be designed by grade school children in the
Desert Sands School district. A script above conveys the following, "A
community is a blend, a mix, a coming together of different people to form a
dynamic whole". These words are mine; perhaps there is a better quote by a
famous person or a member of the community that could be used in this space.
To the right of this I have left space for the mural acknowledgement and
dedication.
The highest portion of the mural will feature books on shelves, referencing
the library that houses the mural. The design of some of the books will be a
place for community input -perhaps favorite books, names or logos of some of the
other groups that use the room, or words that further define what a community is.
The entryway into the Community Room will utilize a color -coded map of
Palm Desert. The pathways will continue into the map. Perhaps more figures will
be placed on some of the pathways. One concept is to have members of the
community photographed and then painted on the wall.
The ceiling portions of the mural could convey one or more of the following
concepts: Continuation of the pathways; banners with words contributed by
referencing what a community is; our beautiful desert night sky, or community
members' handprints.
The design of the mural should overall convey the sense of "community"
with all of its definitions. I have left opportunities for enhancement of some areas
of the design by community input and involvement. I am open to suggestions, as
the design is still in flux and can be changed. I hope that the public Arts
commission will enjoy this concept and I am looking forward to working with its
members in a collaborative fashion.
SUSAN SMITH EVANS
49100 SONDGROTH COURT
PALM DESERT, CA 92260
(760) 340-3340
randsevans@earthlink.net
EDUCATION
1981 PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE IN ART THERAPY
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
1980 MASTER OF FINE ARTS
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
1970 BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS
University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
MURALS
2003 "Rent", private home, Palm Desert, CA
"B & G Vineyard", Rogers residence, La Quinta, CA
"Fladoos Fish", Fladoos residence, Rancho Mirage, CA
2002 "La Quinta, Past, Present, and Future", La Quinta Senior Center, La Quinta, CA
2001 "Frank Lloyd Wright Room", Sirak residence, La Quinta, CA
"Writing and Reading", Van Buren Elementary School, Indio, CA
"Living Desert Landscape", Braithwaite Residence. Palm Desert, CA
"The Solar System", Andrew Jackson Elementary School, Indio, CA
2000 "New York Skyline", Desert Deli Restaurant, Rancho Mirage, CA
"Roman Library", Snellenberger residence, Palm Desert, CA
"Protect the Ocean", Andrew Jackson Elementary School, Indio, CA
1999 "Great is Thy Faithfulness", El Centro Christiano Libre, Indio, CA
"Protect the Rainforest", Andrew Jackson Elementary School, Indio, CA
1998 "Nursing, the Art of Caring", Nursing Building, College of the Desert, Palm Desert, CA
1997 "Bill and Prudie Underhill", Action Council for 29 Palms, 29 Palms, CA
"Protect our Desert Animals", Andrew Jackson Elementary School, Indio, CA
1996 "World Art History", Art Building, College of the Desert, Palm Desert, CA
"Desert Landscape", private residence, Cathedral City, CA
ONE PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2001 "Back to Basics", J. Behman Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
1997 "Paintings and Prints", 29 Palms Art Gallery, 29 Palms, CA
1995 "Juxtapositions", Mt. San Jacinto College Gallery, San Jacinto, CA
1992 "Paintings", Riverside Arts Foundation Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
1987 "Recent Work", College of the Desert Library, Palm Desert, CA
1982 "The Show Must Go On", Loop College Gallery, Chicago, IL
1981 "Color Photographs", Sheldon Art Gallery, University of Nebraska, Lincoln. NE
1979 "Nebraska", School Gallery, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
1973 "Recent Work", Beyond Baroque Gallery, Venice, CA
SELECTED GROUP SHOWS AND COMPETITIONS
2004 "Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival", Indio, CA, Salon Supervisor's Award,
1st & two 2nd prizes
2003 "Faculty Exhibition", College of the Desert Marks Art Gallery
"Women's Art Exhibition, College of the Desert Hilb Center, Palm Desert, CA, Curator
"Hansen House Benefit Exhibition, North Wing Gallery, Civic Center, Palm Desert, CA
2002 "Palms Springs Art Commission Competition, 2"d prize, mixed media, Palm Springs, CA
Women's Art Exhibition, College of the Desert Hilb Center, Palm Desert, CA, Curator
2001 "Faculty Exhibition", College of the Desert Hilb Center Gallery, Palm Desert, CA
2000 "Mural Artist's/ Other Voices, 29 Palms Art Gallery, 29 Palms, CA
"Sweet Arts Ball and Folderol", Rancho Mirage, CA
1999 "L.A. Printmaking Society Members", Santa Monica College Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1997 "College of the Desert Faculty"' North Wing Gallery, Civic Center, Paim Desert, CA
1997 "Women Artists/ Works on Paper". Lankershim Art Center, North Hollywood, CA, 2"d prize
"Gallery Artists", Miles Avenue Gallery, Indio, CA
1995 "Multiples", Millard Sheets Gallery, Pomona, CA
"L.A. Printmaking Society Small Images Show", Tarzana, CA
"Instruction", Irvine Valley College, Irvine, CA
"LA. Printmaking Society Exhibit", Wichita Falls Museum, Wichita Falls, TX
1994 "La Quinta Arts Festival", La Quinta, CA
"California: Current Trends", Downy Museum, Downey, CA
L.A. Printmaking Society Exchange Exhibit", Oslo, Norway
1993 "College of the Desert Faculty Exhibition", Edward Dean Museum, Cherry Valley, CA
"College of the Desert Faculty Exhibition", Riverside Arts Foundation Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
1992 "College of the Desert Faculty Exhibition", Riverside Arts Foundation Gallery, Paim Springs, CA
1991 "College of the Desert Faculty Exhibition", Riverside Arts Foundation Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
1987 "Faculty Work", Cal State Dominguez Gallery, Carson, CA
1986 "Photo Department Faculty Show", Otis/Parsons, Los Angeles, CA
"Artists and Photographic Installations", CEPA Gallery, Buffalo, NY
1985 "Artists and Photographic Installations", Camerawork Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1984 "Artists and Photographic Installations", 1708 East Main Gallery, Richmond, VA
1981 Holoworks/81", Rizzoli Gallery, Chicago, IL
1980 "Illinois Photographers", State Museum, Springfield, IL, purchase prize
"Eccentricities", Cal Arts, Valencia, CA
"Women/ Image/ Nature", Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA
"Photonational/ 80"' Erie Art Center, Erie, PA
1975
"Second All California Photography Competition", Laguna Beach Museum of Art, Laguna, CA
"Workers Photography Exhibit", Oakland Museum of Art, Oakland, CA
"The Bus Show", Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
1974 "New Photographics/ 74", Ellensburg, WA
"12th Annual Purchase Prize Competition", Riverside Art Center, Riverside, CA, graphics award
1973 "L.A. Printmaking Society National Competition", Barnsdall Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA,
purchase prize
"Contemporary Photography", Sheldon Art Gallery, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
EMPLOYMENT
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College of the Desert, 43500 Monterey, Palm Desert, CA
Adjunct Faculty in Art, 1987-present
Desert Sands Unified School District, La Quinta, CA
G.A.T.E. Class Instructor, spring semesters 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2001
The Living Desert Wildlife and Botanical Park, Palm Desert, CA
Art Instructor, summer 1997
College of the Desert Professor of Art, Ron Evans
Photographer for round -the -world sabbatical leave study of ceramics, 1988-1989
Otis/Parsons School of Design, Los Angeles, CA
Art Instructor, 1986-1988
Cal State Dominguez, 1000 E. Victoria, Carson, CA
Art Instructor, 1986-1987
Santa Monica College, 1900 Pico, Santa Monica, CA
Instructor, 1983-1987
Chicago Lakeshore Hospital, 44840 Marine Dr., Chicago, IL
Art Therapist
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbus Dr. at Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Imperial Iranian Air Force, Tehran, Iran
English Language Instructor, 1976-77
Workshop I.E....2651 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA
Edition printer in artists' workshop, teacher of screen printing, 1972-1976
Norton Laboratories, Lincoln, NE
Graphic Artist
Lincoln Regional Center, Lincoln, NE
Psychiatric Technician, 1970- 1971
Camp O-Tahn-Agon, Three Lakes, WI
Head Activity Counselor, Arts and Crafts, summers, 1968 and 1969