HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PAC-2017-06-22Approved – 10/26/17
Public Art Commission
Thursday June 22, 2017
Meeting Minutes (Draft until approved/edited at our next meeting)
Present:
PAC: Norma, Carol, Caleb (taking notes)
Staff: JoAnn (Director of Planning), Frank (Parking Director)
Absent: Sam, Todd, Sally
Public: Amelia Visnauskas
GARAGES
Community Arts Partnership mural on Dryden Rd Garage. We receive only positive feedback for
public comment. If all goes well, Mary Beth Ihnken can begin painting as early as August
3rd. Frank will have Duane and his garage crew power wash and probably prime the wall too.
Seneca Street Garage - Caleb and Margaret painted one day together and Amelia will work with
Margaret to finish her Ursa Major mural.
Frank is still eager to have an artist paint the creme wall owned by Cornell that faces the Dryden
Rd Garage. Maybe Sally knows the status for next steps. JoAnn will look into it.
Frank says there are 25 walls inside the Dryden Rd Garage that could use murals. He says of all
the garages, he sees collegetown as priority for us to focus on but if artists have interest in other
garage walls that's okay too.
Frank's department spends $3-5,000 on graffiti removal annually. In 2015, the garage budget
contributed $5,000 for murals in the Collegetown garage. In 2016, $950 for murals in the Seneca
St Garage.
JoAnn and Frank recommend that PAC write a letter requesting money in the City Budget for
murals and frame the letter that we are advocating shifting the money line from graffiti cleanup to
murals which act as graffiti prevention.
The City is looking at Green St Garage renovations for the East end and West end.
BIKE RACKS
Post cards went out and JoAnn received public comment on these mostly via phone. People are
concerned about size. People are concerned that these will further clutter the downtown
core. ILPC says maybe some of the designs might not be appropriate for historic district. PAC
members agree to support the current bike rack proposals moving forward with Tom Knipe and
the organizers being asked to consider public comment when finalizing the designs for the
racks. Norma and JoAnn say that Tom Knipe is working on a phase two of this initiative which
will be out of the City core. Caleb recommends phase 2 and inverted U-racks be considered for
Southside Community Center, GIAC, and Alex Haley Pool.
Approved – 10/26/17
RAINWATER
Frogs are hard to see and look a little bit like blobs unless you know what you are looking for.
Lettering at the creek walk amphitheater sitting spot isn't working. Is it possible that some rain
makes the images work well but a well-saturated rain inhibits visibility? Submarines and
"rainbow" lettering near Urban Outfitters is hard to see (as legible when wet as when not
wet). Norma will call Rainwater Art organizers to ask their input for our trouble shooting. Sally
needs receipts.
LINN ST ELECTRICAL BOXES
Marcia from the Christian Science Church has an artist interested in painting two electrical boxes
that are in front of the church parking lot. Caleb will contact the artist about adjusting her design
to being more site-specific for the 2 boxes. Caleb will also send the artist the application for our
previous call for electrical box artists as well as the painting info-sheet. We see both of these as
helpful as a resource as well as for Felicity and Marcia to understand our expectations (ie cleaning
and painting all sides of the boxes).
BOXES
Some artists are done with their boxes and some are on their way and some haven't started
yet. Caleb will nudge them with reminder of the deadline. JoAnn and Caleb have been in touch
with Madelines (dessert box) electrical box artists. JoAnn sent them their permission letter and a
deadline to finish by August 1st.
FUTURE OF PAC
Committee infrastructure was discussed at a Common Council Committee meeting on Wednesday
June 21st. JoAnn says new projects are welcome by case by case basis. Artists are welcome to
submit new projects and we will do what we can with them.
Next meeting July 27, 2018 at Noon.