Attendance:  Carol Aupperle, Chair; June Finkbeiner; Julia Kunkel Morrison; Rajesh Patel; Barbara Petty; Carl Regutti; Ella Williams; Marla Dorrel, Liaison

Staff:  Lyman Collins; Nancy Novell; Vicki Hayes

Absent: Luan Harmeson; Marilyn Yeske

Guests:  Laura Harrar, Cary Visual Arts, Director;  Peggy Cleary

I.

Call To Order – Carol Aupperle, Chair

II.

Minutes of March 8, 2004
Julia Kunkel Morrison moved to approve the minutes as written.  Barbara Petty seconded.   Motion to approve the minutes passed unanimously.

III.

Town Hall Campus Gateway Project - Update

Lyman Collins reported that the Planning and Development Committee unanimously recommended approval of items 2-4 of the staff’s recommendation and recommended forwarding items 1 and 5 to Council for discussion.

Below are the staff recommendations followed by Council's action noted in italics:

(1)        Approve the overall design concept of “Gates of Light” presented by Catherine Widgery.  Staff and CVA will continue to work with the artist to refine the gateway component at Chapel Hill Road and Academy Street .  Such refinements will be reviewed by both CVA and the Public Art Advisory Board prior to presentation to Council. (Approved overall design of Gates of Light as presented by the artist contingent upon staying within the initial budget of $300,000).

(2)        Authorize the etching of the design proposed by Catherine Widgery into the outside glass bridge as provided for in the Town Hall expansion plan.  This authorization would include funding with an appropriation of $15,750 from General Capital Reserve Unrestricted Fund Balance as well as the recognition of $15,750 in revenue from Cary Visual Art to fund $31,500 in contracted services within the Town Hall Gateway Project PR1079. (Approved)

(3)        Consider phased funding for other components of the project during the FY05 Capital Budget discussions. (Approved)

(4)        Direct staff to work with CVA to develop additional fundraising strategies to reduce additional Town appropriation. (Approved)

(5)        Consider opportunities for incorporating the design into other elements of the Town Center and other areas including signage opportunities. (Directed staff to consider opportunities to incorporate these design elements into other elements of the town hall campus signage to give everyone a chance to see what it will look like) 

Lyman explained that we are now working with Catherine on implementing the glass etching design.  She will proceed with making the masks for etching.  Seems that people are excited about this phase of the project.  Catherine has agreed to make a revised model in May for the main design at the corner of Chapel Hill Road and Academy Street .

Lyman explained staff is currently working with Catherine to help reduce the cost for the corner piece.  Staff has asked for her to look at the corner piece only.  The stone seating can be looked considered at a later time.  Price on the flooring in Council Chamber building, from the contractor, is just under $40,000.  Catherine is considering alternative ways to do the flooring.  Barbara Petty asked if that was $40,000 on top of projected budget.  Lyman said it was. 

The total budget presented by Catherine for the piece on the corner of Academy Street and Chapel Hill Road , Gates of Light, is $308,875.  Catherine is researching alternatives for cutting costs for this piece.  The two alternatives presented now are:

1. Remove the pathways from the corner piece, reducing the cost to $240,000.
2. Change the pathways to stone dust, reducing the cost to $270,000.

Carol Aupperle felt the pathways were needed to complete the piece.  Barbara Petty felt the pathways would make people want to come in.  Marla Dorrel was concerned with how long the stone dust would last, what the maintenance issue would be.  Carol said she has personally used stone dust thinks that it would need to be updated every 10-15 years.  The committee felt the paths were an important element in the design of this piece and was willing to accept the stone dust.  Carl Regutti said that we want this to be a high quality piece of art, and that if it is perceived as otherwise, we would be shooting ourselves in the foot and get public complaints.  He said there should be good stonework, high quality columns, and a lesser number of columns are okay if they show the pattern.  Column cost is estimated at approximately $1000 per column for fabrication of stainless columns and the cost of the perforated stainless steel (steel prices are on the rise and cannot be guaranteed). 

Ella Williams said that the paths are inviting and to expect the piece to be seen at street level in its entirety.  The piece will be welcoming to come in, and we don’t want it to go in a different direction.  It will be a different experience at street level than from a car or as seen from above.  Carl Regutti said he needs to stand at the street and see the columns with the model to be able to visualize seeing the piece in three ways – with the pathways; tops of columns as they undulate on the landscape; and walking into the sculpture.  

Lyman Collins said that approx. $120,000 remains for the project from the original $150,000 (Town’s ½ of the proposed $300,000 project cost).  $15,000 has already been paid to Catherine for the design phase ($30,000 total with CVA paying the other $15,000 and Council has approved approx. $15,000 for ½ of the cost of the glass etching phase, to be matched by CVA).  Carl Regutti asked why the artist is now adding extras when she was given a budget of $270,000 to work with.  He said he feels the artist has not done her job.  Lyman said that now she is being asked to go back and present alternatives.  Carl said he approved the design without seeing the scale model, and that she never had a correct model.  He said he is in favor of the project, but not going over budget.  Lyman said the piece on the corner was quoted at $308,000.  The swale would add another $35,000, and another $10,000 for irrigation and other landscaping.  Ella asked how the artist got so over budget.  Nancy Novell said that Catherine’s understanding was to create the best project she could. Lyman Collins said that the project has grown and alternatives can be considered in order to move forward.

Ella Williams suggested donations to help defray costs.  She suggested contacting 200 organizations in town and asking each to donate $1000, which would raise $200,000.  A proposal could be developed explaining why they should be a part of this community project.  If each column was sponsored at $1500 and 100 organizations were participating, that would raise $150,000.  If the project has to be done for $240,000, it may not create a top of the line project.

Marla Dorrel said that she tried hard at the Council meeting to leave room for fundraising as an option.  She said she gets anxious when we talk about taking the piece apart to save $1000 here and there.  She asked if public works has looked into the use of rock dust.  Lyman Collins said no, this was just presented last week.  Carl Regutti asked if Public Works could look into that.  If the board is interested in looking into a reduction of the cost in the treatment of the paths, this sends a good message to Council and Catherine, but doesn’t’ take apart the project.

Carol Aupperle was unclear on how this board was to approach fundraising and who would run this. Carl Regutti said he didn’t think the board was in the fundraising business.  Ella Williams said she understands Carol’s concerns and asked if that really is the role of the Board.  Lyman Collins said that’s not the focus and mission of the Board, but that it’s okay if the Board chooses to do this.  Lyman explained staff could assist in an advisory capacity. Barbara Petty recommended that a sub-committee be established to address this issue.  Carol Aupperle asked if all present were in agreement and response was positive.  Carol Aupperle asked Barbara Petty to chair.  Ella Williams and Marla Dorrel will also serve and Nancy Novell will be staff liaison.  This sub-committee will meet and report at the next meeting.  Marla Dorrel suggested that Laura Harrar with CVA also sit in on this meeting for advice.  June Finkbeiner was concerned this could interfere with CVA’s fundraising efforts and their major fundraiser, the Art Ball. Marla Dorrel expressed that this should not compete with CVA to put public art in Cary and that a “successful” campaign would not tap into CVA funders.  Marla Dorrel said that she thinks fundraising is doable.  She said there are different ways to get there, and she offered to look into it.  She said timing was bad from a budget perspective as this is the first time in many years that the Town can’t do it all now.  She said she thinks Council would be more favorable if there was a fundraising plan to strategically show efforts in this direction.  New sources should be identified and we should not step on each other’s toes.  Lyman explained this sub-committee could investigate new mechanisms for identifying new groups and could provide opportunities for large and small contributors. 

Carl Regutti said as a reminder that the Veterans Freedom Park is also fundraising now.

IV.

Cary Visual Arts Presentation – Downtown Temporary Art Exhibition

Laura Harrar reported 9 sculptures have been selected from the North Carolina Outdoor Sculpture Show in Greensboro .  The exhibition would begin in late May and run for one year.  The educational materials will reference existing permanent pieces of public art to broaden the scope of the exhibition.  Printed brochures and signage are planned for the exhibition.  CVA’s Temporary Exhibition Committee is discussing methods to engage and inform the surrounding community about the exhibition through a potential community meeting and a celebratory reception.  Laura presented the pieces and the proposed location for each.

1. Black Cross, Tom Severa

Proposed Location A: Cary Library (behind the building on the grassy area beside the parking lot)

Alternate Location B: Cary Elementary

2. Community, Dawn Stetzel

Proposed Location: Ashworth Drugs

3. Duet, Kevin Eichner

Proposed Location: 209 S. Academy Street

Alternate Location: Comfort & Joy

4. First Rising, Ed White, 2003

Proposed Location: Cary Library, Lot 6483

5. Harmonious Cosmological, Gretchen Lothrop, 1999

Proposed Location: Fidelity Bank Plaza

6. Metamorphosis, Marvin Tadlock

Proposed Location: 219 S. Academy Street

7. Paradox, Michael Jacobson, 2003

Proposed Location: Cary Train Depot

8. Red, Yellow, & Blue Seed Pods, Frank Holder, 2002

Proposed Location: 204 S. Academy Street

9. Street Corner Blues, Lois & Ernest Rich 

      Proposed Location:  Fidelity Bank Plaza

This will be proposed to Council on May 13th.  Carol Aupperle felt the two pieces at Fidelity competed against each other and would prefer to see only one piece at Fidelity. Ella Williams agreed.   Julia Morrison said a piece at Cary Elementary would be good and seen from different angles. Lyman said Cary Elementary will be used for summer camps.  It would have high visibility at Lazy Daze.  Carol said that from the Festival Committee’s perspective, this exhibit would reinforce the Temporary program since the Mangold piece across from Cary Elementary will be leaving soon. Laura Harrar said she mailed letters of notification to citizens within 400 feet to the proposed sites to inform them of tonight’s agenda item.  Lyman Collins said that this should be considered a feature of Lazy Daze Festival and to compliment and enhance the festival.  Barbara Petty said that the costs are solely CVA’s, with no cost to the Town. CVA has budged $15,000.  Carol Aupperle said she hopes the board will choose to approve the project.  She read the phone comments Nancy Novell received from the Ashworth’s.  They called to say that they will be out of town on the night of the board meeting but wanted to publicly express their support of the project at the Public Art Advisory Board meeting.  They said that not everyone will like the all the work, but stressed that it is temporary and to create interest in public art.  She said that some people may think that they are supposed to like it all, but that people don't choose the same things.  We all have different opinions of food, housing, etc.

Motion:  Barbara Petty moved to recommend Cary Visual Art’s Temporary Art Exhibition with attention to some of the details.  Julia Morrison seconded. 

Action:  Unanimously approved.

Nancy Novell suggested that the Board allow for some flexibility with sites and placements as necessary.

Motion:  June Finkbeiner moved to accept Cary Visual Art’s Temporary Art Exhibition with attention to some of the details, and for staff to work with CVA to refine the locations.  Barbara Petty seconded.  Action:  Unanimously approved.

V.

Board members – Reports from Representative Organizations

Cary Visual Arts (CVA)

June Finkbeiner reported that CVA’s purchase award from the FALC Spring Show is an oil painting entitled Rhythm Rapids by Barbi Dalton.  This is a painting of a waterfall over rocks in an impressionistic style.  CVA would like to donate the painting to Town of Cary , with proposed placement at Stevens Nature Center . 

Carol Aupperle mentioned the CVA lecture series and that the next lecture is April 28. She said the lecture series has been great.

Fine Arts League of Cary (FALC)

Ella Williams reported the following from FALC:

The Fine Arts League of Cary has had a very busy two months.  Volunteers have been busy.  FALC’s  web site is operational and being tested.  You can see it at www.fineartsleagueofcary.org.  It has not been released to the greater internet area yet, so comments would be greatly appreciated at this time for improvements.

FALC acquired a laptop and printer.  One of the volunteers created a data base to handle details of the annual show 2004.  The next goal is to create the membership data base and membership billing system to keep up with membership.

A By-laws committee has been established.  As FALC has grown these have not kept pace with that

growth.  15 new members have joined since January and they are updating and printing additional membership forms.

FALC has e-mailed and put in the newsletter the call for artist demonstrators for the Spring Daze event.  An announcement was circulated to everyone to be aware that the Town of Cary will be viewing thei spring shows looking for material for next year’s poster.  Art work from long time member Betty Fallin provided this years beautiful poster.

FALC’s very successful Annual Juried Decade Exhibition had 171 artists who entered 387 works of art with 99 pieces of art being juried into the show.  A fun and beautiful reception with 100 in attendance was held.

Mayor Ernest McAlister chose “The Kiss” by Larry Schessel, a sculpture bronze piece and council woman Jennifer Robinson attended to present the yearly “Mayors Award.”

Each year the Cary Ballet performs.  The ballet performance this year was superb.  A solo, Paquita danced by Sally Turkel and Fresco by Christina Bravo, Amy Dusto, Brenna Dwyer and Carmen Felder were exquisite and were followed by an excerpt from Don Quixote performed by Carmen Felder.  If that wasn’t enough, from Swan Lake – Act 11 “Little Swans” danced by Amy Dusto, Carmen Felder, Rachel Sparrow and Nora Viniotis was a delight.  Then, to break your heart, Dying Swan performed by Leah Schaubach.  If you missed this year put it on your calendar for next year.  The exhibition may be continued to be seen until June.

Other organizations

VI.

Old Business

Dedication of Garden Art at Hemlock Bluffs

Carol Aupperle said the event was held March 28 and it was very nice.  There were hands on activities and Marla Dorrel and Carol Aupperle attended and each spoke on behalf of Council and the Public Art Advisory Board, respectively. Nancy Novell also attended and spoke on behalf of the Town.

VII.

New Business

June Finkbeiner reported that she attended the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park near Boston and said it was wonderful. 

Peggy Cleary said that the website, www.artnut.com, lists all the sculpture parks in the US .

VIII.

Adjourn