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HomeMy WebLinkAboutArts Commission - 12/08/2008 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2008 7:00 P.M., CITY CENTER 8080 MITCHELL ROAD PRAIRIE ROOM COMMISSION MEMBERS: Ann Rorem, Chair; Heather Olson, Vice Chair; Ana Armstrong, Farida Kathawalla, Steve Mosow, Elizabeth Petry-Lee CITY STAFF: Sandy Werts, Recreation Coordinator Lindsey Scott, Art Center Coordinator STUDENT MEMBERS: Nicole Garbowicz, Katy Johnson RECORDING SECRETARY: Katie Hood I. ROLL CALL Rorem called the meeting to order 7:15 p.m. Commissioners Olson and Petry-Lee were excused. Nicole Garbowicz was excused. Fred Koppleman was in attendance for the Community Band. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Finding Commission Members was added to Old Business. MOTION: Kathawalla moved to approve the Agenda as corrected, seconded by Mosow. Motion carried 4-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 10, 2008 MEETING MOTION: Mosow moved to approve the November 10, 2008 minutes, seconded by Kathawalla. Motion carried 4-0. IV. EDEN PRAIRIE PLAYERS and COMMUNITY BAND UPDATE Koppleman said the Share the Warmth Concert is on December 14 at 7:30 pm. On December 18, the band plays at the arboretum from 6:30 pm— 8:00 pm. Olson and Petry-Lee arrived at 7:25 pm. Werts said the Eden Prairie Players had auditions for On Golden Pond. Thursday night the first read through will take place. The first week in January the rehearsals start and production will be in February. Peter Pan will be the production in summer 2009. ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MINUTES December 8, 2008 Page 2 V. PUBLIC ART PROPOSAL—JUDY CARROLL Werts said Judy Carroll was referred by Forecast Public Art. Werts said the Arts & Culture Commission could recommend the City consider the art proposal. Judy Carroll is eligible for a grant for the project if she has a place to put it. Carroll said her art is collected by various museums and she has items on permanent display at the Smithsonian. Carroll said public art with an environmental theme is the type of art she likes to focus on. She had a couple of displays at the Arboreatum. Carroll distributed a copy of the project narrative to the Commission. Carroll said she is proposing a fountain (The Blue Egyptian Water Lily Lotus of Ancient Egypt) and is seeking funds from Forecast. The water would shoot up and slow down to a trickle and then water would shoot up and down to a trickle again. The cycle would repeat every hour or so. The fountain is to help people question how we use our water and how we take care of our water. The Blue Egyptian Water-Lily derives it name from the ancient myth of Epimetheus and Pandora and refers to the Castalia fountain on Mount Parnassus. The Blue Egyptian Water Lily is known in Ancient Egypt as Castalia Caerulea and botanically as Nymphaea Caerulea. The fountain would be located at Purgatory Creek Park; in the same location as the existing fountain. The fountain is made of layers of ceramic. The fountain would be a temporary exhibit from approximately April until October 2009. Carroll brought photographic examples of her glaze work. The glaze technology used toxic materials, so the materials would not fad from the sun. Carroll's studio is in St. Paul;her degree is in 3-dimensional design. Carroll passed out a proposal to the group and gave Werts a copy of her resume. Carroll said she has consulted with Flair Fountains. Carroll said the fountain could be used as many seasons as the City would like. The installation and removal would need to be paid for by the City for future years. Petry-Lee asked what the required depth is. Carroll said chains are the main attachment for the fountain. As the water fluctuates up or down, the fountain can move with the water. The water drains off of the petals. Each pad is nearly five feet and the flower is huge. Carroll said if there was a really bad storm, the fountain may chip a little bit,but it would shatter and shouldn't be noticeable. The panels can be individually repaired if they were to be damaged. Petry-Lee asked about birds sitting on the fountain. Carroll said the water will wash off of the pads. Carroll said the fountain is bird beak proof. The only time Carroll has had a piece break was when it fell off of a seven foot shelf. Carroll said Forecast needs to have confirmation of a venue in order for her to get the grant. The confirmation of a venue needs happen in the next one and a half weeks. For signage, Carroll said she would use a dead tree slab and drill into it, inscribing the quote, ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MINUTES December 8, 2008 Page 3 and varnish the tree. The tree would lie on the ground. The quote "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."by Margaret Mead, would be placed on the tree. There could be a plaque with an explanation. There could be an earth berm behind the tree slab. Carroll said the installation would take one day. Mosow said it would be interesting to document the process from beginning to end. Carroll said when the Art Center opens there could be a clip of the documentary. Petry- Lee asked if the fountain is at Purgatory Creek for visual or aeration purposes. Werts said the fountain is for visual. It may be partly for aeration,but it is mostly for visual. Mosow said the technical aspects are in Carroll's domain,but the City needs to have a"body" to evaluate the art in the City in order for there to be a flow of the art. Rorem asked if the fountain is for one season. Werts said the proposal is for one season. Carroll said there is a truck rental and four workers in the cost of the installation and removal. The cost is around $80 per hour for the workers and it is around $120 for the truck rental. It would be around $750-$1000 to install. Carroll stepped out of the room for the Commission to discuss the art piece. Werts said the fountain could be installed for one year to see what the community response is. Petry- Lee said Carroll said the fountain could be negotiated for installation for the second year. Rorem said she thinks the fountain should be evaluated one year at a time. Mosow said a separate grant could be applied for and used for the documentary. Werts said it is possible the Communications Department in the City could assist in the editing. Johnson said the Young Film Makers Club at Eden Prairie High School may be interested. MOTION: The Arts & Culture Commission recommends the Park & Recreation Department approve the creation and installation of The Blue Egyptian Water Lily: Lotus of Ancient Egypt at Purgatory Creek Park; Olson moved, seconded by Kathawalla Passed: 6-0. Werts said maybe Carroll could talk about the project at the Artist Network event. Carroll stepped back into the room. Petry-Lee asked Carroll what would be required to have the fountain installed for a second season. Carroll said the installation would need to be paid for. Carroll said the fountain could also be purchased. Carroll said she would store the fountain in-between the first and second year. If the fountain were purchased, then the storage would be the responsibility of the owners. Carroll said she would consider having studio visitors. She said to call her home phone number and leave a message. ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MINUTES December 8, 2008 Page 4 VI. OLD BUSINESS A. Art Center Update Werts said the Eden Prairie Foundation awarded the Art Center$8500. The Art Center will not receive the funds until the City moves forward with the updates. There is additional funding to be received from the State of MN dedicated sales tax. The spring and summer program planning is starting. The registration for the winter programs has begun. Werts said the Historical Society has begun discussion about the programming at the Cummins House and additional activities to be held at the house. Rorem said there may be an event in the spring or fall of 2009. The event for early December was not held as planned. Werts said there is a limited edition print being offered for fundraising for the Art Center. There are 200 prints available at Flagship Bank. The prints will be sold for $195. Half of the money received will go to the "Friends of the Eden Prairie Art Center." Rorem said they are landscapes,but are historical in nature. B. Artist Network Get Together Werts said the date for the Artist Network Get Together was scheduled for January 15. Werts suggested the date be pushed back into February. Werts said the event could be in the atrium of the City Center. Rorem said there could be a book put together with pictures of the artist's art. Each artist could email a representation of their art. Rorem said Dunn Bros has cards where 10 percent of purchases will go towards the Art Center, if the card is used during the purchase. C. Public Art Discussion and Review of Presentations Rorem said she had an idea for a mural like three dimensional piece of art. Artists could apply every year to have the piece repainted each year. Werts said the new buildings may come with their own proposals. Mosow asked if there is a document of community values. Werts said there is the Eden Prairie Promise. Mosow said public art could capture those values. There could be a general theme and capture the Eden Prairie Promise. Werts said during the next budget cycle a feasibility study should be requested. This would help to determine the best sites for public art. Mosow said the Veteran's Memorial could be tied into the theme. Olson said in Athens, Georgia there is a gate which used to have a fence around it. The fence used to keep the wild boars out. Now the belief is ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MINUTES December 8, 2008 Page 5 the freshman shouldn't walk through the gate. It would be nice to have a symbol in Eden Prairie. Kathawalla said prairie grass could be Eden Prairie's symbol. Werts said if people are going to be solicited to display their art, there needs to be some flexibility in the kind/type of art. Werts mentioned the idea of having pedestals in the City where artists could display their sculpture for one year. D. Finding Commission Members Olson and Kathawalla said they have tried to recruit people to apply to be on the Arts & Culture Commission. Olson said she has been told it is too much of a time commitment and another lacked the confidence. VII. NEW BUSINESS A. 2009 Work Plan The discussion was proponed until the January meeting. VIII. REPORTS OF STAFF AND COMMISSIONERS None. IX. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS A. Upcoming Events Cummins House Christmas—December 7 Werts said 249 people attended the Cummins House. There were not as many carriage rides, probably due to the weather. Children from the International School of Minnesota sang music from the cantata "Mr. Scrooge." The children were in costume for the performance. Community Band Share the Warmth Concert on December 14 A flier was distributed to the Commission on the band concerts in December. X. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Mosow moved, seconded by Kathawalla, to adjourn the meeting. Rorem adjourned the meeting at 9:05 p.m.