Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department
Public Art Advisory Board

MINUTES

Wednesday, June 16, 2004
6:00 p.m.

Temporary Council Chambers
Herb Young Community Center
101 Wilkinson Avenue, Cary, NC
Web Site: www.townofcary.org

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

STAFF:  Lyman Collins; Nancy Novell; Vicki Hayes

ABSENCES: Maril Yeske

GUESTS:  Laura Coats, Cary Visual Arts, Director

A.    CALL TO ORDER – Carol Aupperle, Chair

B.    MINUTES OF MAY 19, 2004
       Barbara Petty moved to approve the minutes as written.  June Kunkel Morrison seconded.  The motion to approve the             minutes passed unanimously.

C.    LAZY DAZE ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL
       Public Art Advisory Board Booth
        Nancy Novell explained to the committee that the Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival will be held on Saturday,           August 28^th from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.   The festival gives local non-profit organizations an opportunity to show the           community what their organization is working toward.  The Board would have a 10’ x 10’ booth that would need to
       be manned from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.   This would provide the opportunity to discuss with citizens the function of           PAAB, discuss the Gates of Light project; and have the model on display with literature about the project.  Carol           Aupperle asked if the booth could be placed near the Old Cary Elementary School and near CVA booth.  She said           Board Members could park at the mall and take the shuttle to the festival.  Julia Kunkel Morrison explained it was
       a good location because the public goes past this area to start the festival.  Luan Harmerson asked if there would
       be comment cards and pledge cards.  Lyman Collins explained comment cards would be appropriate, but pledge
       cards would not at this time.  Barbara Petty did not want to ask the public if they wanted to spend additional funds.         The Board asked if two spaces could be provided, so a column could be set-up with the model. Marla Dorrel asked
       if the board wanted to develop mailing and e-mail lists for contacting people about public art at the booth. 

         Schedule to Assist at the Booth
      Nancy Novell passed around a schedule for board members to sign-up to help man the festival booth.  This
        schedule will be distributed to the board by email.

D.    TOWN HALL CAMPUS GATEWAY PROJECT
       Update
        Lyman Collins explained staff is working on the specific contract of the bridge portion.  This will wrap up in the next           week or so.

       Carol Aupperle asked that Ella Williams perspective on the Town Hall Campus Gateway project and Barbara
       Petty’s response to the e-mail be included in this meeting’s minutes.  The following is Ella's email:

        Rather that focus the gateway of light as a public art project, may I make a suggestion that the program
       should include the ideas that art contributes to a community and makes it whole.  There are many
       wonderful statements to this idea written by different people and groups.

        The art committee of UNESCO “Art helps give men and nations that intimate knowledge of each other as human             beings living in different conditions but bound together by one human experience which is essential for
        the achievement of a peaceful world.”

        Art in Cary is a lesser essential ingredient to this community which is why this is so hard to get passed or get
        a center for and of the Arts.  (Another subject).  One of the negatives I have felt, which I don’t usually talk about
        is the Public Art in Cary is only seen as drive by art and their placement in space I feel actually dwarfs the piece
        of art in most cases.  This Gateway of Light is designed for the land on which it will sit and the atmosphere in
        which it will sit.

        I find the discussion on asking the artist to take out columns etc. and suggesting that this would be
        uncooperative on her part, to be disconcerting.  All art is made cohesive and whole when its parts have
        relationships to each other, balance and contrast.  Ceramicist make bowls that sits in space and the shape of
        that bowl that takes up that space identifies the piece and has a relationship to the edges, the depth, the color
        the size, the texture of the piece which makes it good or negative.  It is this relationship when unique and whole
        that makes a lasting piece of art.  To ask the artist to take out a column is like asking a painter to take out a line
        in a painting or a realistic sculpture to take out folds in a shirt or a protruding extension that might be necessary
        for the balance and cohesiveness of that sculpture.

        The discussion on having this art read up front as in a graphic arts design piece is also not the way in my
        opinion, this art is to be viewed.  It cannot be viewed in totatallity from a drive by perspective as do the other
        art pieces that have been placed in Cary .  It is to entice the viewer in and welcome the viewer.  It is meant to
        be experienced physically up close and touchable and the viewer shares the space with the art which is
        much different that any other art we have in Cary to date.  Thanks for listening.

        Barbara Petty’s response:

 E.    BOARD MEMBERS - REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
        Cary Visual Arts (CVA) - June Finkbeiner - (see attached report)
           Report to the Public Art Advisory Board, 6/16/04
        Permanent Exhibitions
        CVA has purchased an oil painting by Barbi Dalton entitled Rhythm Rapids from the Fine Arts League of
        Cary Annual Juried Exhibition.  The cost of the artwork was $1,000.  CVA offers the painting for donation to
        the Town of Cary for placement in the Stephens Nature Center at Hemlock Bluffs or another location to be
        worked out by CVA and Town of Cary staff.

        Temporary Exhibitions
        Anemotive Kinetic 4/97 is available for sale.  It is currently scheduled for exhibition until July 23, 2004 .  The selling            price of the work is $90,000.

        Downtown Cary Sculpture Walk – CVA is in the process of contracting with the artists and property owners for
        the temporary exhibition.  The concrete slabs are now in place for the exhibition.  The individual sculptures will
        be installed beginning next week and into July.  Harmonious Cosmological, by Getchen Lothrop, will not
        be exhibited in Cary .  The artist has decided to exhibit the work out west.  At this point, only Street Corner
        Blues will be exhibited at the Fidelity Bank Plaza .  The sculptures will initially be installed to the side of the
        plaza but may be moved to the center following Lazy Daze.  The updated list of sites includes:

        Fine Arts League of Cary (FALC) - Ella Williams
        Ella Williams reported the website for the Fine Arts League of Cary (FALC) is now active. FALC is working on a
        new project for the fall.  They are hoping to have a well know artist comes in October 2005 to do a workshop at
        the Cary Senior Center .  Ella will keep the board posted on this project.

        Other organizations

F.    OLD BUSINESS
       Sears Farm Road Park - update
       Nancy Novell explained she had toured Sears Farm Road Park the beginning of the week.  She explained
       the landscape will not be ready in July, so the dedication will be in September or October.  This will give the
       Public Works Department an opportunity to plant in the fall.  The park is very unique and will have a nice piece
       of public art on display.  Sculptor Russ RuBert is still working on the piece and the benches are 99% complete.

        Walter Hines Page Bust Installation
        Julia Kunkel Morrison gave recognition to Carl Regutti’s contributions of the new installation of the Walter
        Hines Page bust in the library on the second floor of Page-Walker Arts and History Center, plus the
        temporary installation of the bronze bust on the granite column at the entrance to the Page-Walker. 

G.    NEW BUSINESS
         Fred G. Bond Busts at Bond Park and Town Hall
        Nancy Novell explained there are two Fred G. Bond busts.  One is located at Town Hall, which will be put into            storage until construction is completed.  The other bust is located at Bond Park and was unfortunately tipped over.          This bust will also be placed in storage, once Carl Regutti has surveyed the damages.

        Cary Visual Arts Donation
        June Finkbeiner showed the painting, “Rhythm Rapids” by Barbi Dalton.  The artwork was purchased by CVA from             the FALC Spring Show.  CVA would like to donate the painting to the Town.  Placement of the painting will be             determined by staff. 

        Motion:  June Finkbeiner moved that PAAB recommend to Council the acceptance of CVA’s donation, “Rhythm            Rapids” by Barbi Dalton. Julia Kunkel Morrison seconded. 

        Discussion:  June said that this is considered a good impressionistic work.  Barbara Petty asked who decided on             this piece.  June said that she, Carol La Freniere and others from CVA.  Purchase amount was $1000.  Carl
        Regutti asked if CVA ever asks the artists less.  June said they have not done that.  Ella Williams said the
        artist pay a 25% commission on sales. 

        Action: Motion passed unanimously.

 H.    ADJOURN

        Attachment
       
        Outreach Informational Program
       Gates of Light Model Display

        Public Art Design Concept by Catherine Widgery
        Catherine Widgery has created a model for the proposed sculpture, Gates of Light, at the corner of Academy
        Street and Chapel Hill Road . Design development and final design concepts for this sculpture were presented in
        a series of three public meetings last fall and winter.  Those attending the public meetings provided positive input;         however, in an effort reach the broader public, we are proposing to create a Model Display with associated
        materials for an outreach informational program and to gain additional community input.

        At the May 19, 2004 Public Art Advisory Board meeting, the board voted to move forward on developing
        an informational campaign and model display highlighting Gates of Light.  The motion was unanimously
        passed.  The board discussed two issues:  the model display and the potential for fundraising, which could
        come at a later date, based on community interest and response.  The board also agreed to assist by sharing
        the responsibly of helping to identify venues to present the display, and accompanying the display when taken
        out to the public (example:  manning a table with the model display at Lazy Daze, arranging to present to civic            organizations, etc.)

        The goals of the Model Display are:

·         To inform Cary citizens about the public art project

·         To provide citizens with an opportunity to respond and comment on the public art project. 

·         To gain further input comments and a degree of overall interest in the project from the citizens at large.

     Proposed Locations and Timeline:
      Herb Young Community Center :                    Continuous display until Lazy Daze weekend
      Lazy Daze:                                                  August 28
      Chamber of Commerce:                                August 30 – September 30
      Presentations at Civic Engagements:             October 1 –November 15

     Gates of Light Project Components (accompanied with 2 models, display boards created by
     Catherine Widgery, materials samples, and one 10’ column prototype):

·         Corner sculpture, Academy Street and Chapel Hill Road

·         Glass Walled Bridge

·         Stone Seating

·         Bluestone flooring pattern in Council Chambers

     Display Board (approx. 4’x6’ table top):

1.       General information about the project

·         How project originated

·         Call for artists and artist selection process, citizen input, etc (in booklet to put on table)

·         Funding for project

2.        Information about Catherine Widgery

·         Photos to show examples of her other works

·         Background information with resume (in booklet to put on table)

3.       Information about project development and how Catherine related that to Cary

·         Photos from her PowerPoint presentation showing columns, natural elements

·         Drawings and information about how the project developed

Column Prototype Display:

One prototype column will be available for view along with the model display.  When appropriate, the column can be placed outside and lighted at night.

·         Column and lighting will need to be delivered and set up by Fabco

·         Can arrange set up outside HYCC back door on grass between door and hedge on some evenings when events will be held inside so people can see it.

·         Will need to make arrangements for turning on and off lights when column is placed outside

    Materials Needed:

·         Tables (one card size for model and one 6’ for display board, comment cards and box)

·         Stanchions to put around model

·         4 easels for display boards Display boards (the ones Catherine made)

  Need to Create:

·         Labels to place on the model:  to identify streets, HYCC and orient model

·         Comment cards

·         Box for comment cards

·         PR, PSAs and other ways to announce to the public

Potential Comment Card Questions:

1.  What do you like best about the Gates of Light design?

2.       What do you like least about the Gates of Light design?

3.       Do you feel that the location is appropriate for the design?

4.       Do you feel that this design reflects Cary ’s image?

5.       Would you be willing to financially contribute to this project, or are you willing to work on behalf of a civic organization you belong to that could help raise funds to contribute to this project?

6.       Would you like to receive updated information about this project?  If yes, please indicate your name, mailing or e-mail address, and phone number.