Lawrence Arts Commission

May 12, 2004 meeting Minutes

 

Commissioners present:  DiAnne Damro, Paul Hotvedt, Judi Kellas, Marlene Merrill,

Margaret Morris, Jeff Ridgway, Sandra Wiechert.

 

Commissioners absent: Kay Henry, Janet Satz, Lew Tilford, Sureva Towler.

 

Staff liaison present: Michael Tubbs.

 

A.  Recognition/Proclamation/Presentation

      Commission Chair DiAnne Damro called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm in

      City Hall Meeting Room.

 

B.  Committee items/reports

      1. a. Commissioner Ridgway showed slides of the winning sculptures for this year’s                           17th annual Outdoor Downtown Sculpture Exhibit. Commissioners seemed quite

              pleased by the quality of the sculptures. Information for the exhibit’s brochure

              will be sent to Michael Tubbs on Friday, May 14. Included in the brochure,

              as designed by Trent Flory, will be sculpture pictures, information on each

              artist, and the artist’s statement, plus a map. The brochures will be ready by                   Saturday, June 19, when there will be a 5:30-8:30 pm walking tour led by the                    Jurist, Rachel Blackburn. Posters advertising this will be displayed in downtown                           windows prior to this tour which typically attracts about 90 people. The tour will               conclude with a reception at the Lawrence Arts Center. The caterer probably will          be Maceli’s, working within the $400 budgeted for this event.

               

                  Commissioner Ridgway announced that all sculptures are to arrive between

              9 am and 3 pm next Friday, May 14, at the city’s Forestry Barn, 11th and

              Haskell. Commissioners were invited to stop by to welcome the sculptors

              as they deliver their sculptures.

 

              Commissioner Ridgway said there will be an article in Sunday’s Journal-

              World, May 16, about the orphan sculptures, left from previous exhibits.

              Written by Mindie Paget, the story will tell of future plans for them.

              #1 sculpture Selective Memory by Chris Wubbena was chosen by Ann Evans to                      be in front of the Lawrence Arts Center. (Picking a favorite is Evans’ perk,                        as she hosts the Outdoor Sculpture Reception. Other sculptures will be matched                         with their locations by Parks & Recreation staff.)

              #2 sculpture Pollywiggle by Bounnak Thammavong will be in front of USBank

              at 9th and Massachusetts Sts. The same sculptor exhibited last year.

              #3 sculpture Self-Portrait as a Midget by Gary Mark was discussed as possibly                      having an offensive title. Commissioners discussed perhaps changing this title,                        but agreed that since this was what the sculptor named it, and the juror had                      accepted the sculpture as titled, we should too. This sculpture will be in front of

              Teller’s at 8th and Mass.

              #4 sculpture Spangled by Matthew Wicker will be in front of the Eldridge Hotel,

              7th and Mass.

              #5 sculpture Conscious of Her Shores by Jayson Lowery will be at the

              Journal-World, 6th and Mass. Commissioners agreed the brochure explanation is                       confusing, but it cannot be changed at this time.

              #6 sculpture Organic Composition #1 by James Darrel Kizer will be in front of                        the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont. Although this piece looks fragile, it                         is quite sturdy and will be well bolted to its base.

              #7 sculpture Graduated Beginning by Stephanie Sailer will also be at the                                 Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont.

              #8 sculpture Breech by Willie Ray Parish was designated “Best of Show”, by the          Juror, Rachael Blackburn. This 11 ft. tall sculpture will be near the Douglas                          County Courthouse, bordering South Park, 11th and Mass.

           

              There was some discussion about leaving “Kansas Sculptors Association”

              on the brochure as a supporting entity. Commissioners agreed it was best

              to leave the name on, even though there is no direct support.

 

                  Commissioner Ridgway will keep all the slides of the selected sculptures, but                  will encourage city staff and other interested people to use them for public                        relations purposes.

 

B. 2. c.  The grant writing workshop will probably take place in October. Commissioner

              Hotvedt will join Commissioners Towler and Merrill on this committee.

         a.  Michael Tubbs will invite commissioners to attend the City Commission

              meeting when the grants will be awarded. He is hoping this will happen at

              the May 25 meeting.

         b.  In the absence of Kay Henry, possible dates in October and November for

              the Phoenix Awards were discussed. October seemed to be preferred.

         d.  The Percent for Art committee is “on a roll.” Call-for-entry forms as designed by           Trent Flory have been distributed, and letters have been sent to over 50 artists,                          including former exhibiting Outdoor sculptors. The Request for Purchase form

              is ready, once the Sesquicentennial sculpture designated for the grassy verge                  across from City Hall has been selected.

 

C. l.  Minutes

         Commissioner Kellas moved and Commissioner Moore seconded that the April 14

         Minutes be approved as written.

 

D. Remarks from the Chair

     Commission chair Damro described the Arts and Culture Roundtable which meets on         

     second Tuesday of each month. This group consists of representatives of all the arts

     groups and related businesses in the Lawrence area. Arts-related information is easily

     shared and supported by this group. Commissioner Damro hopes to attend most of  

     these meetings in the future. Commissioner Moore will substitute for her as needed,

     and Commissioner Wiechert will attend if neither of the above is able to be present.

 

 

E. New Business

    Staff liaison Michael Tubbs reported the past Phoenix Awards are now in the display

    case on the City Hall 4th floor. They will need labels. He reported $1500 will be

    available for funding the art piece awards to be given to this year’s Phoenix winners.

 

    Commissioner Kellas stressed that the work of the Lawrence Arts Commission needs

    more publicity. Michael Tubbs agreed, commenting on how much the LAC does for

    the city. Commissioners discussed having permanent nametags and/or sashes to wear

    at LAC functions such as the sculpture walk and Phoenix Awards ceremony.

    Commissioners also discussed having an LAC brochure and/or website.

 

F. Calendar

    1. June 9 will be our next Lawrence Arts Commission meeting. The Commission will

        likely recess in July.

    2. June 19 will be the guided tour of the new sculptures, 5:30-8:30 pm. The assembly

        place will be announced by Commissioner Ridgway.

    3. The Grant Award winners’ checks will be presented at a City Commission Meeting,            

        to be announced by staff liaison Tubbs.

 

G. Adjournment

     Commissioner Ridgway moved and Commissioner Moore seconded that the meeting

     be adjourned, it then being 8 pm.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Sandra Wiechert,

LAC Secretary