STAFF REPORT

Planning and Development Committee, June 19, 2008

Donation of Artworks (PR08-32)

Consideration of accepting donation of artworks from Cary Visual Art and from artist Lily Karmatz

Speaker:  Ms. Denise Dickens
 

From:  Mary G. Henderson, Director, PRCR

Prepared by:  Denise Dickens, Public Art Coordinator

Approved by:  William B. Coleman, Jr., Town Manager

Approved by:  Benjamin T. Shivar, Assistant Town Manager

Cary Visual Art is offering four mixed media paintings and artist Lily Karmatz is offering a painting to the Town of Cary’s Public Art Collection.  Cary Visual Art purchased the artworks from the Fine Arts League of Cary annual juried exhibition.  The artist Lily Karmatz offered her painting to the Town at the completion of her week-long residency working with Cary youth to create temporary site-specific outdoor sculptures at Bond Park.  If council chooses to accept the donation artworks, they would go on display in public spaces within Town facilities.

In keeping with Cary Visual Art’s purchase award program in conjunction with the Fine Arts League of Cary’s Annual Spring Show, Cary Visual Art has purchased four selected works of art and proposes to donate them to the Town of Cary.  The selected paintings are:

• “Up the River Bank” by Wendy Musser, pastel on paper
• “Tabourets” by Lynn Troy, oil on canvas
• “Colorplay II” by Sharron Parker, handmade felt
• “Dancing Trees” by Wynn Easton, oil on canvas

This is the seventh year Cary Visual Art has donated artwork to the Town from the Fine Arts League of Cary Annual Spring Show.  Past works donated are on display at Town Hall, Bond Park Community Center, Jordan Hall Arts Center, Middle Creek Community Center, Stevens Nature Center, Herb Young Community Center and the Cary Tennis Park.

Lily Karmatz is a Japanese born artist, now living in Australia and she has offered to donate her acrylic/collage painting “Nature is My Paint Brush”, 2008, to the Town of Cary.  The artist recently was a visiting artist to the Town of Cary conducting workshops for adults and a week-long Track-Out program for children in Bond Park.  Her residency culminated in the creation of large outdoor temporary art installations at Bond Park in conjunction with Spring Daze Arts Festival.  The artist would like to donate this painting to continue to build the Town’s permanent art collection, to broaden the geographic representation of artists in the collection and to encourage other artists to contribute artwork.

This opportunity of these gifts was brought to the Town’s Public Art Advisory Board at its May 21, 2008 board meeting.  The Public Art Policy provided the following criteria in reviewing acceptance of a gift:

1.     Quality, aesthetic and design standards.

2.     Long-term durability and maintenance.

3.     Installation costs, site preparation costs, and insurance considerations.

4.     Local community standards, social factors and public response.

5.     Diversity in artwork types, styles and distribution.

The Public Art Advisory Board reviewed the proposed donations and unanimously recommended that Council accept the donation of these works of art.  Staff will assess Town facilities to find the most appropriate place for displaying the artwork.

Fiscal Impact:  The five paintings are valued at $2,275.  The artwork would be added to the Town’s Fine Arts Insurance listing with a financial impact of $50 annually at the current rate of coverage.

Staff Recommendation:  Staff recommends the Council accept the Public Art Advisory Board’s recommendation to accept the donation of five paintings from Cary Visual Art and artist Lily Karmatz and direct staff to secure placements at Town facilities.