Comments on: Art Commission, In Transition, Takes Hiatus

By: bob elton

bob elton — Sun, 22 Jun 2014 22:41:28 +0000

I’m more than a little dismayed that the art commission seems to be just giving up, just hanging around to see if anybody will tell them what to do.

I was under the impression, and bolstered by my experience on various city commissions, including the art commission’s predecessor, that people served on commissions because they wanted to do something, accomplish something. The only thing worse than giving up is, I suppose, not bothering to show up at all, which, I gather, some of the commissioners chose to do.

There are plenty of ways to encourage and create public art. If necessary, search for private funding. If the commissioners don’t have a vision of their own, find someone who does have a vision. If city council is mired in other issues, get cracking anyway. There are a million reasons not to do something, and there are almost always ways around those kinds of obstacles.

I also think the commissions position on art donations is very short-sighted. Some of the best art in the city was donated, long before there was a commission. I think the city should be open to all donations. If they aren’t well received when displayed, we can put them in a warehouse, along with all the other gifts the city gets that aren’t particularly prized. Or, sell them off at a city yard sale, like the city does, or did, with other unneeded equipment.

I think the art commission should be telling city council what the city needs for public art, not the other way around.

Bob Elton

By: Lisa Dengiz

Lisa Dengiz — Sat, 21 Jun 2014 17:26:54 +0000

Would love to see these vinyl wraps created by teens from the Neutral Zone teen center whom are brilliantly taught and supervised by the incredibly creative Mary Thiefels of Tree Town Murals. And this would also not likely require a 40% administration fee.

By: Jeff Hayner

Jeff Hayner — Sat, 21 Jun 2014 17:00:46 +0000

Not only are those boxes going to be visual clutter, but they are waaaay over-priced. $950 for how many square feet of vinyl wrap? Those boxes are 3′x4′x2′ right? So that is 52 square feet, retail on printed vinyl is $9/sq foot, max. That should be around $500. Not to mention the 40% administration fee! Nothing against the artists making a buck, but $1450 licensing fee seems a little steep, too. I would think we could do better since it is exposure for artists – How much money can one city waste in pursuit of public art? Like many, I am glad to see our time with these folks is drawing to an end.

By: David Cahill

David Cahill — Sat, 21 Jun 2014 15:27:58 +0000

Requiescat in pacem.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Sat, 21 Jun 2014 14:52:18 +0000

Oh no! I had hoped that the shrinkwrapped traffic signal boxes were out with the transfer of the Percent for Art money. Can’t we at least have an online poll or something?

This type of “art” is just visual clutter, in my opinion. I noticed the other day that one of the fire hydrants painted in an earlier DDA project has become rusted and is now doubly unattractive because of the painted blobs on it.