APPMIN 09 09 1996REGULAR MEETING OF THE
ART IN PUBLIC PLACES COMMISSION
NORTH CONFERENCE ROOM
September 9, 1996
3:00 P.M.
This regular meeting of the Art in Public Places Commission was called to order by Chairman
Walling at 3:16 p.m., who asked Commissioner Davis to lead the flag salute. Chairman Walling
asked for the roll call:
ROLL CALL: Present Commissioners Judi Cothrun, Johna Davis, Michelle Klein, Elaine
Reynolds, Rosita Shamis, and Chairman Walling. Absent: Commissioner Sharon
Kennedy.
It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Shamis/Cothrun to excuse
Commissioner Kennedy. Unanimously approved.
Staff: Community Development Director Jerry Herman and Executive Secretary
Betty Sawyer.
CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA: Confirmed
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
CONSENT CALENDAR:
A. Minutes -There being no changes to the Minutes of August 12, 1996, it was moved and
seconded by Commissioners Shamis/Reynolds to approve the minutes as submitted.
Unanimously approved.
B. Financial Statement -There being no questions or changes, it was moved and seconded by
Commissioners Cothrun/Shamis to accept the Financial Statement as submitted.
Unanimously approved.
BUSINESS ITEMS:
A. Proposed artwork for City Parks:
1. Chairman Walling introduced Mr. Fernandez. Staff explained that Mr. Fernandez
had met with the Engineering and Finance Deparhnents to discuss structural and risk
issues. Following that discussion, it was recommended that Mr. Fernandez contact
an engineer to have the artwork structurally designed and plans signed by a registered
structural engineer. Mr. Fernandez stated his purpose for being at this meeting was
to confirm the art designs for the two pieces that would be submitted for Council
review.
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September 9, 1996
2. Commissioner Reynolds asked if the snake was still a consideration. Mr. Fernandez
stated his problem was finding a design that was structurally sound. In reviewing the
designs of other animals, except the giraffe, it was determined that whatever the
design, the arch was causing stmctural problems. As most of his design:; contained
an arch it was recommended that he reduce the angle of the arch to reduce the
structural problems. When the arch was reduced it change the art figure. In regards
to the snake, most of the designs resembled a worm rather than a snake.
3. Commissioner Shamis asked if the metal would retain the heat and have the potential
to burn someone. Mr. Fernandez stated it was the same type of metal used for public
play structures or public benches. There would however, be a clear plastic coating
sprayed on the metal. It has the potential of being hot due to the temperatures in the
desert.
4. Commissioners discussed possibilities for the second design. Following the
discussion, it was determined that Mr. Fernandez would continue to work with an
engineer to achieve the structure calculations to support the two designs.
5. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Davis / Shamis to continue this item
to the regular meeting in October and instruct Mr. Fernandez to obtain the
engineering calculations necessary to approve the two structures. The: structures
would be the giraffe figure for the Fritz Burns Park and a snake, or free form, for the
Adams Avenue Park. Unanimously approved.
B. Proposed Artwork for the La Ouinta Car Wash
1. Chairman Walling introduced Management Assistant Britt Wilson who presented
information on what grants would be available. He had contacteii the Arts
Endowment organization, and was informed that they had lost a lot of programs due
to funding. Due to the loss of funds, they will not know their program guidelines
until December and the funds would not be available until April-May, 1997. In
reviewing State programs, he had not found any programs that would meet the
requirements of this project. In regards to private foundation funding, he found that
most of the companies placed a lot of restrictions on the grants which made it
difficult to qualify. He then asked if the Commissioners had any suggestions or
information that he would be able to investigate.
2. Commissioner Davis asked if the La Quinta Arts Foundation could apply as a
nonprofit organization and do a partnership with the City. Managemerd Assistant
Britt Wilson stated this was a real possibility.
3. Commissioner Reynolds asked what the restrictions were for Consolidated
Freightways. Mr. Wilson explained one of their restrictions was that the community
be a freight community that housed their employees.
Art in Public Places
September 9, 1996
4. Chairman Walling asked if the La Quinta Arts Fotmdation had a bartk of grant
funders that could be researched. Commissioner Davis stated the Foundation had
applied for and received some grants, but this was almost a full time staff position.
Commissioner Reynolds asked if there were any funding sources for the Obelisk
Program. Management Assistant Britt Wilson asked if the project was for
preservation of the existing ones or to purchase new ones as funding to replace the
existing would be possible, but purchasing new ones would be more difficult. Most
grant contributors prefer programs that involve children, are educational, or involve
teaching, etc. Commissioners discussed with staff local companies that might be
willing to give a grants, such as the Annenberg Foundation.
6. Chairman Walling stated that no matter who they pursued for the grant, it would still
take four to six months to receive the grant and that was not soon enough. Staff
agreed.
7. Chairman Walling thanked staff for their time and the information.
8. Commissioner Cothtun stated that until the project was defined, they would need to
do more investigation. The Commission should involve the media from the
beginning to make it effective. It is important to take advantage of the educational
aspects of the program to involve the community.
9. Community Development Director Jerry Herman asked if the Commis:>ion would
like to table the project until more information was obtained. Commissioner Cothran
stated she would like to get the public involved from the onset of the project and she
felt articles about the project would help make it favorable to the community.
10. Chairman Walling stated the Commission needed to determine what form the project
would take to ensure the best results. The Commission needs to set the direction on
the project. Commissioner Reynolds stated the Commission needed to select an
artist, decide on an amount, and get the project stated.
11. Commissioner Reynolds asked Mr. Mike Teague if he had any suggestions. Mr.
Teague, who was present to discuss the student art wall with the Commission, stated
he was uncertain how much involvement the students could have in tha: project to
make it effective. The site was a dynamic spot. He would prefer to do the project
himself, but would incorporate the students if this was the directive from the
Commission.
12. Commissioners discussed the proposals that had been submitted from Artists Marcia
Gibbons and Paul Gilbert.
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September 9, 1996
13. Commissioner Shamis suggested that Mr. Teague prepare a design and budget for the
site that could be reviewed by the Commission at its next meeting. Mr. Teague
stated he would prefer having two months to prepare the proposal.
14. Following the discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners
Reynolds/Davis to continue the project until the November meeting of the APP.
Staff was directed to write a letter to Ms. Gibbons, Mr. Teague, and Mr. Gilbert, with
the project parameters and price range and ask them to make a presentation at the
November meeting. Discussions with staff and the Commissioners determined the
budget to be less than $10,000. The project was to involve La Quinta students in
everything accept the installation. The design would not be anything to benefit the
commercial business.
C. Student Art Wall
1. Staff informed the Commission that the City Council had approved the permanent
installation of the Student Art wall. Therefore, following the Commission's direction
at their last meeting, staff contacted Mr. Mike Teague for suggestions on how to
enhance the appearance of the wall.
2. Mr. Mike Teague made a presentation of three different designs for the wall. The
first would be a slide rack wherein the pictures would slide into the panels. The
second design was to stretch steel cables across the wall tied to decorative knobs at
each end of the cable. The third form would consist of using builder board covered
with a textured wall paper with a painted molding outlining the pictures. lvlr. Teague
estimated the cost to be $700-800.
3. Following discussions, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners
Reynolds/Shamis to recommend that the third design of alternating painted frames
of different sizes and shapes would be the most attractive. The budget was
determined to be no more than $800.00. Unanimously approved.
COMMISSIONER ITEMS:
1. Budget Planning. Staff stated that Chairman Walling, at the last meeting. had stated
the Commission needed to determine a budget to establish the art projects that would
be pursued by the Commission. Following a discussion, staff was directed to provide
the Commission with potential sites for the public art placement. In addition, other
City Departments would be contacted for their suggestions.
2. Workshop -Staff was directed to continue gaining information regarding the
workshop. Commissioner Shamis volunteered to make phone calls to other cities
with an art program, to gather an inventory of slides showing how art had impacted
their cities.
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Obelisks Project -Commissioner Reynolds asked that the Obelisks project be placed
on the next agenda. She had spoken with a representative of the Historical Society
regazding the project and they had stated they would not be able to contribute much
as they were in the process of raising money to buy a building to house the 1-Iistorical
Society. They would like the APP to approve the project and ask Council to
determine the funding source.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
A. Progress on the Temporary Art Program
B. Obelisks Project
C. Brochure on the Civic Center Art purchases as well as the public art purchases.
D. Continued discussion on the proposed Workshop
E. Major Event Plan review
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Shamir/Reynolds
to adjourn this meeting of the Art in Public Places Commission to a regular meeting o:f the Art in
Public Places Commission on October 7, 1996, at 3:00 P.M. Unanimously approved. This regular
meeting of the Art in Public Places Commission was adjourned at 4:49 P.M.
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