Ann Arbor public art commissioners John Kotarski and Ashlee Arder at AAPAC’s June 26, 2013 meeting. Arder was shooting B-roll for a video she’s making about the commission. (Photos by the writer.)

As part of that, a proposal to overhaul the Golden Paintbrush awards – the city’s annual recognition of individuals and organizations who support public art in Ann Arbor – received the most attention. Commissioners John Kotarski and Connie Brown had recommended four categories of public recognition to replace the Golden Paintbrush, including a lifetime achievement award, a “Random Acts of Art” award, and public art awards to be presented at a formal social event that was described as an “Academy Awards-type” ceremony.

Although there was general consensus that the Golden Paintbrush needs to be improved, some commissioners felt that the proposed public recognition program was overreaching at this point. Malverne Winborne worried about “scope creep” – going too far afield of AAPAC’s role. Marsha Chamberlin thought that making some changes to the Golden Paintbrush, including a new name, could serve the same purpose. Ultimately, commissioners decided to give the proposal more thought before acting on it.

Also related to public engagement, Kotarski and AAPAC chair Bob Miller reported on efforts to get input on proposals by four finalists for artwork at the East Stadium bridges. The two men have been making presentations to a variety of groups, and are seeking feedback via two online surveys – one on Survey Monkey, another on A2 Open City Hall. Commissioners also talked about having a regular table at the Sunday artisan market and increasing their use of social media, including the commission’s Facebook page and Twitter account – @AAPublicArt. AAPAC also will have a table at the July 15 Townie Street Party.

In other action, commissioners voted to create exploratory task forces for possible projects at Arbor Oaks Park in southeast Ann Arbor, and at the wastewater treatment plant on Dixboro Road in Ann Arbor Township. Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, had approached AAPAC about the possibility of incorporating public art into the wastewater treatment project. He noted that of the remaining amount in the Percent for Art funds, much of it came from wastewater-related projects, and must be spent on public art with a “nexus” to wastewater.

Art Awards: Rethinking the Golden Paintbrush

The city’s annual Golden Paintbrush awards, given out for the past 14 years, are meant to recognize people and organizations who contribute to public art works that “add interest to our cityscape, beautify the community and create a sense of place.” This year’s awards were announced at the city council’s June 17 meeting, and given to: (1) John Carver, who commissioned “Spirit of Ann Arbor” by Detroit artist Charles McGee for the outside of the Carver-Gunn Building on Liberty Street; and (2) Vic Strecher and Jeri Rosenberg for their support of events like FestiFools and FoolMoon.

The public art commission is now responsible for selecting the winners, but some commissioners in the past have expressed frustration that the awards don’t adequately highlight accomplishments of local artists and patrons of the arts. Two commissioners, John Kotarski and Connie Brown, prepared some alternative ideas for a public recognition program that they presented at AAPAC’s June 26 meeting. [.pdf of public recognition memo]

They proposed four new award/recognition categories:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Given to end-of-career artists/art administrators/art promoters at a public event hosted by AAPAC. The award would be given to someone whose work has impacted art in public places, and the awardee would need to be nominated by at least three community members.
• Ann Arbor Public Art Award: Given for more classically identified public art, such as monument art, streetscapes, or installation art. It would replace the current Golden Paintbrush award. Winners would be given a medallion or statuette, to be presented at an Academy Awards-type event – not simply presented in front of city council, as the current awards are.
• Random Acts of Art: Given “randomly and covertly” to more temporary work, such as snow sculptures, landscaping, or “guerrilla” art. Winners would be given a gift certificate and also recognized publicly.
• Resolution of Support: Given by AAPAC to publicly support projects that the city doesn’t fund. It would be given only in response to requests, and if the project fits into AAPAC’s vision for Ann Arbor’s public art program.

Kotarski introduced the proposal, saying that the issue of adequate public recognition had arisen as he’d tried to solicit nominations for this year’s Golden Paintbrush awards. Public recognition is a very effective tool, he noted – saying it’s cheap, and it matters to people.

Regarding the resolution of support, Brown told commissioners that the intent is to tell people that AAPAC appreciates artmaking efforts in the community. It’s a way to “give an ‘attaboy’ without taking the project under our wings,” she said. Brown acknowledged that AAPAC had struggled in the past with the idea of giving endorsements, but she said it was important to recognize non-AAPAC projects in some way.

Art Awards: Rethinking the Golden Paintbrush – Lifetime Achievement

Kotarski wanted commissioners to adopt the lifetime achievement award at their June 26 meeting, saying that some recommendations had already been made to him for potential awardees. The other items could be considered at a later date. He made a formal motion to adopt the lifetime achievement award.

Ann Arbor public art commissioner Connie Brown.

Malverne Winborne cautioned that these awards in general represented “scope creep.” The commission is still figuring out its role, he noted, yet now they’re considering additional work.

Marsha Chamberlin, AAPAC’s longest-serving member, pointed out that the Golden Paintbrush awards can be given in several categories, including one that recognizes substantial contributions to public art – similar to a lifetime achievement award, she said. Margaret Parker and Jan Onder have been recipients of that award.

In addition, AAPAC’s charge is focused on public art, Chamberlin noted. How many lifetime achievement awards can be given in that category, for a community this size? She questioned the assumption that AAPAC had the authority to give out awards for arts achievements generally, given its purview of public art, and said the broader awards might subject the commission to criticism.

Winborne supported possibly partnering with other groups, such as the Ann Arbor-based Arts Alliance – if the goal is to give general arts-related awards. Otherwise, it would move AAPAC too far away from its main mission of public art, he said.

The commission gets involved in so many things, Winborne said, then “gets in the weeds” and loses its momentum. The public recognition proposal includes some great ideas, he added, but AAPAC has limited resources. He liked the concept, but wanted to evaluate it more before voting – noting that he never buys a car the first time he walks into the dealership’s showroom.

Kotarski countered by saying that these awards directly address at least 30% of AAPAC’s task, as defined in the city’s public art ordinance – to promote public art. It doesn’t cost a dime, he said, and it would be in collaboration with others. He suggested that community members who nominate someone for a lifetime achievement award, for example, could take on the task for organizing the awards ceremony.

The current Golden Paintbrush awards lump everything together, Kotarski said. This new approach attempts to draw out and highlight different categories of achievement, he said, to get “more bang for our buck” in promoting public art. He noted that the lifetime achievement award wouldn’t need to be given annually – it would only be awarded if someone worthy is nominated for it.

Chamberlin gave a brief history of the Golden Paintbrush awards. The concept was modeled after the Ann Arbor park system’s Golden Trowel award, she noted, and was designed to pay tribute to individuals and organizations, as well as to publicize public art in general. Prior to the creation of AAPAC, the awards were originally given by the Washtenaw Council for the Arts – now called the Arts Alliance.

Chamberlin questioned AAPAC’s organizational capacity to pull off a major awards event, especially in the context of recent changes to the public art program. Renaming the Golden Paintbrush awards was fine, she added, but she didn’t feel the commission could take on a project like this now.

Winborne agreed with renaming the Golden Paintbrush – because to him, it seemed too specific to painters, not general public art.

Ashlee Arder, one of the newest public art commissioners, called the public recognition proposal a “noble concept,” but thought that AAPAC needed to figure out its capacity first. People in the arts community – including those at the University of Michigan, as well as arts patrons – would expect a certain caliber of event, she noted. If an awards ceremony fell short of that expectation, “it would do more harm than good,” she said.

If commissioners didn’t feel that the Golden Paintbrush awards were sufficient, then perhaps they needed to step back and think about ways to improve and promote those awards, Arder said. Chamberlin suggested holding a more formal reception after the awards are presented at the city council meeting. Winborne volunteered to wear his tuxedo.

Outcome: Kotarski withdrew the motion to create a lifetime achievement award, with the consensus that commissioners would consider the overall awards/recognition proposal and discuss it at a future meeting.

Outreach & Social Media

At several points throughout the June 26 meeting, commissioners discussed issues related to public outreach and engagement.

Ashlee Arder, one of the newest public art commissioners.

Ashlee Arder reported that she, Bob Miller and Aaron Seagraves had spent some time at a recent Sunday artisan market, talking with people about the city’s public art program and the East Stadium bridges proposals. They’d had some good conversations about visibility, she said. It’s importance for the community to know that the public art commissioners aren’t just figureheads making decisions – they’re people.

So to help make that point, Arder is making a video montage that includes images of commissioners. She shot some of those images during the June 26 meeting. [Arder is programs coordinator for ArtServe Michigan, a statewide nonprofit advocacy organization. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and while there was heavily involved in other arts advocacy efforts. She recently participated in the UM Museum of Arts "Many Voices" project, in which participants created short videos inspired by artwork at UMMA. Her video is called "Boy" – and it explores the theme of young male energy in West African and Western cultures.]

Commissioners also talked about using social media to engage the public – specifically, the commission’s Facebook page and Twitter account, which is @AAPublicArt. Arder explained the different purposes served by these two social media platforms, and commissioners discussed whether they should all make posts or only have a couple of commissioners handle that task. Arder noted that social media is another way to humanize the commission. She reported that a woman showed up to the Sunday artisan market because she’d seen an @AAPublicArt tweet. “It works,” Arder said.

Related to other outreach tools, AAPAC is using two online surveys – one on Survey Monkey, another on A2 Open City Hall – to solicit feedback on four finalists for artwork at East Stadium bridges.

Commissioners also discussed whether to participate in the upcoming Ann Arbor art fairs, which run from July 17-20. A table costs $90, and would need to be staffed with commissioners and other volunteers for those four days. There was some uncertainty about whether funds would be available, given the change in funding for the city’s public art program.

Marsha Chamberlin reported that from her experience, a huge percentage of visitors to the art fairs are from out of town and “don’t give a damn” about local programs. [Chamberlin recently retired as the long-time president of the Ann Arbor Art Center.] She also noted that “it is the nastiest four days to spend on the street.” She said she’d rather see AAPAC’s resources at the artisan market or farmers market on a regular basis.

This poster, standing about five feet high, was painted last year by Hannah Nathans, a University of Michigan undergraduate who was an intern with the city. It’s based on a mural by Richard Wolk on East Liberty near State Street. The poster was part of the Ann Arbor public art commission’s booth at last year’s Townie Street Party, and AAPAC plans to use it again this year.

Malverne Winborne expressed support for doing something at the art fairs, but the general consensus was to organize a regular table at the Sunday artisan market, perhaps once a month.

However, AAPAC will have a table at the July 15 Townie Street Party, as it has in the past. Commissioners plan to re-use a large poster made last year by Hannah Nathans, who worked for the city as an intern. The poster was a popular interactive feature at last year’s Townie Street Party. People poked their faces through cut-out holes and got their pictures taken, which were then posted on AAPAC’s Facebook page. The poster is based on a mural by Richard Wolk on East Liberty near State Street, with stylized portraits of Woody Allen, Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Hesse, Franz Kafka, and Anaïs Nin.

During the June 26 meeting, commissioners also voted on appointments related to outreach – making John Kotarski responsible for community outreach and engagement, and Marsha Chamberlin for media relations.

Those roles were not defined, and do not appear to be connected to existing AAPAC committees. Chamberlin asked for clarification of what media relations meant, saying “I’m old-school enough to think it meant working with the press.” Based on the ensuing conversation, it appears the focus will be more on social media like Facebook and Twitter, as well as an emailed newsletter.

Kotarski pointed out that many people don’t use social media, or even email. Those people are still remorseful over the loss of a real newspaper, he noted. Chamberlin replied that AAPAC has limited capacity, both as a commission and as individuals, so they need to prioritize. She thought that Facebook and the newsletter should be among the priorities.

Outcome: Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint John Kotarski to community outreach and engagement, and Marsha Chamberlin to media relations.

New Exploratory Task Forces

Two proposals were on the agenda to create exploratory task forces for possible projects at Arbor Oaks Park in southeast Ann Arbor, and at the wastewater treatment plant on Dixboro Road in Ann Arbor Township.

New Exploratory Task Forces: Arbor Oaks Park

Malverne Winborne reported that he and Seagraves had met in mid-June with David Jones, a board member of the Community Action Network (CAN). The nonprofit, under contract with the city, manages several community centers in Ann Arbor, including the Bryant Community Center in the Arbor Oaks neighborhood. There’s interest in putting some kind of public art in the Arbor Oaks Park, Winborne said, so the plan was to bring the idea to AAPAC, then form a task force to explore the possibility.

Task force members would include Winborne, Jones, AAPAC member Nick Zagar, and Derek Miller, CAN’s deputy director, as well as other members of the neighborhood and the arts community to be determined.

Connie Brown noted that there are several youth in that neighborhood who are interested in getting involved. She suggested that some of them could be part of the task force.

Outcome: AAPAC voted to create an exploratory task force for public art at Arbor Oaks Park.

New Exploratory Task Forces: Wastewater Treatment

The city is building a new wastewater treatment facility and renovating its existing facility in Ann Arbor Township, at 49 S. Dixboro Road. [.pdf of memo describing the wastewater treatment plant renovations] Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, had approached AAPAC about the possibility of incorporating public art into the project.

John Kotarski told commissioners that he’d be taking the lead on this. People from the community – including elementary school students – take tours of the facility, he said, so it’s an opportunity to make public art that’s engaging, educational and that gives “memorable impressions of that plant and the process contained within it.”

He described the renovations as a large project, with the opportunity for AAPAC to get involved at the beginning. Hupy, who attended the June 26 meeting, clarified that the project was already well underway.

Hupy also noted that of the remaining amount in the Percent for Art funds, much of it came from wastewater-related projects, and must be spent on public art with a “nexus” to wastewater.

By way of background, starting in 2007 and until this year, the city had funded public art through a Percent for Art mechanism, which set aside 1% of the budget for each of the city’s capital projects – up to a cap of $250,000 – for public art. However, at its June 3, 2013 meeting, the city council voted to eliminate the Percent for Art approach. At that time, amounts remaining in the respective funds totaled $845,029:

• 002-Energy $3,112
• 0042-Water Supply System $61,358
• 0043-Sewage Disposal System $451,956
• 0048-Airport $6,416
• 0069-Stormwater $20,844
• 0062-Street Millage $237,314
• 0071-Parks Millage $28,492
• 0072-Solid Waste $35,529

Of that total, the council voted to restore a portion to their funds of origin – which returned the additional amounts that had been set aside for the fiscal year 2014 budget:

• 0042-Water Supply System $113,500
• 0043-Sewage Disposal System $50,050
• 0069-Stormwater $33,500
• 0062-Street Millage $120,700
• 0071-Parks Millage $8,714

So about $402,000 is available for public art from the sewage disposal system (wastewater) fund.

Connie Brown had some concern about spending a large amount of money on a project like this, in what seemed to her like an ad hoc approach. Feedback she’s heard from the community indicates the desire for smaller work that’s integrated into neighborhoods, not large-scale projects. She wondered if it made more sense to have a committee look into the full range of possible projects for wastewater treatment funds, not just one at the main facility.

Kotarski noted that the task force is described as exploratory – it’s not a commitment to doing the project at the treatment plant. He invited Brown to join the task force, too.

Outcome: Commissioners voted to form an exploratory task force for possible artwork at the wastewater treatment plant.

Revisions to AAPAC Guidelines

On the agenda was an item to create a committee charged with revising AAPAC’s guidelines. [.pdf of existing guidelines] Bob Miller, AAPAC’s chair, introduced the item by saying “This is not a small one.”

Connie Brown expressed some skepticism, noting that in previous years the work on developing guidelines had not been “very fruitful.” [AAPAC had approved its guidelines at a March 9, 2010 meeting. Until that time, the guidelines had been under review – mostly by the city attorney’s office – for nearly two years.]

Marsha Chamberlin asked if anything had really changed, other than the public art program’s funding mechanism, that would impact the guidelines. Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, noted that some practices and policies have been adopted by AAPAC but aren’t reflected in the guidelines. He gave as an example the artist selection process.

Rather than form a committee, Chamberlin suggested that Seagraves develop a draft set of revisions to bring back to AAPAC for review. At that point, if commissioners felt more work was needed, they could form a committee then, she said.

Outcome: The motion to create a committee to revise AAPAC’s guidelines was withdrawn.

Project Updates

Several projects were discussed briefly during the June 26 meeting, by way of updates. Additional information was also included in a written report by Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator. [.pdf of Seagraves' report] These projects were either already in progress when the city council temporarily halted spending on public art late last year, or don’t use Percent for Art funds.

Project Updates: East Stadium Bridge

John Kotarski and Bob Miller have been making presentations to various groups about proposals from four finalists for artwork at the East Stadium bridge: Volkan Alkanoglu, based in Atlanta, Georgia; Sheila Klein of Bow, Washington; Rebar Group of San Francisco; and Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass.

Bob Miller, chair of the Ann Arbor public art commission.

The presentation of their proposals is available online. The project has a budget of $400,000. Members of the task force are Miller, Wiltrud Simbuerger, Nancy Leff, David Huntoon and Joss Kiely.

Among the presentations included one at the June 18, 2013 meeting of the Ann Arbor park advisory commission, a table at the June 14 Green Fair on Main Street, and a meeting on June 25 at the Ann Arbor senior center, attended by Ward 2 city councilmembers Jane Lumm and Sally Petersen, and about a dozen residents.

Miller reported that Kotarski has been organizing these outreach efforts, as a way to promote community engagement with specific AAPAC projects.

Marsha Chamberlin praised the approach, but suggested that they might consolidate some of their efforts in order to reach more people. Kotarski responded, saying he purposefully didn’t plan the presentations that way because he wasn’t interested in efficiency so much as having multiple points of contact. It’s time intensive, he noted, but he wanted people to know that he and Miller are available and interested in getting input. There are a lot of misperceptions about the public art program and about how artists work, he said. This is a way to educate people as well, Kotarski said.

AAPAC is also using two online surveys – one on Survey Monkey, another on A2 Open City Hall – to solicit feedback on the East Stadium bridges proposals by the four finalists.

Project Updates: Kingsley & First Rain Garden

At AAPAC’s March 27, 2013 meeting, commissioners had selected Denver artist Josh Wiener to work with landscapers and incorporate public art into a new rain garden at the corner of Kingsley and First. The project has a $27,000 budget.

Wiener will be coming to Ann Arbor on July 15 to present his design to the public. He’ll also be attending the Townie Party to talk with community members about the project.

Project Updates: Coleman Jewett Memorial

At a special meeting on March 7, 2013, AAPAC had voted to accept a memorial for Coleman Jewett as an official AAPAC project and to approve Sarah Gay as a volunteer project manager. Her duties were to lead efforts for city council approval, donor relations and fundraising.

Marsha Chamberlin of the Ann Arbor public art commission.

The original proposal was for a bronze Adirondack chair at the Ann Arbor farmers market. Jewett was a long-time local educator who died in January. After he retired, he made furniture that he sold at the Ann Arbor farmers market. A private donor has committed $5,000 to create a memorial at the market, in the form of a bronze replica of one of Jewett’s Adirondack chairs.

Seagraves reported that a memorandum of understanding is being negotiated between the Jewett family, the city, and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. Marsha Chamberlin said the plan now calls for two full-sized replicas in bronze. The cost is estimated at $15,000 each, and about $6,000 has been raised. Materials for fundraising are being developed.

Seagraves met with parks staff regarding a location for the chairs. At this point, the plan is to remove one of two existing benches on the market’s east side, and locate the bronze chairs there. The proposal would be put before the city’s public market advisory commission as well as AAPAC, before seeking city council approval.

Project Updates: Justice Center

Ed Carpenter’s “Radius” hanging sculpture was installed in the lobby of the Justice Center in late May. Seagraves reported that a formal dedication and ceremony is being planned for September, although a date hasn’t yet been set. Carpenter would return for that event.

Project Updates: Argo Cascades

A selection panel has picked three finalists for artwork along the Argo Cascades. Members of the selection panel include John Kotarski, Malverne Winborne, Cheryl Saam, Margaret Parker, Cathy Fleisher, Bonnie Greenspoon and Julie Grand. AAPAC approved a $150,000 budget for that project on April 25, 2012.

A survey to solicit feedback is being sent to stakeholders and also handed out at the Argo canoe livery, Seagraves reported. Connie Brown urged Seagraves to distribute the survey as widely as possible, including posting it on AAPAC’s website.

The finalists will be invited to a site walk-through in early August.

Update after publication: The three finalists are Jann Rosen-Queralt of Maryland; Mags Harries & Lajos Heder of Cambridge, Mass.; and Andy Dufford of Denver, Colo.

DIA’s Inside|Out

Free docent-led tours of Detroit Institute of Arts’ Inside|Out program artwork in Ann Arbor have ended, John Kotarski reported. But as a result of those tours, which he organized, he’s been asked to lead similar tours for visually impaired students. He described a recent group that spent most of the tour at the Herbert Dreiseitl water sculpture in front of city hall. The students as well as their sighted parents took their shoes off and got into the fountain, he said – it was designed that way, to be accessible and interactive, he noted.

Kotarski said he’d like to find a way to recognize the docents who’d volunteered to give tours in May and June, with perhaps a gift certificate.

Project Updates: Canoe Art

Marsha Chamberlin has been working on a canoe art project with other local organizations, called Canoe Imagine Art. The project will use old aluminum canoes from the city of Ann Arbor’s Argo canoe livery, which artists and community groups will turn into artwork that will be displayed throughout the downtown in 2014. Partners in the project include the Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), the Main Street Area Association (MSAA), the Arts Alliance, and the Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC). Task force members are Chamberlin; Cheryl Saam, the city’s canoe livery supervisor; Shoshana Hurand of the Arts Alliance; Mary Kerr of the CVB; Maura Thomson of the MSAA; and Laura Rubin of HRWC.

Seagraves reported that the task force is reviewing a draft fundraising proposal and call to artists. Chamberlin told commissioners that she planned to have a formal agenda item about the project for AAPAC’s July meeting. “I’m gonna creep the scope,” she joked.

Communications & Commentary

During the meeting there were several opportunities for communications from commissioners and staff, and two slots for public commentary. Here are some highlights.

Communications & Commentary: Fencing on Scio Church

Near the start of the June 26 meeting, Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, suggested a possible project for AAPAC. The city is putting in sidewalks along a stretch of Scio Church Road, he reported, and will also be installing a fence there. The city staff is planning to install the kind of chain link fence that they usually use, he said, but he thought there might be an opportunity for something more creative, if AAPAC wants to explore that possibility.

Marsha Chamberlin noted that the project could serve as a prototype for other fencing in the city. At the suggestion of AAPAC chair Bob Miller, Chamberlin volunteered to serve as the commission’s point person on this possible project.

Communications & Commentary: Public Commentary

Jeff Hayner attended the June 26 meeting and spoke at the final opportunity for public commentary. Bob Miller, AAPAC’s chair, reported that he had talked with Hayner at the recent Green Fair, and had encouraged Hayner to attend an AAPAC meeting.

Noting that there were two vacancies on AAPAC, Hayner encouraged commissioners to reach out and fill those positions. He noted that he serves on the board of the Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop, and they’re also working to fill some vacancies.

By way of background, Nick Zagar was appointed in March 2013 to replace Theresa Reid, for a term ending Dec. 31, 2015. Reid had resigned mid-term. Also in March, Ashlee Arder was appointed to replace Cathy Gendron for a term ending Jan. 20, 2016. Gendron had been reappointed at the city council’s Jan. 7, 2013 meeting, but resigned soon after that.

Wiltrud Simbuerger resigned in March, also before the end of her term. Bob Miller had previously reported that Maureen Devine’s name has been submitted to mayor John Hieftje, who is responsible for making nominations to most of the city’s advisory boards and commissions. Devine is art coordinator for the University of Michigan’s North Campus Research Complex (NCRC). However, Hieftje has not yet put forward her nomination.

Nor has anyone been nominated to replace a position previously held by Tony Derezinski. Along with Gendron and Connie Brown, Derezinski been nominated at the council’s Dec. 17, 2012 meeting for reappointment to serve terms ending Jan. 20, 2016. Both Gendron and Brown were reappointed at the council’s Jan. 7, 2013 meeting, but Derezinski’s name had been crossed out and the position he held remains vacant.

During his public commentary, Hayner also asked some clarificational questions about the city’s public art funding, and encouraged the commission to provide as much information as possible about its work. All taxpayers are stakeholders, he noted, adding that it had been very difficult for him to find out about AAPAC’s activities.

Commissioners present: Ashlee Arder, Connie Brown, Marsha Chamberlin, John Kotarski, Bob Miller, Malverne Winborne. Also: Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, and Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator.

Absent: Nick Zagar.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. in the basement conference room at city hall, 301 E. Huron St. [Check Chronicle events listing to confirm date]

The Chronicle relies in part on regular voluntary subscriptions to support our artful coverage of public entities like the Ann Arbor public art commission. Click this link for details: Subscribe to The Chronicle.

Jim Cogswell was chosen for the “Enchanted Beanstalk” at the new University of Michigan C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital. The large-scale piece covers 660 windows on eight floors of the hospital, featuring imagery cut from vinyl. Cogswell is an Arthur F. Thurnau professor at UM’s School of Art & Design. [image of "Enchanted Beanstalk"]

David Zinn makes chalk drawings on sidewalks and other surfaces throughout Ann Arbor, with distinct characters like Sluggo, a green creature with antenna eyeballs. His website describes his approach this way: “In essence, the bulk of my daily life consists of scheming happily in my studio until nice weather drives me to cover nearby sidewalks with joyfully pointless chalk art.” [image of Zinn's chalk art]

Margaret Parker is being recognized for “her instrumental role in advancing public art in the city and service with the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission,” according to the city’s press release. She was an advocate for the creation of Ann Arbor’s Percent for Art program, and served as the art commission’s first chair for several years.

Draft of a schematic showing the Ann Arbor public art commission's process, from ideas through implementation. Other steps include decision-making, task force work, artist proposals, and selection. The flow chart is being designed by Hannah Nathans, a University of Michigan undergraduate who's working as an intern with the city. (Photos by the writer.)

Ideas included public art at the planned South State and Ellsworth roundabout, projects in underserved neighborhoods, the traffic island at the Washtenaw split with East Stadium, the dog park at Ellsworth and Platt, the non-motorized path along Washtenaw Avenue, and the skatepark at Veterans Memorial Park. About $500,000 is available in unallocated Percent for Art funds, with an estimated $200,000 to $300,000 coming in to the program annually from upcoming capital projects.

The discussion led some commissioners to speculate on the possibility of changing the composition of AAPAC to increase the number of commissioners, so that more people would be available to handle the work. Another possibility  they discussed was making the public art administrator’s job a full-time position. Currently, the public art administrator’s job is defined as 20 hours per week, with additional hours added for management of specific projects. After some discussion, it seems unlikely that commissioners will pursue either of those options at this time.

The commission handled two action items during the May 23 meeting. Connie Rizzolo Brown was recommended to represent AAPAC on a new city task force for the North Main/Huron River corridor. The task force had been established by the city council at its May 7, 2012 meeting with 10 members, then expanded at the council’s May 21 meeting to include four additional members. The council vote to add an AAPAC representative had passed on a 6-5 split, with some councilmembers concerned that the group was getting too large.

At their May 23 meeting, art commissioners also voted to fully fund the mural project at Allmendinger Park for $12,000. Previously, an initial $10,000 budget later had been increased to $12,000, with $7,200 of that amount to be paid for with a grant from the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. But the city council first must formally accept the grant, and that’s not expected to happen until its June 18 meeting. Meanwhile, Percent for Art funds will be allocated to the project so that a contract can be executed with artist Mary Thiefels. The foundation grant will eventually reimburse the program for this project.

Also discussed at Wednesday’s meeting were the upcoming Golden Paintbrush awards, which will likely be presented at the city council’s June 18 meeting. The awards recognize local contributions to public art. This year, former AAPAC chair Margaret Parker will be among those artists honored.

North Main/Huron River Task Force

At the Ann Arbor city council’s May 21 meeting, councilmember Tony Derezinski (Ward 2) lobbied successfully to add a member of the city’s public art commission to a task force that had been created by council to study the corridor along North Main Street and the Huron River. Derezinski is also a member of AAPAC.

The task force was established by the city council at its May 7, 2012 meeting, with 10 members in the following areas: one member of the park advisory commission, one member of the planning commission, one resident representing the Water Hill neighborhood, one resident representing the North Central neighborhood, one resident from the Old Fourth Ward, one resident representing the Broadway/Pontiac neighborhood, two business and property owners from the affected area, and one member of the Huron River Watershed Council.

At its May 21 meeting, the two sponsors of the resolution that created the task force – Ward 1 councilmembers Sabra Briere and Sandi Smith – proposed adding three additional representatives: a member of the city council, someone from the boating/fishing community of river users, and a representative from the Huron River Citizens Association.

Derezinski then proposed an amendment to add an AAPAC member to the task force, too. After some discussion – and concerns that the task force was growing too large – the AAPAC addition was passed by council on a 6-5 vote.

At AAPAC’s May 23 meeting, Derezinski told commissioners that “basically, we need someone at the table.”

Connie Rizzolo Brown, pictured here at AAPAC's April 2012 meeting, volunteered to be the commission's representative on a North Main/Huron River corridor task force.

The task force is charged with delivering a report to the city council more than a year from now (by July 31, 2013) that describes “a vision to create/complete/enhance pedestrian and bike connection from downtown to Bandemer and Huron River Drive, increase public access to the river-side amenities of existing parks in the North Main-Huron River corridor, ease traffic congestion at Main and Depot at certain times of a day and recommend use of MichCon property at Broadway; …”

Earlier than the due date for the main main report is a Dec. 31, 2012 deadline for the task force to make recommendations on the use of the city-owned 721 N. Main parcel.

AAPAC chair Marsha Chamberlin noted that several commissioners had expressed interest in being on the task force. Cathy Gendron, who’s been talking with developer Bill Martin about a possible public/private partnership along the North Main corridor, said she probably shouldn’t do it since her term ends later this year and she’s not seeking reappointment. Gendron has served on AAPAC since its formation in 2008.

Connie Rizzolo Brown, who has served on AAPAC since early 2009, noted that her term also ends in December 2012, but she wanted to volunteer for the task force. She is a principal of Rizzolo Brown Studio, an Ann Arbor architectural design firm. Chamberlin noted that Brown – who leads AAPAC’s projects committee – has been interested in gateway projects for a long time.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously voted to recommend that Connie Rizzolo Brown be nominated for a position on a task force to study the corridor along North Main Street and the Huron River. That recommendation will be forwarded to mayor John Hieftje. Appointments are expected to be made at the council’s June 4 meeting.

Funding for Allmendinger Mural

Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, brought forward an item asking the commission to allocate full funding to the Allmendinger mural project from the Percent for Art program. AAPAC selected Ann Arbor muralist Mary Thiefels of TreeTown Murals for the project at its Jan. 25, 2012 meeting. An initial $10,000 budget later had been increased to $12,000, with $7,200 of that amount to be paid for with a grant from the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation.

However, the foundation grant must first be formally accepted by the Ann Arbor city council, and that hasn’t happened yet, Seagraves said. It is expected to be on the council’s June 18 agenda. In order to move ahead with the project and execute a contract with Thiefels, Seagraves asked commissioners to approve full funding of the project from Percent for Art funds, with the understanding that $7,200 of the funding would be reimbursed with the community foundation grant after it’s accepted by the council.

Wiltrud Simbuerger, who leads the mural task force, said Thiefels has already started working on the project, even without a contract. Marsha Chamberlin noted that AAPAC had been contacted by the community foundation regarding the grant about a year ago – it’s taken a long time to process.

Thiefel’s project includes working with local schools and incorporating ideas from students into her design – creating  mosaics at the top and bottom of pillars on the building at Allmendinger Park. This is the first mural in a pilot program that AAPAC hopes will eventually create several murals in city neighborhoods. The commission’s annual art plan for fiscal year 2013 – which begins July 1, 2012 – allocates an additional $40,000 to fund two more murals. No locations or artists have been selected for those projects.

Outcome: Commissioners approved funding for the Allmendinger mural, with planned reimbursement from the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation grant.

Communications: Golden Paintbrush Awards, Townie Party

During her report from the public relations committee, Cathy Gendron gave an update on plans for the Golden Paintbrush awards. The annual awards are presented at a city council meeting and recognize local contributions to public art. Though all of the winners have not been publicly announced, AAPAC’s discussion made it clear that one of the awards will be given to Margaret Parker, AAPAC’s former chair who left the commission when her term ended last year.

Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, indicated that he hadn’t yet been able to confirm that the awards were on the June 4 city council agenda. Marsha Chamberlin, AAPAC’s chair, told commissioners that Seagraves wouldn’t be able to attend the June 4 meeting because he’ll be out of town – he’s getting married on June 2. Commissioners discussed moving the awards to the June 18 meeting, to accommodate his schedule. He said he’d check with the award winners to see if they can attend on the 18th, and also if it’s possible to place the presentation on the city council agenda for that meeting.

After the city council presentation, a reception for the Golden Paintbrush winners is planned in the atrium of city hall, at 301 E. Huron. Commissioners discussed inviting others who’ve been instrumental in public art activities, including members of various AAPAC task forces.

Gendron also noted that the PR committee is preparing for this year’s Townie Street Party, held on Monday, July 16 at Ingalls Mall. It’s an annual event hosted by the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair prior to the art fairs, which this year run from July 18-21. Gendron hoped that other commissioners would help shoot video at the party, talking to people about why public art is important.

Bob Miller noted that he’d been recruited to AAPAC as the result of meeting commissioner Malverne Winborne at last year’s Townie Street Party.

Communications: Update from City Council

In addition to the discussion about the North Main corridor task force, Tony Derezinski told commissioners that the May 21 city council meeting had included a proposed budget amendment that would have “tickled” the public art commission’s work. But that amendment was defeated, he said. [For a close look at budget deliberations on this and other amendments, see Chronicle coverage: "Debate Details: Ann Arbor FY 2013 Budget."]

The budget amendment, brought forward by Stephen Kunselman (Ward 3) and Jane Lumm (Ward 2), would have eliminated $307,299 in transfers to public art. It was rejected on a 2-9 vote, with support only from Kunselman and Lumm. It stipulated that the transfers from various city funds into the public art fund would not take place, “notwithstanding city code” – a reference to the city’s Percent for Art ordinance. The Percent for Art ordinance requires that 1% of all capital improvement projects, up to a cap of $250,000 per capital project, be set aside for public art. The amendment would have prevented the transfer of $60,649 out of the drinking water fund, $22,400 out of the stormwater fund, $101,750 out of the sewer fund, and $122,500 out of the street millage fund.

The council had re-debated its public art ordinance most recently at its May 7, 2012 meeting, in the context of a sculpture for the Justice Center lobby, which was ultimately approved.

At AAPAC’s May 23 meeting, Derezinski said he’d told his fellow councilmembers that this amendment was part of a continued way of “nibbling us by ducks” – alluding to other previous attempts to scale back the Percent for Art program. He said he would have used the expression “death by a thousand cuts,” but felt that was too bloody for the council.

Strategic Planning

Commissioners spent much of their May 23 meeting talking about strategic planning, picking up on a four-hour retreat they had held in April. [See Chronicle coverage: "Shaping Ann Arbor's Public Art Landscape."] They had originally intended to schedule a second retreat, but opted instead for tackling the topic at a regular meeting.

AAPAC chair Marsha Chamberlin began by saying that although the commission has previously talked about developing a master plan, she felt that the term “strategic plan” was more appropriate and was a better way to capture what AAPAC was trying to do. She brought a draft of a strategic plan, as a way to start the discussion. [.pdf draft strategic plan]

Wiltrud Simbuerger proposed thinking of the strategic plan in terms of a plan of action. That might include allocating a certain percentage of funds to particular types of projects – gateway projects, or public art in neighborhoods, for example. Another approach would be to allocate percentages of funding to large, medium or small projects, as defined by budget size. She’d also like to see a mix of long-term and short-term projects, and for AAPAC to be proactive in their work, not just responsive to proposals that are submitted by others.

Cathy Gendron expressed some concern about whether the allocation of funds to a certain type of project would dictate its size. Does that tie AAPAC’s hands? Simbuerger said the intent would be to guide AAPAC’s work generally, but that they could stray from those general strategies based on community input or when opportunities arise.

Bob Miller asked about the funding outlook – what are the projects for Percent for Art revenues next year? Theresa Reid pointed to the city’s capital improvements plan (CIP), saying there are more than $1 billion worth of projects in that. She said AAPAC should be made aware of things like the CIP, which could directly impact their work. [While it's true that the most recent CIP – for the fiscal years 2013-2018 – identifies $1.13 billion in projects over that period, funding for a large portion of those projects has not been identified. To some extent, the CIP is considered a "wish list" of projects that city staff believe are needed. (.pdf of FY2013-2018 CIP)]

Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, said that in general, he’d estimate the Percent for Art program would bring in between $200,000 to $300,000 annually. [The program currently has about $500,000 in funds that have not yet been allocated to specific projects. About $629,000 in additional funds are set aside for projects that are underway, as summarized in the annual plan that AAPAC approved at its March 2012 meeting. (.pdf of FY 2013 annual public art plan)]

Gendron cautioned that commissioners need to keep in mind the constraints of the funding sources. [A percent of the budget for each city capital project – up to $250,000 per project – goes toward public art. But money earmarked for the Percent for Art program must be used for public art that somehow relates to the original funding source. For example, the Herbert Dreiseitl water sculpture in front of city hall was paid for in part using Percent for Art funds from stormwater capital projects, because the city contends that the sculpture is "related to the purposes" of the stormwater fund.]

Commissioners spent a portion of the session brainstorming about projects they’d like to get started in the next three years. Suggestions included public art at the planned South State and Ellsworth roundabout, projects in underserved neighborhoods, the traffic island at the Washtenaw/East Stadium split, the dog park at Ellsworth and Platt, the non-motorized path along Washtenaw Avenue, and the skatepark at Veterans Memorial Park.

Also discussed was the typology of projects that AAPAC would like to pursue. Ideas included projects that are interactive, creative and connective with the community. Connie Rizzolo Brown cautioned that the commission shouldn’t be too specific in its direction, however. Development of specific projects should be the purview of task forces that are created for that purpose, and for the artists who are selected, she said.

Reid suggested that over the next month, commissioners should circulate more ideas via email to discuss at their June meeting. She also said she worried about capacity. With only nine commissioners and a part-time administrator, how much work could they shoulder? There was some discussion about the process of adding commissioners – it would require the city council to amend the Percent for Art ordinance, which sets forth the number of AAPAC members. Brown ventured that councilmembers might not be inclined to do that. [Tony Derezinski, who serves on both AAPAC and city council, had left the meeting early and was not part of the discussion at this point.]

Chamberlin noted that although the position of public art administrator is only a 20-hour-per-week job, Seagraves can also work additional hours as project manager for specific art projects. A project manager’s hours are funded from the Percent for Art dollars allocated to those projects. For example, Seagraves will be the project manager for the art installation at the Justice Center, which was approved by city council at its May 7, 2012 meeting.

Miller asked whether it would be possible to make the public art administrator’s job a regular 40-hour-per-week position. Chamberlin said it would take a lot of politicking and lobbying of city council, and it’s not likely something AAPAC should pursue at this point. However, as more projects are completed and councilmembers view the program as successful, she said, the council could probably see a rationale for making it a full-time job. Miller noted that if the administrator works more hours, AAPAC can get more accomplished.

Commissioners present: Connie Rizzolo Brown, Marsha Chamberlin, Tony Derezinski, Cathy Gendron, Bob Miller, Theresa Reid, Wiltrud Simbuerger. Also Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator.

Absent: John Kotarski, Malverne Winborne.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at 4:30 p.m. at city hall, 301 E. Huron St. [Check Chronicle events listing to confirm date]

The Chronicle relies in part on regular voluntary subscriptions to support our artful coverage of publicly-funded programs like the Percent for Art, which is overseen by the Ann Arbor public art commission. Click this link for details: Subscribe to The Chronicle.

Signs designed by the Ann Arbor public art commission's public relations committee, featuring a QR code for smart phones that directs people to AAPAC's website. (Photos by the writer.)

Seagraves, who started his job earlier this month, had already attended a neighborhood forum for a proposed mural project at Allmendinger Park – five residents showed up, he reported.

That low attendance reflected one theme touching several topics throughout this month’s AAPAC meeting – the need to get the word out about various public art projects. Three nominations had been received so far for the annual Golden Paintbrush awards, with a deadline of May 30. And only two people had responded to a request seeking artists for public art in the lobby of the city’s new municipal center, at the corner of Fifth and Huron. A deadline for submission has been extended through mid-July, in hopes that additional artists will respond.

Commissioners also got updates on the Herbert Dreiseitl sculpture – expected to be installed in front of the renovated city hall in August – and on plans for public art in the proposed Fuller Road Station. Though Fuller Road Station hasn’t been formally approved, a task force is working on placing public art at the structure. The station will be a large parking facility, bus depot and possible train station that would be jointly built by the city of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan.

Finally, commissioners wrapped up the meeting with their only action item: Electing Malverne Winborne as vice chair.

New Public Art Administrator

The part-time position of public art administrator has been vacant for almost a year, after Katherine Talcott, who was hired in early 2009, took the job of art project manager for the city.

Aaron Seagraves, the city of Ann Arbor's new public art administrator.

Aaron Seagraves signed a one-year contract last week for the job, which will average about 20 hours per week.

Seagraves grew up in the Manchester/Clinton/Irish Hills area, and graduated from Northern Michigan University in 2000 with a bachelors degree in drawing and painting. He attended graduate school at the University of Oregon, and in 2009 received a masters degree in arts administration. While working on his graduate degree, Seagraves was the visual arts coordinator for the student union. He joined AmeriCorps in October, working on a children’s health insurance enrollment initiative at the community health center in Jackson, where he lives.

Commissioners welcomed him enthusiastically – at previous meetings, they’ve frequently talked about the need for someone to fill that position.

Annual Public Art Plans: 2011, 2012

At their April meeting, AAPAC had approved its 2012 annual art plan. On Wednesday, Marsha Chamberlin, the commission’s chair, checked to make sure it had been sent to the city council. She was checking because AAPAC was told last month that the city council had never officially approved the 2011 annual art plan. The plan is a document that outlines the year’s anticipated projects funded by the city’s Percent for Art program – by ordinance, it must be submitted annually to city council.

Last year, AAPAC had turned the plan over to city staff, but it never appeared on the council’s agenda. The fact that the city council never acted on the 2011 plan resulted in a lengthy discussion at AAPAC’s April meeting about what that meant for ongoing projects. [See Chronicle coverage: "What's Next for Public Mural Program?"]

On Wednesday, Venita Harrison, a city management assistant who’s been a liaison between AAPAC and the city’s administration, reported that both the 2011 and 2012 annual plans were submitted for initial consideration at the council’s June 6 meeting, with a vote expected on July 6.

Chamberlin asked what the expectations are of AAPAC – should representatives attend the council meeting? Margaret Parker, the commission’s previous chair, said it would be good to attend, in case there are any questions. It’s perhaps even more important to attend, because at least one councilmember has raised questions about the new mural pilot program, she said. Chamberlin suggested that Seagraves also attend the city council meeting, to introduce himself in person to councilmembers.

Public Relations: Golden Paintbrush, Townie Party

Cathy Gendron gave a report from the public relations committee. AAPAC’s redesigned website, long in the works, has been launched, she said. It prominently features an image of a QR code – a marking similar to a bar code, which can be read by smart phones – that directs people to AAPAC’s website. That same image is used in fliers that will be going up around town – “although the rain has been a bit of a problem,” Gendron said. She credited Janice Milhem and Annie Wolock, who serve on the PR committee, for designing the fliers. She also thanked Nancy Stone of the city’s communications staff for assisting with the website redesign.

The website highlights nominations for the annual Golden Paintbrush awards, which recognize local contributions to public art. [.pdf file of nomination form] So far, there are only three nominations, Gendron said, with one more likely to come. The deadline to apply is May 30, but since that’s the Memorial Day holiday, they’ll accept nominations on May 31, Gendron said. She urged commissioners to get the word out about the nominations.

Elaine Sims asked whether artwork that’s been commissioned through the Percent for Art program can be nominated – what if someone from the public nominates a piece? Commissioners weren’t sure, but said it was something they should discuss.

Margaret Parker questioned how the voting would work. Gendron explained that commissioners would vote through an online poll, as they did last year. Parker wondered whether that was appropriate – shouldn’t the vote on the awards happen at a public meeting? After some discussion about whether picking the Golden Paintbrush winners via an online vote might violate the Michigan Open Meetings Act, commissioners asked Venita Harrison, a liaison with the city administration, to check and report back to them about it.

Marsha Chamberlin, chair of the Ann Arbor public art commission, also serves as president of the Ann Arbor Art Center.

Gendron reported that the PR committee is planning for a table in the “Creative Commons” section of the July 18 Townie Party, an event for local residents held by the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair. The party takes place before the official start of the Ann Arbor art fairs. This year, the art fairs run from July 20-23. Commissioners discussed the need to do something more engaging at AAPAC’s table this year, and floated the idea of creating large cutouts of art in which people could insert their faces and be photographed.

The committee is also working on the dedication of a sculpture at West Park, which will be held in conjunction with the park’s re-opening on June 19 from noon-4 p.m. West Park recently received extensive renovations, and the Percent for Art program funded public art there – two metal tree sculptures by Traven Pelletier, located in the new tiered seating near the band shell. Gendron said it would be good if commissioners could attend – Marsha Chamberlin will likely make some brief remarks.

Margaret Parker asked who’s working on a dedication for the Herbert Dreiseitl water sculpture, to be installed in front of the renovated city hall and new justice center at Fifth and Huron. Gendron noted that there’s not yet a firm date for the sculpture’s installation – the date keeps getting pushed back, and is now expected to occur in August. Chamberlin said she thought a dedication might happen this fall.

Projects: Dreiseitl, Justice Center, Fuller Road, Murals

Commissioners reviewed a new project tracking chart that Malverne Winborne developed, and discussed the logistics of how it would be updated each month. They also got updates on several public art projects.

Projects: Fuller Road Station

Connie Brown, who chairs the projects committee, gave an update on the public art task force for Fuller Road Station, a joint project between the city of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan to build a large parking structure, bus depot and possibly a train station on Fuller Road, near the UM medical campus. [For a recent status report on the overall project, see Chronicle coverage: "PAC Gets Update on Fuller Road Station"]

Brown said the task force has been working on a budget, looking at what would remain for the artist after subtracting administrative fees, contingencies and other items. As a capital project, the budget for Fuller Road Station includes $250,000 set aside for the city’s Percent for Art program, to pay for public art on the site. Brown said additional funding for public art will be provided by UM.

Responding to a query from Elaine Simms, Brown listed members of the task force: Brown and Cathy Gendron (AAPAC members), Doug Koepsell (UM project design manager), Larry Cressman (UM representative and former AAPAC member), Connie Pulcipher (city of Ann Arbor staff), Dave Dykman (city of Ann Arbor staff, Fuller Road Station project manager), and Angela Pierro (public representative).

Brown said that before they issued a statement of qualifications (SOQ) for the project, she wanted to know if there were any lessons they could learn from the recent SOQ issued for artwork at the municipal center. It hadn’t received much interest – only two artists responded.

Projects: Justice Center

Margaret Parker, who heads the task force for the municipal center public art, pointed out that the new building next to city hall was now being called the “justice center.” She wanted to know why the city issued an SOQ, rather than an RFQ (request for qualifications). Venita Harrison said that it’s standard for the city – the West Park public art project had been issued as an SOQ too, she noted.

Several commissioners said they hadn’t encountered the term before, and wondered whether the artist community was familiar with it. Harrison said the city followed the same procedure as they did for the West Park public art project, regarding terminology and distribution. [The SOQ form can be downloaded from AAPAC's website.]

Parker noted that two major websites – for the Arts Alliance and ArtServe – hadn’t posted the SOQ. Harrison said both organizations had been sent the item for posting.

After additional discussion, the group decided to extend the deadline from May 31 to mid-July.

Parker was also concerned that no selection committee has been set up for the project – she thought the city would be taking over. “I don’t know who expects whom to do what,” she said. The general consensus from other commissioners was that it’s the role of the task force, which Parker chairs, to handle the selection process.

There was some discussion about whether to stagger the issuance of the SOQ for Fuller Road Station, now that the deadline was pushed back for the justice center. In determining a timeline, Harrison advised factoring in a month for the city attorney’s office to review the SOQ.

Parker asked Seagraves to write an email that could be sent out with the justice center SOQ for broader distribution, one “that’s appealing and in language that’s not acronyms.” He agreed to do that.

Parker expressed uncertainty about whether the task force should serve as the selection committee, or whether a separate selection committee should be recruited. Other commissioners advised her to reconvene the task force and allow that group to decide whether they want to take on that job. Parker agreed to update AAPAC at the June meeting.

Projects: Dreiseitl

A written update from Ken Clein on the Herbert Dreiseitl project was included in the May meeting packet, but received little discussion among commissioners at the meeting. Clein is a principal with Ann Arbor-based Quinn Evans Architects, the building’s project manager. [.pdf of full report]

Casting of the bronze sculpture is expected to occur during the first week of June. The walls that will support the sculpture will be done in early June, with installation of the work anticipated for August.

This was the first major project commissioned by the city through the Percent for Art program, which sets aside 1% of all capital projects – up to a cap of $250,000 – to be used for public art. Last year, the city council approved a budget of $737,820 for the piece. The city had previously paid Dreiseitl $77,000 in preliminary design fees.

Dreiseitl’s sculpture will be on the exterior of the municipal center – the term used to describe the city hall building and the adjacent justice center, which recently opened and houses the Ann Arbor police department and 15th District Court.

Projects: Murals

Parker asked for an update on the mural project being led by Jeff Meyers, who did not attend the meeting – a neighborhood forum for one of the two proposed mural sites, on Huron Parkway, was being held that same evening.

Seagraves reported that he had attended the neighborhood forum for the other proposed site, at Allmendinger Park. Five residents had attended, and he said they were very positive about the project. He reported that the turnout was likely low because postcards mailed to residents announcing the May 18 forum weren’t sent out in time – there’d been a problem with the printer.

Election: Vice Chair

The meeting’s one action item was to elect Malverne Winborne as AAPAC’s vice chair. The position has been vacant since December 2009.

Malverne Winborne was elected vice chair of the Ann Arbor public art commission at its May 25 meeting.

Marsha Chamberlin had been elected chair at AAPAC’s April meeting after serving as acting chair for several months. Former chair Margaret Parker, who still serves on the commission, stepped down as chair in December 2010. She had attempted to relinquish the job for more than a year, but no one wanted to fill that role, or the role of the vice chair.

At this month’s meeting, Chamberlin introduced the topic by saying she’d heard that Winborne had agreed to take the job of vice chair. “Where’d you hear that?” he teased. After Chamberlin noted that she’d been elected at a meeting she didn’t attend, Winborne laughed and said, “I’ll do it!” He received a round of applause.

Winborne, an Ann Arbor resident, is director of Eastern Michigan University’s Charter Schools Office. He was appointed to AAPAC in October 2010.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously voted to elect Malverne Winborne as vice chair.

Commissioners present: Connie Brown, Marsha Chamberlin, Cathy Gendron, Margaret Parker, Elaine Sims, Malverne Winborne. Also Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public arts administrator, and Venita Harrison, a city management assistant.

Absent: Jeff Meyers, Wiltrud Simbuerger, Cheryl Zuellig.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, June 22 at 4:30 p.m., in the basement conference room at city hall, 301 E. Huron St. [confirm date]

Purely a plug: The Chronicle relies in part on regular voluntary subscriptions to support our coverage of publicly-funded programs like the Percent for Art, which is overseen by the Ann Arbor public art commission. Click this link for details: Subscribe to The Chronicle.

One of two metal tree sculptures near the band shell in West Park, funded by Ann Arbor's Percent for Art program. The tree sculpture stands about 10 feet tall, and is located on tiered seating that's built into the hill across from the band shell. (Photos by the writer.)

At issue was the fact that the 2011 annual public art plan, which includes the mural pilot program, was never officially approved by Ann Arbor city council. Though the plan was approved last year by AAPAC and forwarded to city staff, it was never placed on council’s agenda.

Some commissioners questioned whether approval of the plan is needed, noting that the West Park public art project – which was also in the 2011 plan – moved ahead and was actually completed last fall. Ultimately, it appears the mural program can move forward with plans to hold public meetings regarding proposed sites in Allmendinger Park and along Huron Parkway, but no contracts can be signed with artists until the council approves the newest annual plan – for fiscal year 2012, which begins July 1. AAPAC approved that plan at the April 27 meeting.

In other business, the West Park art project was brought up again as a separate item of discussion – commissioners learned that the project had incurred $5,438 more in expenses than had been budgeted, because of unanticipated administrative costs.

The commission also got updates on: (1) the Herbert Dreiseitl water sculpture, which is expected to be installed in front of the municipal center in August; and (2) public art being planned for the proposed Fuller Road Station.

Commissioners also discussed promoting the annual Golden Paintbrush awards – nominations are being sought to recognize local contributions to public art. Nomination forms can be downloaded from AAPAC’s website, and are due May 30.

In its final action of the meeting, AAPAC elected Marsha Chamberlin as chair, though she did not attend the meeting. She has served as acting chair for several months, and had agreed to step into the permanent role.

Mural Program: What’s the Plan?

During an update on the mural pilot program, which AAPAC approved at its Nov. 9, 2010 meeting, Jeff Meyers noted that the commission had held a special meeting and approved the budget and two sites recommended by the mural task force. [See previous Chronicle coverage: "Art Commission Votes Again on Mural Sites," "Public Art Group Picks Two Mural Sites" and "Public Art Mural Program in the Works"]

Meyers reported that he had made a presentation about the project at the April 26 meeting of the city’s park advisory commission, because the proposed sites – on a building in Allmendinger Park and on a retaining wall along Huron Parkway, near Huron Hills golf course – were either in or adjacent to city parks. Public meetings on May 18 and May 25 are planned to get community input, he said, and then the task force will move to the request for qualifications (RFQ) stage to start the artist selection process. [No additional details about the times or locations of those meetings are yet available. Update: A meeting for the mural proposed at Allmendinger Park’s shelter structure will be held on Wednesday, May 18 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Allmendinger Park shelter. A meeting for the northern retaining wall on the east side of Huron Parkway will be held Wednesday, May 25 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Huron Hills Golf Course, 3465 E. Huron River Drive.]

Meyers asked about who would take responsibility for the RFQ. When told the task force would need to handle it, Meyers said it seemed untenable that if you championed a project, you’d need to write the RFQ. Cathy Gendron offered the West Park RFQ as a template.

Cheryl Zuellig noted that when the city hires a public art administrator, the task force would coordinate with that person on the RFQ. [The city is in the process of hiring a public art administrator. That part-time job has been vacant since mid-2010.] The administrator would put together the RFQ with input and feedback from the task force. It would ultimately be approved by AAPAC before being issued.

At this point Venita Harrison – a management assistant who works for Sue McCormick, the city’s public services administrator, and who currently serves as support staff to AAPAC – mentioned that there might be a problem with the mural program. The city council had never officially approved the 2011 public art plan, she said – until that happened, her understanding was that the project couldn’t move forward.

She said the process of getting city council approval likely fell through the cracks during the transition last year, after former public art administrator Katherine Talcott stepped down from that role. More recently, a councilmember had read media reports about the mural program and raised questions about who had authorized it, Harrison said. They tried to find a record of when the city council had approved the 2011 annual plan – which included the mural program – but the plan didn’t turn up in records of council proceedings.

Harrison noted that McCormick had sent an email to her and to Marsha Chamberlin, acting AAPAC chair, earlier that day to explain the situation. [.pdf of McCormick's email]

Several commissioners then questioned whether city council approval of the plan was needed in order for a program like this to move forward. Cheryl Zuellig noted that the plan serves as a guideline, but doesn’t prevent them from taking on other projects. Meyers pointed to the West Park public art project, which was also in the 2011 plan and had already been completed.

Elaine Sims observed that the mural projects also fell below the $25,000 threshold required for approval by the council.

Harrison said the only thing that might change is the timeline for the mural program, which might have to be pushed back until after the council approves AAPAC’s 2012 annual plan in June or July.

Meyers replied that he didn’t feel they needed to delay, and that he’d move ahead with the public meetings for the mural sites unless he received a directive from the city not to do that. If it turns out that AAPAC can’t move ahead on projects until the council approves AAPAC’s next annual plan, they might as well not meet again until that happens, he said. Zuellig agreed.

Malverne Winborne, one of the newer commissioners, suggested that they develop a flow chart to outline these processes, including the annual plan and a separate annual report that’s also required under the Percent for Art ordinance. “I’m totally confused now,” he said.

Meyers noted that it seems like at every turn, there’s new information that prevents projects from moving forward. Noting that they volunteer their time as commissioners, he indicated that at some point, it wouldn’t be worth the time if they can’t get anything accomplished.

The relevant section of the city ordinance establishing the Percent for Art program, approved by the city council in 2007, states:

1:837 – Oversight body.
(1) The oversight body shall be the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission as established by section 1:238 of chapter 8.
(2) The oversight body shall:
(A) Promulgate guidelines, subject to the approval of city council, to implement the provisions of this chapter, including procedures for soliciting and selecting public art and for determining suitable locations for public art;
(B) By April 1 of each year, submit to city council a plan detailing potential projects and desirable goals to be pursued in the next fiscal year;

[.pdf file of Public Art ordinance]

Zuellig said it seemed like the role of the board chair to get further direction from McCormick on this issue. Meyers again wondered how the mural projects differed from the West Park project, which had been allowed to move forward.

AAPAC commissioner Margaret Parker: "It's public art – it's not fast art."

Margaret Parker, who had served as AAPAC chair until December 2010, noted that the public art in West Park had been a small part of a much larger effort – a major renovation of the park. In the case of the murals, it was a totally new program, she said, and the city council hadn’t been informed of it. She said she wanted to plead for patience, and an understanding that things don’t always happen as they’d like. “It’s public art – it’s not fast art,” she said.

Zuellig observed that the mural program has been discussed at public meetings for months. The Fuller Road Station project is in the same situation, she said. She offered to communicate with Chamberlin – the acting AAPAC chair who did not attend the meeting – and ask her to seek clarification from McCormick.

Gendron noted that if the mural task force has to wait until June or July to put out an RFQ, that will essentially postpone the whole project an entire year.

Meyers agreed, adding: “This is the hardest $20,000 we’ve ever spent.” [AAPAC has budgeted $10,000 for each mural site.]

The following day, Chamberlin sent an email to commissioners and The Chronicle, saying that she had spoken to McCormick and they had agreed on the following:

If the mural project was included in the 2011 plan, that plan was never presented to council and therefore not approved. That process should have occurred last June/July, BUT it is water over the dam.

We have a plan that you all approved last night, and it will go to council very soon. Council could approve or postpone the approval of the plan. Sue feels the latest it will be approved is June 6, but let’s let the process take its course.

In the meantime, all activity in support of the mural project can move forward – we just cannot get contracts until after the plan is approved.

2012 Annual Art Plan

In introducing the topic of the annual plan after discussion of the mural program, Cheryl Zuellig described it as the “now-more-important-than-ever 2012 public art plan.” [.pdf of draft FY2012 annual plan at start of AAPAC's April 27 meeting]

The plan was developed at an AAPAC retreat in March, facilitated by Connie Pulcipher of the city’s systems planning staff. What emerged from that discussion was a list of 11 projects, which were supported by those who attended the retreat, Zuellig said. Jeff Meyers clarified that they couldn’t have voted on the plan at that March retreat because it wasn’t a regular meeting of the commission.

The group then did a fair amount of wordsmithing on the items. They kept all but one from the original draft. In general terms, the projects in the plan are:

1. Exterior art at the justice center/city hall
2. Interior art at the justice center/city hall
3. Re-installation of the Kamrowski mural in the justice center/city hall
4. Public art project at the Fuller Road Station
5. Mural pilot program
6. River Art Trail, including the Gallup Canoe Livery and Argo Headrace
7. Mural on the Manchester Road elevated water tank
8. Public art at Stadium Bridges
9. Sun Dragon repairs/replacement at Fuller Pool
10. Public art at bus stops, in collaboration with AATA

Wiltrud Simbuerger, AAPAC's newest commissioner.

Commissioners voted unanimously to eliminate an 11th project from the list – to explore project opportunities at County Farm Park, focusing on an educational/interpretative project. Several commissioners said they couldn’t remember discussing this project at the retreat.

Commissioners also designated a “champion” for each project – someone who’ll guide it through the planning process.

Outcome: Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the 2012 annual public art plan. It will now be submitted to the city council for approval.

Budget Report: West Park

Unanticipated expenses for the West Park public art project led to a discussion on Wednesday about how the budgeting process works.

Two metal tree sculptures installed last fall in West Park – the first project completed under the city’s Percent for Art program – incurred $5,438 more in expenses than had been budgeted, according to a budget report discussed at AAPAC’s meeting. [.pdf file of Percent for Art budget as of April 1, 2011] AAPAC was asked to approve the transfer of funds from the parks millage Percent for Art budget line to the West Park project budget line.

The project had a budget of $10,000. A budget report provided at the Nov. 9, 2010 meeting – after the sculpture by artist Traven Pelletier had been installed – indicated that expenditures for the project were $14,890 at that time.

Connie Brown, chair of AAPAC’s projects committee, told commissioners on Wednesday that the extra charges had been a surprise. They were related to hours logged by Katherine Talcott, the city’s former public art administrator who now works as a project manager for the city. Brown said AAPAC had been under the impression that project management for the public art would be handled by Amy Kuras, a city parks planner who was project manager for the recent renovations at West Park.

Several commissioners expressed concern that they hadn’t been informed by city staff to expect these expenses. Cheryl Zuellig said there needs to be an understanding of what will be charged to the project when the budget is set. Otherwise, there’s no accountability and “that’s not a great situation.”

Jeff Meyers agreed, saying there need to be clear budget parameters for each project. For the mural program that he’s leading, Meyers said he was told by Sue McCormick to build in 50% of the budget for project management expenses. But it’s still not clear who’ll be doing the work, he said. For example, when they hire a new public art administrator, does that person’s salary cover project management – or is that an additional expense? [The Percent for Art budget includes a separate line item for administrative expenses.]

View of a metal tree sculpture in West Park.

Meyers said they need to clearly define the art administrator’s duties, to ensure that Percent for Art projects aren’t charged for tasks that should be done by the administrator – otherwise, he said, it seems like double-dipping.

Malverne Winborne suggested asking city staff to report to AAPAC if anything pushes expenses over the amount budgeted for a project. He asked how administrative costs have been handled in other projects, like the work by Herbert Dreiseitl. Zuellig told him it’s been handled differently for each project – that’s why there’s confusion.

Margaret Parker made a motion to transfer the funds from the parks millage Percent for Art budget to the West Park budget. Meyers asked whether the funds had to come from the parks budget. Strategically, he said, perhaps they should consider whether it’s possible to take the funds from a larger pot.

[The Percent for Art program captures 1% from the budget of all city capital projects, to be set aside for public art. As stipulated by the ordinance that governs the Percent for Art program, art projects must relate to the capital projects from which funding is drawn – for example, public art funded by parks must have a parks theme, or be located in a park.]

While the Percent for Art parks millage fund has a remaining balance of $17,479, some of the other funds have a considerably higher balance. The balance for the street millage Percent for Art fund is $409,844, for example.

Connie Brown noted that some of those balances don’t reflect funding that has already been earmarked for other projects. Meyers replied that it’s difficult to plan without knowing what those earmarks are.

Elaine Sims wondered what would happen if they simply didn’t approve the transfer. She said she wasn’t advocating for that, but was curious. Brown noted that the money had already been spent, so the funds needed to be transferred.

Outcome: AAPAC voted unanimously to transfer $5,438 from the parks millage Percent for Art budget to the West Park budget.

Project Updates – Dreiseitl, Fuller Road Station

Commissioners got updates on two major projects during the April 27 meeting: the water sculpture at the city’s new municipal center, and public art at the proposed Fuller Road Station.

Project Updates: Dreiseitl

AAPAC received a written report about the water sculpture they commissioned in 2009 by German artist Herbert Dreiseitl, to be installed in front of the new municipal center at Fifth and Huron.

Herbert Dreiseitl, right, with one of the polystyrene forms that will be used to make sand molds for the sculpture's bronze castings. The sculpture will be installed in front of Ann Arbor's municipal center later this year. To the left is Rick Russel of Future Fence, the company that's fabricating the sculpture. This photo was included in a written report on the project by Ken Clein of Quinn Evans Architects.

The report was submitted by Ken Clein of Quinn Evans Architects, the building’s project manager. [.pdf of full report]

In his report, Clein described how polystyrene forms to make sand molds for the sculpture’s bronze castings have been completed. They were made at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design Fabrication Lab, where Dreiseitl is working as a Loeb Fellow. Other work being done includes final engineering for the sculpture support structure, and preparing a construction bulletin for modifications to plaza lighting and electrical systems.

Clein’s report stated that the sculpture was on track to be in stalled in August. Last year the city council approved a budget of $737,820 for the piece.

Dreiseitl’s sculpture will be on the exterior of the municipal center – the term used to describe the city hall building and the adjacent justice center, which recently opened and houses the Ann Arbor police department and 15th District Court.

At AAPAC’s April 27 meeting, Margaret Parker reported that the city attorney’s office is reviewing language in a request for qualifications (RFQ) that the municipal center public art task force plans to issue for artwork in the lobby of the justice center.

Project Updates: Fuller Road Station

AAPAC commissioners Connie Brown and Cathy Gendron serve on a task force for public art at the proposed Fuller Road Station, a joint city of Ann Arbor/University of Michigan parking structure and bus depot that officials hope will eventually become a train station as well. Although the project has not yet received final approved by the city council, staff from the city and university are moving ahead with the design, including plans for public art. As a capital project, Fuller Road Station includes $250,000 set aside for public art.

Brown provided a written report from the last meeting of the task force. [.pdf of Fuller Road Station public art task force report] The report includes a proposed timeline, which Brown noted will likely be pushed back – they’re waiting for the city attorney’s office to vet the language of a request for qualifications (RFQ) that will be issued for the public art component.

The timeline in the report is as follows:

• May 16, 2011: Call for artists/RFQ issued.
• June 6, 2011: Artists’ RFQ responses due.
• June 30, 2011: RFQ response reviews completed/Notification out to small pool of 3-5 artists. Artists to be paid stipend for proposals.
• July 13, 2011: Informational meeting for small selected pool of 3-5 artists. Artists asked to submit proposals. Artist proposals to include: (1) visual description; (2) demonstration of knowledge of materials and technical competency; (3) cost estimate.
• Aug. 17, 2011: Proposals due/Interviews and artists’ concept presentations.
• Sept. 14, 2011: Artist selected by task force.
• Sept. 28, 2011: Selected artist and proposal presented to AAPAC for vote.
• Oct. 17 or Nov. 7, 2011: AAPAC-approved candidate forwarded to city council for approval.
• December 2011: Negotiate contract.

Gendron showed commissioners a series of slides indicating the potential location for public art at the parking structure. It’s proposed for the north side of the structure, facing Fuller Road, and could include artwork in a landscaped area in front of the building, on glass panels lining the lower level, or in a space above the entrance.

A slide shown at the April 27 meeting of the Ann Arbor public art commission indicates the potential location of public art at the proposed Fuller Road Station. (Links to larger image.)

In light of AAPAC’s earlier discussion regarding administrative costs, Jeff Meyers asked about the budget for this project. Brown said they were backing out administrative costs to arrive at an amount available for the artist – because of that, the actual amount for art would be lower than $250,000, she said. The task force had discussed whether to find additional funding for the artist, she said, possibly from other funding sources in the Percent for Art program.

Cheryl Zuellig clarified that there would potentially be three sites for public art. Brown said those sites would be available, but that the artist could potentially select just one or two of them.

Zuellig said AAPAC learned a lesson from the municipal center project, and that even if an artist proposes three pieces, the artist might not realistically be able to deliver that within the available budget. [Herbert Dreiseitl had originally proposed three thematically-related pieces for art at the municipal center – one exterior, and two interior – but went significantly over budget. Ultimately, AAPAC rejected his two interior pieces, which he had modified to cut costs.] Zuellig felt that they should limit the location to one site.

Meyers said he worried about limiting the artist too early in the process. Brown said there were still a lot of uncertainties regarding the project.

PR Committee: Golden Paintbrush, AAPAC Website

During her report from the public relations committee, Cathy Gendron touched on two major projects: the annual Golden Paintbrush awards, and an overhaul of AAPAC’s website.

Golden Paintbrush Awards

Gendron told commissioners that a press release would be going out the next day to seek nominations for the annual Golden Paintbrush awards, which recognize local contributions to public art. Nomination forms are available on AAPAC’s website, and the deadline for submission has been pushed back to May 30. [.pdf file of Golden Paintbrush nomination form] Gendron reported that they have three nominations so far.

Gendron reported that in preparing a flier to publicize the call for nominations, Janet Milhem – a PR committee member – proposed including a QR code to direct people to AAPAC’s website for more information. Before being distributed, the flier needs to be approved by city staff, Gendron said.

Margaret Parker expressed concern, noting that the nominations being put out were later than usual. She asked for an explanation of a QR code – a marking similar to a bar code, which can be read by smart phones – and said she thought AAPAC should see the fliers for approval too. Since AAPAC is responsible for everything that goes out under its name, she said, they should see it so that no one is surprised. Several commissioners disagreed, with some saying they didn’t want to micromanage the committee’s work. In arguing for the work to be delegated to the committee, Connie Brown noted that this wasn’t a policy decision, nor was money being spent out of Percent for Art funds.

AAPAC Website Redesign

Gendron also gave commissioners a preview of a redesign of AAPAC’s home page, which is part of the city of Ann Arbor’s website. The new page isn’t live yet, but is “very close to launch,” she said. It’s been a work in progress for more than a year.

AAPAC commissioner Cathy Gendron, who's been leading an effort to redesign the group's website. She previewed the redesign at AAPAC's April 27 meeting.

Gendron noted that they were somewhat constrained because they are limited to using the city’s template, and must keep all the information on one page. Within that page, visitors to the site will be able to use navigation bars to go directly to information lower on the page, she said.

The page will include information about the city’s Percent for Art program, AAPAC, current and completed projects, and a link to photos on Flickr. You’ll also be able to download .pdf files of the Percent for Art ordinance, nomination forms, artist submission forms, AAPAC’s annual plan, and other reports, she said. There will also be a link to AAPAC’s Facebook page.

Wiltrud Simbuerger asked whether they’d be able to update the content. They can change parts of it on a limited basis, Gendron said, by giving direction to city staff.

Gendron received a round of applause from commissioners for her work.

Projects Committee: Managing Projects

Malverne Winborne, who serves on the projects committee chaired by Connie Brown, presented the latest versions of forms they’ve developed for project tracking, artist selection and artist requests-for-qualifications (RFQ) protocol. He had previously introduced drafts of these forms at AAPAC’s March 1, 2011 meeting.

After reviewing the forms, commissioners expressed general enthusiasm for bringing consistency to the process of tracking AAPAC’s various projects, providing status updates and improving communication. He received a round of applause.

Board Chair Elected

In their last action of the evening, commissioners elected Marsha Chamberlin as chair. She has been acting chair for several months, but did not attend the April 27 meeting. Cheryl Zuellig, who chaired the meeting and nominated Chamberlin, said they had talked and Chamberlin agreed to take on the role. Chamberlin is president of the Ann Arbor Art Center.

The group also discussed who might serve as vice chair, but no one was willing to commit to the job at this point.

Former chair Margaret Parker, who still serves on the commission, stepped down from the job in December 2010. Parker had attempted to relinquish the job for more than a year, but no one wanted to fill that role. The vice chair position has been vacant since December 2009.

Outcome: Marsha Chamberlin was unanimously elected chair of AAPAC.

Commissioners present: Connie Brown, Cathy Gendron, Jeff Meyers, Margaret Parker, Wiltrud Simbuerger, Elaine Sims, Malverne Winborne, Cheryl Zuellig.

Absent: Marsha Chamberlin.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, May 25 at 4:30 p.m., in the basement conference room at city hall, 301 E. Huron St. [confirm date]

The Abracadabra Jewelry & Gem Gallery storefront on East Liberty, just east of Fourth Avenue. The business is being given a Golden Paintbrush award by the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission for contributing to the streetscape. (Photos by the writer)

Also at their Tuesday meeting, commissioners voted on the annual Golden Paintbrush awards, recognizing contributions to art in public places. Winners this year are Abracadabra Jewelry on East Liberty, the University of Michigan Health System, and Tamara Real, president of the Arts Alliance.

The group also discussed how to publicize a public open house set for Wednesday, June 23 from 6-8 p.m. at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. The event will include a talk by Chrisstina Hamilton, director of visitors’ programs for the UM School of Art & Design who also runs the Penny Stamps Distinguished Speakers Series.

Tuesday’s meeting was attended by Lee Doyle, who might be joining the commission. She’s chief of staff for the University of Michigan Office of the Vice President for Communications and a member of the UM President’s Advisory Committee for Public Art. Doyle is also a founder of the university’s Arts on Earth program, and oversees the UM Film Office. To serve on AAPAC, she would need to be nominated by mayor John Hieftje and confirmed by the city council.

Herbert Dreiseitl Update

At Tuesday’s AAPAC meeting, Katherine Talcott, the city’s public art administrator, reported that the German sculptor Herbert Dreiseitl had been in town for a couple of days in mid-April, working with Quinn Evans Architects and the Conservation Design Forum to finalize some elements of the water sculpture commissioned by the city for the exterior of the new police/courts building at Fifth and Huron, also known as the municipal center. A request for a statement of qualifications (SOQ) is posted on the city’s Bid-Net website, to solicit responses from potential fabricators for the project. The deadline for submission of an SOQ is June 16. Up to three fabricators will be selected and asked to make proposals, which will be due July 14. A final selection of a fabricator is expected by July 23. [.pdf of SOQ request]

Talcott also provided commissioners with a detailed schedule for construction of the exterior water sculpture. According to the schedule, Dreiseitl is set to provide “firm pricing” for the piece in mid- to late August, with final city review and approval of the project in early September. Fabrication would begin soon after that, with installation to start as soon as December and continue through the spring of 2011.

Dreiseitl had originally been asked to do three pieces – the exterior water sculpture, and two interior pieces for the municipal center. The city paid $77,000 for those three designs – a price that included $5,000 for Dreiseitl’s travel expenses – but so far AAPAC and the city council have approved only the exterior piece, at a cost of $737,820.

Last year, AAPAC members had questions about the two interior designs, and at their October 2009 meeting they tabled action on one interior piece and approved the other, with certain conditions. They were also concerned about the cost. Although they had originally set a cap of $750,000 on the entire project, Dreiseitl in October proposed a budget of $841,541 for the three pieces, including the design fees.

Since that October meeting, they’ve been waiting for Dreiseitl to respond to questions about the interior pieces and to provide a new budget for those installations – etchings to be hung on the walls of the building’s lobby and atrium. At Tuesday’s AAPAC meeting, Talcott passed out copies of a revised design for one of the wall pieces – an image evocative of the Huron River watershed, to be etched on blue glass panels. In response to a query from commissioner Connie Brown, Talcott clarified that the drawing had been put together by Ken Clein of Quinn Evans and the staff of the Conservation Design Forum – not Dreiseitl. Nor has Dreiseitl provided a revised budget for the interior pieces.

Brown asked whether there was any kind of deadline for Dreiseitl to deliver designs and a budget – Talcott said no deadline had been set. She said that the exterior piece was on budget and on time, but that if they moved forward with the interior pieces, additional costs would likely be incurred because of change-orders that would need to be made on the building to accommodate the pieces.

Cheryl Zuellig expressed concern about how long it’s been since they’ve asked Dreiseitl to respond to questions about the design and budget. “I’m concerned about the artist’s engagement in this process,” she said.

Talcott responded by saying that they were dealing with an artist who had many projects underway. She and Clein have been pushing, but perhaps it’s time for the commission to decide what they’d like to do, she said – whether they want to move ahead with this project, or redirect those dollars to other places.

Margaret Parker pointed out that they do have a budget for the interior pieces – it just hasn’t been revised. [The original budget submitted by Dreiseitl last year included $53,843 for the installation in the lobby and $47,491 for the atrium wall piece.]

Later in the meeting, during a discussion of AAPAC’s annual public art plan, the topic of Dreiseitl came up again. The draft of the annual plan, which is to be submitted to the city council , includes seven items – the first three relating to public art at the municipal center: 1) complete Dreiseitl’s exterior art installation; 2) make recommendations for the two interior pieces during the first quarter of FY 2011; and 3) based on the decisions made regarding the two interior pieces, decide how to proceed with two additional exterior projects – which do not involve Dreiseitl.

Parker reported that the municipal center task force for public art had reviewed proposals for two pieces in the center’s north courtyard, next to Ann Street. But they hadn’t moved forward with those because they were waiting for AAPAC’s decision on Dreiseitl’s two interior pieces. The task force hasn’t met since last year, she said.

Talcott suggested that AAPAC set a deadline for a decision regarding Dreiseitl’s interior installations. Zuellig proposed getting information regarding the two pieces – including answers to their design questions and a new cost estimate – in time to make a decision at AAPAC’s July 13 meeting. The plan is to ask Dreiseitl to submit information by the end of June. At that point, the commission can then provide direction to the task force regarding how to move forward. Options would include approving the Dreiseitl pieces, allocating funds to work by other artists for the municipal center, or shifting dollars to projects that aren’t located at the municipal center.

Talcott pointed out that the task force had approved Dreiseitl’s two interior pieces – even though AAPAC had subsequently had issues with that work – and that one suggestion from the task force had been to seek funding from other sources to help pay for the pieces. That might be something that task force members would still be willing to do, she said, adding that it was important to respect the work of the task force.

Members of the task force who approved the Dreiseitl installation last year included: Ray Detter of the Downtown Area Citizens Advisory Council; Bob Grese, director of Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum; AAPAC chair Margaret Parker; Laura Rubin, executive director of the Huron River Watershed Council; Ann Arbor city councilmember Margie Teall; and Spring Tremaine, a lieutenant with the Ann Arbor Police Department. Sue McCormick, the city’s director of public services, is also a task force member.

Marsha Chamberlin used a familiar colloquialism to indicate it was time to either make a decision, or “get off the pot.” There was agreement on this fundamental approach.

Saying she wasn’t speaking for all commissioners, Zuellig said she was frustrated by the time it’s taken to get a response from Dreiseitl. “I question that,” she said. She also questioned whether they should commit resources to having five pieces of public art at the municipal center.

Parker suggested having McCormick come to the next AAPAC meeting to talk about funding sources, saying that McCormick had explained to the task force that there were various different funding streams that could be used for public art at the municipal center. “There are various ways you can work that,” Parker said, adding that it’s “amazingly complex.”

Zuellig responded that it wasn’t an issue of the budget. The question was whether they wanted to spend the money on those particular pieces, or at that location.

Cathy Gendron commented that the economic situation has changed significantly since they started this project, and that public perception has changed as well. Zuellig noted that Dreiseitl’s exterior piece cost more than they originally expected, and the designs of the two interior pieces “aren’t necessarily home runs.”

Talcott planned to convey AAPAC’s deadline request to Dreiseitl via Ken Clein of Quinn Evans, the municipal center’s project manager.

Golden Paintbrush Awards

Commissioners unanimously approved three Golden Paintbrush awards:

• University of Michigan Health System, for contributions to public art, specifically in commissioning the “Rotations” sculpture as a memorial to the UM Medical Center transplant team, who died when their plane crashed into Lake Michigan in June 2007. [See Chronicle coverage: "New Sculpture Honors UM Transplant Team"]
• Abracadabra Jewelry & Gem Gallery on East Liberty, for contributing to the streetscape with their storefront design. [See Chronicle feature: "Behind the Counter of a Local Jeweler"]
• Tamara Real, for being a champion for the arts and artists in this region. Real is president of the Arts Alliance, an Ann Arbor-based nonprofit that advocates for the arts community throughout Washtenaw County.

The annual awards honor individuals, businesses or organizations that support art in public places in Ann Arbor. AAPAC chair Margaret Parker will formally present the awards to recipients at an upcoming city council meeting.

Public Relations: Open House, Survey Results

Marsha Chamberlin gave an update from the public relations committee, and reviewed the agenda for a public open house set for Wednesday, June 23 from 6-8 p.m. at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. The event will include a talk by Chrisstina Hamilton, director of visitors’ programs for the UM School of Art & Design who also runs the Penny Stamps Distinguished Speakers Series. In addition to providing updates on public art projects in the works, commissioners will be on hand to get input and feedback about the city’s public art program.

Chamberlin asked for help in publicizing the event, saying she hoped for better attendance than last year’s open house, which drew about 30 people. Commissioners discussed various ways to get the word out, in addition to a press release that went out last week and the group’s Facebook page. Cheryl Zuellig suggested getting the art commission on the city’s email distribution system – people can sign up to receive email alerts about a variety of topics.

Noting that the company she works for, JJR, has been hired to help with several projects that include a public engagement component, Zuellig said they’ve started going back to the sign-in-a-window approach, to reach people who might not be in the loop for online notices. She suggested emailing a sign to commissioners so they can print out copies and post them throughout the community.

A couple of respondents to the recent online public art survey didn't like the "Art" bike hoops installed downtown. This one is at the southeast corner of Liberty and Division.

Also at the open house, Chamberlin said they’ll report details of a recent online survey of public art, which yielded 263 responses. She reviewed some of the results, noting that respondents included a disproportionate number of people in the arts community, compared to the general public. A goal for next year is to broaden the input, she said. She described the open-ended responses as “all over the board,” including a number that were very supportive of the commission’s work. About 15%, she estimated, commented that they didn’t think the city should be spending money on public art during these tough economic times. That’s something to keep in mind as they determine the next steps for the municipal center building, she said. And two people characterized the “Art” bike hoops as the worst public art they’ve ever seen – Chamberlin noted that those were a Downtown Development Authority project.

Project Updates: West Park, DDA

Giving a report from the projects committee, Connie Brown said the artist selected for a West Park public art installation – Traven Pelletier of Lotus Gardenscapes – is expected to submit his final design concept by June 30. [Pelletier was introduced to the city's park advisory commission by parks planner Amy Kuras at PAC's May 18 meeting, but has not yet attended an AAPAC meeting. .pdf of Pelletier's conceptual design] His work will be incorporated into new seat walls being installed in a hill facing the West Park bandshell.

Brown said there’s been no action over the past month on a potential project in Hanover Square, at the northwest corner of Packard and Division. AAPAC has been talking with the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority about a possible public art installation there, paid for as part of the DDA’s Fifth and Division street improvement project.

And a task force is still being formed for a possible public art project at the Fuller Road Station, Brown said.

Planning Updates: Annual Plan, Project Steps

Cheryl Zuellig gave a report for AAPAC’s planning committee, discussing the group’s annual public art plan as well as a document outlining the steps to be taken on city-owned public art projects.

Public Art Annual Plan

In addition to the Dreiseitl project reported above, AAPAC’s annual public art plan includes four other items, which the commissioners discussed briefly. They are:

• Develop a public art project at the Fuller Road Station.
• Identify a gateway project and set up a task force for it. Efforts will be coordinated with other potential enhancement projects. Planning is anticipated to occur over several years, with potential installation in FY 2014-15.
• Pilot a mural program.
• Assist the Downtown Development Authority in developing a public art project for Hanover Square.

Katherine Talcott asked about the funding source for the mural program, which had been proposed by Jeff Meyers. She pointed out that the Percent for Art program has some constraints, and reminded commissioners that certain things – for example, temporary art projects like FestiFools – don’t qualify.

Commissioners voted unanimously to accept the annual plan, which will be forwarded to city council.

Project Steps: There Are Many

Zuellig presented the latest version of a document outlining the steps to be taken on city-owned public art projects, from intake form to completion. She noted that this draft represented the third set of revisions, based on feedback from commissioners and Sue McCormick.

On Tuesday, commissioners spent considerable time making additional changes to some of the 21 steps, in particular discussing the definition of and difference between a selection committee, task force, peer review and jury. The group also talked about the meaning of conceptual design versus proposal, as it related to the stages of approval.

Noting that the document could get complicated if they tried to account for every type of project, Zuellig proposed adding a preamble indicating these steps are intended as a general guide. Margaret Parker said she was hoping for a simplified list that could be distributed to the city’s department heads and others, to help them understand the process. She pointed out that AAPAC also has detailed guidelines about the process, and that they can address it at an upcoming organizational planning session, to be facilitated by Connie Pulcipher of the city’s systems planning unit.

Commissioners unanimously approved the project steps document, as revised.

Commissioners present: Connie Brown, Marsha Chamberlin, Cathy Gendron, Margaret Parker, Elaine Sims, Cheryl Zuellig. Others: Katherine Talcott, Lee Doyle

Absent: Jim Curtis, Jeff Meyers

Next regular meeting: Tuesday, July 13 at 4:30 p.m., 7th floor conference room of the City Center Building, 220 E. Huron St. [confirm date]

At their monthly meeting on Tuesday, commissioners also discussed the need to publicize two projects: 1) an online survey seeking citizen input about public art, and 2) nominations for the annual Golden Paintbrush awards, which honor contributions to public art. A nomination form can be downloaded from AAPAC’s website.

Commissioners got updates on several public art projects in the works, discussed an upcoming retreat planned for May 12, and approved an annual planning process. They continue to await a response from German artist Herbert Dreiseitl, who was scheduled to come to Ann Arbor last week to work on his water sculpture for the municipal center, but was not planning to meet with AAPAC while he was here.

Council Approval of Guidelines, Bylaws Postponed

In her report as AAPAC chair, Margaret Parker said she’d attended the April 5 Ann Arbor city council meeting – approval of AAPAC’s bylaws and guidelines had been on the agenda. She said she sat through four hours of public commentary and discussion on The Moravian apartment complex, only to have councilmember Marcia Higgins ask to postpone the AAPAC agenda item when it came up toward the end of the meeting. Parker said that Higgins had questions for the city attorney, but it wasn’t clear to Parker what those questions were. She planned to follow up with Higgins before the next council meeting.

Public Art Planning and the AAPAC’s Annual Plan

Parker briefed commissioners about a meeting several AAPAC members had on April 6 with Sue McCormick, the city’s public services administrator who oversees the Percent for Art program. Parker had called the meeting to go over the city’s capital improvements plan, or CIP. The Percent for Art program is funded through the city’s capital projects, at 1% of each project’s budget – up to a limit of $250,000 per project. Parker said she was frustrated because she had called the meeting specifically to look over the CIP, but McCormick told them that the CIP report wouldn’t be ready until later this month. Parker also reported that McCormick didn’t expect any new capital projects in the coming fiscal year.

At the April 6 meeting, commissioners had discussed and clarified with McCormick the two categories of projects that involve AAPAC: city-generated projects, and projects generated by AAPAC.

The West Park project is an example of a city-generated project. [See Chronicle coverage: "Artist Selected for West Park Art Project"] City staff had a specific capital project – in this case, renovations of a city park – and asked AAPAC to help incorporate public art. The Fuller Road Station is another example of city staff asking AAPAC to become involved. Many of these city-generated projects have tight timelines that make it difficult for AAPAC to respond, some commissioners noted.

In contrast, AAPAC itself can decide to pursue specific projects – there are funds generated through the Percent for Art program that AAPAC can use for these efforts. An example of this would be deciding to commission public art for a “gateway” to the city, which commissioners have previously discussed.

There was also a discussion about the difference between “pooled” and “designated” funds. Parker illustrated the difference, using the example of the municipal center currently under construction. That project generated the maximum $250,000 Percent for Art funding, and those dollars were designated for use within the municipal center complex. In addition, other “pooled” funds are also used for public art at the municipal center – coming from water, sewer and stormwater capital projects. Those pooled funds could be tapped because the commissioned artwork at the center has a water theme, Parker explained.

Revenue line items in the Percent for Art budget reflect these “pooled” categories, and include the street millage, parks millage, solid waste, water, sewer, stormwater, airport.

McCormick suggested that AAPAC meet with the heads of city departments each November, to get a clearer idea of projects that AAPAC might be asked to participate in, Parker said.

Annual Planning Process

Commissioners reviewed and approved the outline of an annual planning process, which describes actions that AAPAC needs to take throughout the year. There was some discussion about whether to hold a planning retreat in the third or fourth quarter of the fiscal year, which ends June 30. This year, the retreat is planned for May 12. A consensus was reached to hold the retreat during the third quarter in future years, to give commissioners more time following the retreat to finalize their annual report to city council.

Connie Pulcipher from the city’s systems planning unit will facilitate the May 12 retreat. The meeting runs from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the 7th floor conference room of the City Center Building, 220 E. Huron St. It is open to the public.

Annual Report

The Public Art Ordinance specifies that AAPAC deliver an annual report to city council, providing specific information. From the ordinance:

(i) A report on the status of all public art incorporated into or funded by capital improvement projects in progress or completed during the preceding fiscal year;

(ii) A maintenance report on each work of public art presently under city management detailing maintenance costs for the preceding fiscal year, anticipated maintenance costs for the next fiscal year, and any significant future maintenance concerns, including prioritized recommendations for the maintenance, repair or renovation of particular works;

(iii) A review of the city’s public art with regard to the purposes stated in this chapter;

(iv) A report on the oversight body’s efforts to promote awareness of public art;

(v) A report on donations of art and where such art was placed;

(vi) A report on additional funds raised and how such funds were used; and

(vii) Any other matter of substantial financial or public importance relating to the public art in the city.

Parker noted that in the past, AAPAC’s annual reports have been more of a general storyline about their work. She wondered whether they needed to produce two reports: one intended for a broader audience, and another for city council that would meet the ordinance requirements.

Connie Brown said the report required by the ordinance seemed technical in nature, and though it would be available to the public, AAPAC could reach out to the community more effectively in other ways, like a public forum.

Parker asked who would handle the annual report, and the consensus seemed to be that it was suited for the planning or PR committee, or both. Cathy Gendron of the PR committee offered to assemble the report, if others would contribute the information. Commissioners decided to discuss it further at the May 12 retreat, and to seek feedback from Sue McCormick.

Projects: Skatepark, West Park, Dreiseitl, DDA

Connie Brown gave the projects committee report. She passed out a chart that showed current projects in the works, which included a list of task forces set up for each project. An additional task force needs to be set up for the Fuller Road Station, she said. [AAPAC has been asked to give input for public art at the joint city of Ann Arbor/University of Michigan project, a large parking structure and bus station near the UM medical complex.] Brown and Cathy Gendron volunteered for the Fuller Road task force.

Ann Arbor Skatepark

Parker questioned why the Ann Arbor Skatepark wasn’t on the projects list. Brown said that it wasn’t a formal AAPAC project at this point, though it might be something they choose to do in the future. It’s not a project until AAPAC approves it or the city requests that AAPAC take it on, she said.

Expressing concern that the skatepark not be “erased,” Parker said she’d recently talked with Trevor Staples, one of the skatepark organizers, who had told her that fundraising was going well. She noted that they were having a public design charette on April 25 – she didn’t want to lose the opportunity to work with them, especially since they had reached out to AAPAC.

Everyone is excited about the skatepark, Brown said. But it’s not a city project – it doesn’t generate Percent for Art funds. AAPAC might choose to allocate money for a public art project there, she added, but it seemed too soon to make that commitment. Parker said they could discuss it at the retreat.

West Park Public Art

Cathy Gendron said she was eager to see the proposal from the artist selected to work on a public art project in West Park. Gendron said she had looked at the Lotus Gardenscapes website, but didn’t see anything relevant to the West Park project. Selected by a task force, AAPAC hasn’t released the artist’s name publicly – Parker said they hadn’t yet finalized an agreement with him for the project. Katherine Talcott offered to show Gendron the artist’s submission materials after the meeting. [See Chronicle coverage: "Artist Selected for West Park Art Project"]

Parker clarified that funding for the West Park public art project will come from the parks operating budget. Up to $10,000 is allocated for that project.

Dreiseitl Project at the Municipal Center

Brown asked whether anyone had heard from Herbert Dreiseitl yet – the commission has been waiting for a response from the German artist for several months regarding two interior pieces at the municipal center. There had been no word, Katherine Talcott reported, adding that Dreiseitl was expected to arrive in town on April 15 for a couple of days to talk with contractors for the large outdoor water sculpture he’s been commissioned to make. He might bring a new proposal for those interior pieces, or respond to AAPAC’s recommendations to alter his original designs.

Dreiseitl is working directly with project manager Quinn Evans Architects and Conservation Design Forum, Talcott said. She planned to ask Ken Clein of Quinn Evans to report back to AAPAC about what Dreiseitl proposes. The approval process – including the issue of how to fund additional pieces – would have to begin anew, she said. For the outdoor piece, the city is paying Dreiseitl nearly $740,000 in addition to $77,000 he received for designing that piece and two interior wall hangings that were not approved.

Update on DDA Partnership

Parker asked for the status of talks with the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority. Jim Curtis said he had emailed DDA executive director Susan Pollay in March with a list of clarification questions, but hadn’t yet received a response. One crucial thing to clarify is who’s responsible for funding joint projects, he said.

At AAPAC’s March meeting, the commission had discussed a possible sculpture project at Hanover Park, which is part of the DDA’s Fifth and Division street improvement project. Elaine Sims asked what would happen to the current book sculpture in that park ["Arbor Sapientiae" by Ronald Bauer]. She confirmed that the DDA wanted it moved.

Parker said they’d need to set up a task force to decide what to do with it – either moving it to a new location, storing it or de-accessioning it. The task force should include community members, she said, not just AAPAC members. People are aware of the sculpture, she added, and it needs to be treated with respect. She said the same thing needed to be done with the nine-panel, 27-foot-wide mosaic by artist Gerome Kamrowski, formerly located at city hall – the municipal center task force will be handling that.

Public Relations: Survey, Public Forum

AAPAC’s PR committee includes Cathy Gendron and Marsha Chamberlin. The commission’s newest member, Jeff Meyers, has indicated he’d like to join as well, according to AAPAC chair Margaret Parker. Neither Chamberlin nor Meyers attended Tuesday’s meeting. Gendron gave the committee report.

Public Art Survey

An online survey has been posted to get feedback from citizens, Gendron reported. Parker said she’d heard that over 60 people had already taken the survey. Gendron said it seemed likely that most of those people were Parker’s friends, since Parker had sent out an email about the survey before a press release was issued. Parker said it didn’t matter who had responded – the people she knew could weigh in, just like anyone else. It did, however, raise a question about whether there was a good process for putting out a press release, Parker added. There should be specific steps taken each time, she said – those steps should include notifying all AAPAC members when the press release goes out.

Public Forum Set

Parker reported that the planning committee, on which she serves, had decided to set a date for a public forum. That date is Wednesday, June 23 from 7-9 p.m. at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library. [This has been a contentious issue among some of the commissioners at previous meetings. Parker has been asking the public relations committee – Gendron and Chamberlin – to plan a public forum. Chamberlin has previously said she didn't want to hold a forum simply to cross it off their list – she wanted to make sure such an event would achieve something more than that.]

At Tuesday’s meeting, Parker told Gendron that the event should showcase the projects AAPAC has been working on, what’s in the pipeline and what other communities are doing that’s related to public art. They could also talk about results of the survey, she said.

Jim Curtis cautioned that they needed to be discrete regarding projects that they haven’t completely finalized. “In some ways we’ll need to be ‘mum’s the word,’ a little,” he said.

Katherine Talcott, the city’s public art administrator, suggested bringing in a speaker, saying that someone from outside the community can bring a different perspective and be inspiring. Several commissioners agreed. Elaine Sims noted that part of AAPAC’s mission is to educate the public about art, and a speaker could do that. Talcott also proposed having some kind of hands-on activity for kids, and Sims suggested partnering with the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum.

Parker expressed concern that with a speaker, there wouldn’t be time for people to ask questions or give comments about the city’s public art projects.

Gendron said she understood that the idea of a forum had been controversial, but now that it had been set, the PR committee would make it happen. They just needed to figure out a good way to publicize the event, she said.

“Just say ‘Free Food!’” Curtis suggested.

[For a report on AAPAC's public open house last year, in May 2009, see Chronicle coverage: "The Where and Why of Ann Arbor's Art"]

Golden Paintbrush Awards

Gendron reported that the PR committee is working on criteria for the annual Golden Paintbrush awards, given by AAPAC for contributions to public art. They are thinking of creating three categories: 1) professional projects, 2) community projects, and 3) public art supporters.

The awards are typically given in May. Parker asked how many nominations had been received, and was told that so far, there are none. This happens every year, Parker said. She urged commissioners to make nominations, and was worried that having categories would exclude possible nominees. “You can overdefine it and get nothing,” she said. Gendron said the categories were designed to help the commission organize nominations, not to exclude anyone.

Sims said she thought that the sculpture by Doug Hollis, located outside the entrance to the University of Michigan Hospital, should be nominated. [See Chronicle coverage: "New Sculpure Honors UM Transplant Team"] She pointed out that a conflict of interest prevents her from nominating it. [Sims is director of the UM Health System's Gifts of Art Program.] She also suggested nominating the snow bears crafted each winter in front of Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger.

Gendron said she’d try to get a notice asking for nominations on the Art Alliance’s new website. Applications are due May 1. [.pdf of Golden Paintbrush application form]

AAPAC Membership, Governance

Elaine Sims, who serves as the commission’s liaison to UM, reported that Lee Doyle is interested in serving on AAPAC. Doyle is chief of staff for the UM Office of the Vice President for Communications, and is a member of the President’s Advisory Committee for Public Art.

Parker said the planning committee would discuss the possible appointment of Doyle, adding that there were other people interested as well. AAPAC makes recommendations for appointments to the mayor, who then nominates members for approval by city council.

Parker also made a query she’s made at several previous meetings: “Anybody want to be chair?” Parker has served as chair of AAPAC since its inception, and has attempted to get someone else to take on that leadership position – so far, unsuccessfully. At Tuesday’s meeting, the results were no different. She said she’d like to have three positions: incoming chair, chair and outgoing chair. “And I might just assign those tasks,” she said.

“I don’t know if you have the power to do that,” Sims said.

Parker replied: “I do!”

Commissioners present: Connie Brown, Jim Curtis, Cathy Gendron, Margaret Parker, Elaine Sims. Others: Katherine Talcott

Absent: Marsha Chamberlin, Jeff Meyers, Cheryl Zuellig

Next regular meeting: Tuesday, May 11 at 4:30 p.m., 7th floor conference room of the City Center Building, 220 E. Huron St. [confirm date] A three-hour retreat is scheduled for Wednesday, May 12 from 5:30-8:30 p.m., also at the City Center.

Former participants in the Ann Arbor Art Center's Artmakers Teens summer outreach program mug for the camera at an awards ceremony in the Ann Arbor City Council chambers on June 1. Ducking down by the table are Jan Onder, Ann Arbor Public Art Commission vice chair, left, and AAPAC chair Margaret Parker. The teens had just been presented with a 2009 Golden Paintbrush Award for a mural the Artmakers created last summer.

In the hallway outside the city council meeting room last month, a group of teenagers leaned into each other and grinned as multiple cameras flashed. People passing by paused to say “Congratulations!” The teens – former participants in the Ann Arbor Art Center’s Artmakers Teens summer outreach program – had just received a 2009 Golden Paintbrush Award from the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission for a mural they created last summer.

Standing and smiling with them was Sarah Winter, an Ann Arbor Public Schools art teacher and project coordinator for the teens who created the mural. Winter said she was happy about the award, and called working with the Artmakers a “truly amazing experience.”

However, it was also bittersweet, she said.

“There’s no funding for the program this summer,” Winter explained. “It was great for the teenagers in a lot of ways this past summer, and now it’s over. I’m very sad it’s not happening this year.”

Funding Challenges

Marsha Chamberlin, the art center’s president and CEO who also serves on the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission, explained that they hadn’t been able to raise the $20,000 needed to run the program, which offers teens the experience of working in an art studio, including monetary compensation. The center only managed to raise $6,000 by late May. This year, corporate donations – which contribute a large portion of the funding for Artmakers – have been down, Chamberlin explained.

Although the center applied for grants from some foundations, they hadn’t heard back by the end of May. By that time of the year, the center usually has all the money it needs for the program, Chamberlin said. Without that funding in place, Artmakers wasn’t possible this summer.

The center usually receives donations from 8 to 10 corporate entities for Artmakers, Chamberlin said. This year, they’ve only gotten money from two or three. One difference this year is that people and corporations have changed their “nature of giving.”

“Some people are supporting us, but they chose to direct their gifts somewhere else,” she said. “In at least one case, they saw a more important need in supporting the art center in general.”

Chamberlin declined to name the foundations that the center applied to for grants, and said she didn’t know why their grant application wasn’t funded. The money the center already collected came from gifts, donations from TCF Bank and a University of Michigan student group that fundraised for the center this past spring. That $6,000 would simply “sit in the bank” until it can be used for a subsequent program, Chamberlin said.

“It’s kind of unfortunate, because it’s at a time when the kids have even less opportunity,” Chamberlin said, noting the lack of options for work elsewhere.

How Artmakers Got Its Start

It all started with a drive-by shooting in Ann Arbor.

At least, that incident was part of the inspiration for the 1996 genesis of the summer outreach program, according to Chamberlin.

The shooting made her and others think about what they could do to help the larger community. Ingrid Sheldon, the mayor of Ann Arbor at the time, saw a presentation at a national conference concerning a program designed to help at-risk youth. The mayor spoke to Chamberlin about it and sent her to a training session in Chicago, and the result was the center’s outreach program for teens in Ann Arbor. Chamberlin said former city council member Jane Lumm also proved helpful in the program’s development.

Artmakers is essentially a job training program using the arts, Chamberlin said. “Kids apply like you would for a job.” To be admitted to the program – which accepts kids ages 14 to 18 – teens fill out an application that gives the center staff an idea of their social and financial status, using measures such as family income. In addition to the application, teachers and guidance counselors may write letters of referral for Artmakers applicants. Finally, teens write an essay explaining why they think working in the art studio will benefit them.

The center staff then reviews the applications, letters and essays and selects a group of youths to call in for an interview. About a dozen kids from Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have participated in the program each year, although that number varies depending on the funding available. Chamberlin recalled that the center used to admit up to 30 kids to the program per session, years ago.

It costs about $1,600 per youth to run Artmakers each summer. Part of that money goes into paying the participants. The program provides a workplace atmosphere – teens have to fill out timesheets, work in the art studio from 1 to 4 p.m. five days per week and have a limited number of allowed absences. As compensation, they get a $75 stipend each week.

“Like any job, we want to recognize and reward them,” Chamberlin said. She added that since most Artmakers kids come from impoverished backgrounds, they use the money to support their families. “One boy two years ago had a 16-year-old sister who was pregnant,” Chamberlin said. “He gave everything he earned for the summer to her to buy stuff for the baby.”

Over the course of six weeks, participants work with three different kinds of media, spending approximately two weeks with each. For the past couple of years, a project coordinator/master teacher has determined the curriculum, Chamberlin said.

But it’s more than art alone – the program teaches teens how art skills can translate into the workplace. The program also teaches workplace etiquette like how to dress appropriately, Chamberlin said, as well as how to work well with other people. “That helps form bonds and communication patterns so they can learn from each other,” she said.

Artmakers also helps build a sense of self-esteem, Chamberlin said. This year, a girl who’d attended Artmakers called Chamberlin and asked her to come to her high school graduation and talent show. “Three years ago, she could hardly make eye contact,” Chamberlin said. “And now she’s onstage performing. Something we did in the program gave her that courage.”

The program has other success stories. Chamberlin described one boy, a “tremendous artist,” who started working with Toyota (one of the program’s sponsors) designing cars. He later attended the College for Creative Studies and got an internship with GM. “He’s just done tremendously well for himself,” Chamberlin said.

For other kids, the program simply introduces them to a wider world. Chamberlin recalled one 16-year-old boy from southeast Ann Arbor who told her he’d never been to the city’s downtown before. “It was just dumbfounding,” she said.

She explained that the program benefits teens such as that boy by allowing them to “get out in the big world.”

This mural by students in the Artmakers Teens program – featuring three teens posing as classical muses – won a Golden Paintbrush Award from the city in June. It's located on the wall of a building facing south, overlooking the city parking lot on Ashley between Liberty and William.

Making the Mural

The mural on the wooden wall behind the art center features three figures posing against a sky filled with dark, flowing clouds. They’re dressed in modern clothes (jeans, tank tops), but their pedestals and postures speak to ancient art. The landscape behind them is flat and barren, with mountains rising up along the horizon.

Eleven teens contributed to the award-winning mural: Kai’Lyn Wilson, Mareka Armstrong, Muhammed Abdul Basir, Terrance Blakely, Sam Fenner, Holly Granger, Vanessa Marenco, Amber Miller, Cody Pan, Maja Robakiewicz and Dennis Scherdt.

Winter, who worked for Artmakers for three years, including last summer, called the summer 2008 cohort a “really special group of kids.” She said the teens got to know each other and shared their ideas, displaying “such a collaborative vision.”

As for the mural, Winter called it “one of the coolest art-making processes I’ve ever been a part of.” Artmakers had done a mural as the program’s final project twice before, but “a lot of us were not happy about the ones we’d created before,” she said.

They had two weeks to finish the mural. The teens spent the first week planning: sitting in the classroom brainstorming, sketching, and “just having a really vibrant discussion,” Winter explained.

With previous murals, Artmakers groups had only formulated “loose plans” before following through with the project, Winter said. This time, they put in more thought beforehand. They also got tips from set designer Monika Essen on how to plan and execute their vision, Winter added. Other artists who spoke to the teens during that summer’s program included art historian Lisa Schramm and mural artist Mary Thiefels, among many others.

The final painting ended up being a combination of a variety of ideas. Winter recalled that one student liked the idea of Greek muses, while another liked Salvador Dali’s style. The art history they’d learned earlier in the program also influenced the mural, Winter said.

Along with those influences, the teens found an overall theme to tie together their work. “Somewhere along the way, we got into the topic of them – the teenagers – and their generation,” Winter said.

The teens discussed how they fit into the “vast history” of art. In accordance with this idea, three of them posed as models, imitating the stances of well-known, historic sculptures like Winged Victory and Venus de Milo, Winter said. They also represented the muses of music, tragic poetry, and astronomy.

“They actually went outside and stood on pedestals,” Winter said. “We took multiple pictures of them.”

Once they had all their ideas together, the group created a small-scale sketch of the painting. They then drew a grid over it and drew a similar grid on the wall where they planned to paint the mural. Groups of students worked on transferring individual squares of the grid from the sketch to the wall.

In the past, teens have had a “this is my section” attitude about working on murals, Winter said. But this time was different and more collaborative. “This was really neat because everybody felt like they had a voice in the plan,” she said.

Kai’Lyn Wilson, who took part in Artmakers for three summers from 2006-2008, described working on the mural as both fun and educational. “It was learning, but it was fun and interesting,” she told The Chronicle after the awards ceremony on June 1. “We took our time.”

Wilson, who said her love of art motivated her to participate in the program, worked on painting the background: the sky and clouds. Like Winter, Wilson described the funding situation for this year’s program as “very sad.”

“It was a good program,” she said. “I wish we could’ve done it without being paid.”

Artmakers in 2009 and Beyond

While Artmakers isn’t happening this summer, Chamberlin said it isn’t over for good. She said the center has received enough contributions to run the program in September as four hours of studio time every Saturday. Calty Design (Toyota’s design center in Michigan, located in Ann Arbor), TCF Bank and the UM Ross School of Business students (who auction off their art annually to raise money for the program) provided the necessary funding.

“It’s a program we have run for 11 years, and we’ve seen the value of this program.” Chamberlin said, adding: “This is a really unique experience for those kids. For $1,600 a kid, it’s a really positive impact on their lives.”

About the author: Helen Nevius, a student at Eastern Michigan University, is an intern with The Ann Arbor Chronicle.   

Public art commissioners Connie Brown, Jim Curtis and Elaine Sims at their April 14 meeting.

Ann Arbor Public Art Commission (April 14, 2009): Much of Tuesday’s meeting focused on issues related to communication, and in particular how it related to the controversial Herbert Dreiseitl project for the city’s municipal center.

And though his visit wasn’t discussed at length, the German artist is coming to Ann Arbor on July 20 to present his designs to the commission and city council. Using funds from the Percent for Art program, the city is paying $77,000 for his preliminary design work, but would still need to sign off on the entire project, which is estimated to cost around $700,000.

There will be a public reception for him, said Margaret Parker, chair of the art commission. It’s not clear whether the commission will see his designs before he arrives, but they might try to vote on the project and take it to city council for approval while he’s here, she said, adding that details about his visit have yet to be finalized. Before he arrives, the commission also plans to have an open house for the public on May 21, to talk about their mission and goals.

Dreiseitl and the Muncipal Center

Parker led off a discussion about how to increase public awareness of the process of selecting art through the Percent for Art program. The program receives 1% of funds from each of the city’s large capital projects, with a cap of $250,000 per project. Connie Brown said that in general, AAPAC needed to do more outreach and do a better job publicizing its work. She said public comment during AAPAC meetings would be an opportunity for input. No one from the public attended Tuesday’s meeting.

Parker said that one suggestion she’d heard was to put a general summary of meeting minutes from the municipal center task force on their website. [That task force has come under fire for its choice of Dreitseitl, with some people in the community saying the money should have been spent on work by local artists. Others have objected to the whole concept of the Percent for Art program, especially in the current economic climate.] Cheryl Zuellig said she wanted to make sure they weren’t creating two documents, one for the commissioners and one for the public. “Commissioners should be issued the exact same thing that the public sees on the website,” she said.

Jim Curtis said in general they should also publicize what they plan to discuss at their next meeting. He wondered why their meetings weren’t being aired on Community Television Network, which covers many other city commissions. Katherine Talcott, administrator for the Percent for Art program, said she’d look into that.

Margaret Parker, chair of the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission.

Marsha Chamberlin said that everyone understands the need for transparency. But her concern was that while the commission technically approved the Dreiseitl project, she didn’t think she could explain the process. It all goes back to the question, she said: What is their procedure for selecting projects?

Parker pointed to the commission’s guidelines, saying that the document outlined the procedures in detail. [That document is being reviewed by the city attorney's office and is not posted on AAPAC's website at this point.]

Later in the meeting, Parker asked the commission if they thought it was time to reconvene the municipal center task force to talk about the next phase of that project. They hadn’t met since late last year, she said, after they’d recommended asking Dreiseitl to submit a proposal for three main pieces at the center. There’s about $300,000 remaining in funding for the year, Parker said, over and above what’s been set aside for Dreiseitl.

In addition to Parker, members of the municipal center task force are:

• Julie Creal, 15th Circuit Court judge
• Ray Detter, DDA Citizens Advisory Committee
• Bob Grese, director of Nichols Arboretum and Matthaei Botanical Gardens
• Sue McCormick, city of Ann Arbor
• Jan Onder, Ann Arbor Public Art Commission
• Laura Rubin, director of Huron River Watershed Council
• Spring Tremaine, Ann Arbor Police Department
• Elona Van Gent, UM professor and artist

Jim Curtis said he didn’t support using the entire $300,000 on the municipal center. Marsha Chamberlin proposed waiting until they know what Dreiseitl’s proposal will entail before spending any additional funds there. [Dreiseitl specializes in work that incorporates water, including surface water runoff.] Chamberlin also said she wanted the task force to present year-to-date plans so that the commission has a better idea of what other projects are being considered for the municipal center.

Parker said the task force needs to be reconvened in order to receive and consider Dreiseitl’s proposal in July. Sims asked why it has to be reconvened – shouldn’t it just stay in place until its work is done? After some discussion, it emerged that the commission did not, in fact, need to vote to reconvene the task force, because it had not been disbanded.

Cheryl Zuellig asked if the public would be asked to submit proposals for the municipal center. The task force was charged with making recommendations to the commission, Parker said, and had a list of sites within the center and projects it was analyzing. Zuellig said she thought an important time to get public feedback would be when the task force makes its recommendations.

Finances

Katherine Talcott reported that she’d recently received a projection for Percent for Art funding in fiscal 2009: $441,612. Parker said they would give a full budget report in the future, but they weren’t prepared to do that at this meeting. [Though this was not presented or discussed at Tuesday's meeting, here's a breakdown of funding for the program in fiscal 2008 and 2009, as detailed in the city's capital improvement project appropriations report.]

A Tale of Two Websites

The commission talked about how to manage their two websites: 1) a page on the city of Ann Arbor’s website, and 2) a website designed specifically for AAPAC by a volunteer.

One of two AAPAC websites. The other one is on the city of Ann Arbor's website at a2gov.org.

Some commissioners were concerned that this created confusion. Jean Borger, the Percent for Art administrative coordinator, said the city suggested linking to the independent site from the city site. They’re constrained from doing anything outside of the template used by the city on its site. Borger recommended that they hire a web designer to redesign their own site.

Parker said the commission’s website committee should handle the project. Later in the meeting, Chamberlin said she’d like to put a deadline on the effort, because she feared it wouldn’t move forward. Parker said they’d ask for a report from the website committee at their next meeting.

Meetings, Parties, More Meetings

Downtown Development Authority: Parker said that she, Sims and Talcott had met with Sue McCormick, the city’s director of public services, and Susan Pollay of the Downtown Development Authority. There’s some confusion about how the commission and DDA should work together – DDA capital projects fall under the Percent for Art program – and the DDA has requested a joint meeting of the two groups to get a better understanding on how to proceed with projects funded via the DDA. April 21 or April 28 were two dates proposed for a lunchtime meeting – Parker said she’d get back to the commission after confirming a date with the DDA. The meeting would be open to the public.

Annual meeting/AAPAC open house: Parker said that feedback from people about the municipal center project had included the suggestion to have a public forum. She said the commission could hold one to invite suggestions for their annual plan, and that the library had a room open on April 29. She asked whether commissioners thought that was a good idea, and said she wanted to look forward, not just hash over mistakes.

Several commissioners expressed concern that the date was too soon, and that they wouldn’t have time to adequately prepare or notify the public. Zuellig said she thought the idea of an annual meeting was great, but suggested pushing it back to May.

Gendron said that if they were soliciting feedback about AAPAC’s annual plan, they’d better be prepared to modify their proposal to council based on that feedback. Curtis added that timing was important – he’d rather have a meeting in January or February to focus on their annual plan, which would give them time to accept input and be respectful of the community. Having it now, he said, “almost comes across as we’re doing it because of Dreiseitl.” Chamberlin also was concerned that they’d look defensive, and run the risk of seeming reactive and disingenuous if they took input when they don’t have the means of using it.

Sims said maybe they could use a meeting in the coming weeks as more of a launch, to tell people about what the commission does. Several others picked up on this idea. Curtis said it would give people a chance to see the faces behind the decisions, to know that they care about the community, too. Chamberlin added that it could be a way to talk about how decisions are made in an open, friendly venue. She also warned that they might be using a canon to shoot a flea – they’ve heard from the disenchanted, she said, but not necessarily from the enchanted. It was important to do something positive that gets out information about the commission.

Parker wanted to have a public forum before Dreiseitl comes to town, so that if someone is harboring ill will about the project, they can get it out of their system. Otherwise, they might come to the public reception for him “loaded for bear.”

After a fair amount of discussion, the commission settled on May 21 as the date for an informal open house for the public. Zuellig urged the group to publicize the event in ways other than just posting it on their website. Sims joked that Curtis wanted to have Harvey the photographer outside, or maybe have the Naked Mile finish line at the event.

Commissioners also agreed to plan for some kind of annual meeting in February.

Working session for planning: The commission also set a working session to focus on planning issues for Wednesday, April 29 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting, to be held at the Ann Arbor Art Center, is open to the public and will include time for public comments. Commissioner Jim Kern wondered why public comments were part of the meetings. “Are our meetings public now?” he queried. Parker told him that as a public commission, AAPAC meetings are public. When Kern noted that the city council holds some of its sessions behind closed doors, Parker said the council does so only under special circumstances, such as to discuss personnel issues.

Guidelines and Bylaws

Abby Elias of the city’s attorney’s office dropped by to talk to the commission about revisions she was making to the group’s guidelines and bylaws. She said that city council had asked for their office to review all the bylaws and come up with as uniform a structure as possible across all the city’s boards and commissions.

Abby Elias of the city attorney's office, at Tuesday's meeting of the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission.

She’s doing the same with the commission’s guidelines. Those are, as the name suggests, a guide to show artists and the community what the commission is looking for, how projects will be selected and administered, among other things. Her job, Elias said, was to make sure the guidelines are consistent with the city’s existing procedures. She’s not going to second guess artistic concepts, she said. “I’m just a lawyer – which reminds me, today is Be Nice To Lawyers Day.”

Sims said there still seems to be discussion of what the commission’s role is, and that their role needs to be clear. Zuellig said that when she thinks of their mission, she sees three roles: 1) guiding art projects from idea to implementation, using the commission’s procedures, 2) planning what they want to do strategically, and 3) promoting public art through outreach and education.

Sims added that public perception is also an issue. Some people initially thought they could just come to the commission and tap a big pot of money. The commission needs to communicate what they can or can’t do.

Elias closed by saying. “I think you guys have a fair amount of work to do.”

Golden Paintbrush Awards

The commission had originally planned to vote on these annual awards at their Tuesday meeting, but decided they didn’t have enough information on all the nominations. Instead, they chose to email their votes to Jean Borger by Friday, April 16. The awards will be presented at a city council meeting in June.

Nominations included the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Prison Creative Art project, an eight-panel mosaic by Yulia Hanaasen at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, the mastodon mural at Slauson Middle School, the Urban Forest Project exhibition, a mural on the building behind the Ann Arbor Art Center, the Imagine/Align project at Nichols Arboretum (an installation by Susan Skarsgard of 20,000 daffodils), and Play Gallery videos airing on Michigan TV. Three people were nominated: Ellie Serras, former director of the Main Street Area Association; Shary Brown, executive director of the Street Art Fair; and Bob Kelch, UM executive vice president for medical affairs.

Gendron said she was uncomfortable mixing community art projects with professional work. She suggested establishing different categories for the awards. Parker said that in the past, they’ve tried to give out as many awards as possible. Gendron said that dilutes the value of the award, and after a while, people won’t pay attention to it. Zuellig noted that having categories could actually increase the number of entries and raise the level of awareness about the awards.

Commissioners discussed whether some of the nominations even qualified for the awards. They decided that the Street Art Fair and the Prison Creative Art project – both nominated by members of the public – didn’t qualify because the fair was art in a public place, not  public art, and the prisoner art was a program and traveling show, not something that encouraged public art in Ann Arbor. Zuellig said it was a cool program, and that perhaps they could have a category in future years for programs like this.

Parker raised a conflict-of-interest concern about the mural behind the Ann Arbor Art Center, which was nominated by Chamberlin, the art center’s president and an AAPAC commissioner. Parker said that according to the group’s bylaws, they shouldn’t consider any work that a commissioner is involved with. Chamberlin said she didn’t have anything to do with the mural, but setting that aside, why would anyone involved in the arts have any incentive to serve on the board, if doing so hurt the organization they worked for?

Curtis said Chamberlin could recuse herself from voting, but that he didn’t have any problem with the nomination. Chamberlin, who was reading from a draft of the bylaws [the ones being reviewed by Elias of the city attorney's office], said she could see how they might be interpreted as a conflict. The relevant parts (from the draft version) are:

Article V: Ethics and Conflicts of Interest

Section 3: A member of AAPAC shall not obtain for himself/herself or for any person with whom he/she has business or family ties, any financial or beneficial interest in a matter which may be affected by a decision of AAPAC. This restriction shall apply during the member’s tenure and for one year thereafter.

Chamberlin said the key word was “beneficial,” and in that case, it could be seen as a conflict. She said at some other time they should reexamine their bylaws, because if it causes a member’s organization not to receive recognition during their tenure, there’s disincentive to serve.

Moving to other nominations, Gendron wondered whether the Imagine/Align project was too old to be considered, since it was installed in 2004. Parker said they could give it the “How Did We Miss It?” award.

Commissioners present: Connie Brown, Jim Curtis, Marsha Chamberlin, Cathy Gendron, Jim Kern, Margaret Parker, Elaine Sims, Cheryl Zuellig. Others: Katherine Talcott, Jean Borger

Absent: Jan Onder

Next regular meeting: Tuesday, May 12 at 4:30 p.m. at city council chambers, 2nd floor, 100 N. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor.  In addition, a working session will be held on Wednesday, April 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Ann Arbor Art Center, 117 W. Liberty St. The date for a joint meeting between AAPAC and the DDA has not been confirmed. [confirm dates]