Background
• January 25, 2023: The Public Art Commission approved publishing a Request for Qualifications for mural artists.
• March 1, 2023: The Call was published on a nationally recognized website. • March 22, 2023: The Public Art Commission selected three artists to submit original design proposals.
• May 30, 2023: As part of the FY23-24 Budget, City Council appropriated $60,000 from the John Parsons Public Art Fund for the Public Works Mural Project. • July 26, 2023: The Public Art Commission reviewed three original design proposals and selected Artist Ernesto Maranje to recommend to City Council. • January 9, 2024: City Council approved $100,000, pending an adopted Budget Modification Resolution, for the Public Works Mural Project.
Version 1 – PAC Meeting - July 26, 2023
N. Catalina Ave.
N. Gertruda Ave.
N. Gertruda Ave. N. Catalina Ave.
105’ x 10’ 138’ x 10’
Total Painted Area:
2,430 square feet
Description
•Starts on N. Gertruda
Ave. with California
sea lions on the rocks
above the water...
•A seagull and an otter
guide us into the
water...
•Turning the corner onto N. Catalina Ave. another
sea lion takes us underwater...
The piece will end with a whale shark deep in the Pacific Ocean.
These creatures aren’t seen as often, but their beautiful pattern makes them a special way to end the design in the underwater section. “My style includes lots of smaller animals, leaves,
and other organic elements
in a dreamy, whimsical style.”
For example, notice the imagery on the seagull:
Dreamy & Whimsical
I am known for painting smaller “vignettes” within the
larger concept. They become their own “world-within-aworld.” We like to call these vignettes “Easter Eggs” because
viewers who know my work like to “hunt” for them.
They also add depth and interest to the design.
For example, the piece below shows a gorilla as the
main subject - with a rhino, elephant and giraffes as
“smaller” characters that live within the gorilla.
Frequently, in real life, these “smaller” animals
are actually larger than the animals they “occupy.”
For example, in this section of the N. Catalina Ave. mural, a blue whale and a blue shark are swimming around a larger sea lion - even though in reality, sea lions are smaller than blue whales and blue sharks.
RESEARCH
The Public Art Commission asked the artist to
make the following changes:
N. Gertruda Ave:
1. Change the color of the sky and the water to
reflect a more sunny southern California feel.
2. Swap out the otter for a native animal – artist
selected a humpback whale.
BEFORE
AFTER
N. Catalina Ave:
3. Remove the blue shark and the blue
whale swimming alongside the seal
(not to scale).
4. Scale back the signature.
BEFORE
AFTER
Version 2 – Submitted July 31, 2023
with the changes requested by the Public Art Commission N. Gertruda Ave.
N. Catalina Ave.
Other changes: • The artist also removed
the “world-within-a-
world” from the seagull
and the sea lion.
• Replaced the coral
beneath the sea lion with
moss
• Replaced the reef with
kelp
Version #1 Version #2
Version 3 – Submitted September 14, 2023
(almost the same as Version #1 but with the brighter sky and water from Version #2)
N. Gertruda Ave. – No “world-within-a-world” on the seagull from #1.
N. Catalina Ave. – Part of the reef from #1 came back; most of the kelp from #2 remains.
The three
designs the
Public Art
Commission
reviewed at
its meeting
on October
25, 2023.
Recommendation from the Public Art Commission:
Design # 3 with the following changes:
•Put back the larger reef on the N. Catalina Ave.
side.
•Get rid of the otter. Use the humpback whale.
•Get rid of the blue shark and the blue whale.
Public Works has requested that the name and
address of the facility be located on both walls.
The artist will come up with something better than this:
Color Palette
Calming, organic tones will speak to the area’s natural surroundings, while vibrant colors will add warmth and interest.
A mixture of transparent and opaque colors will bring movement to the piece.
Materials and Methods
Materials and Methods (continued)
Sherwin Williams Anti-Graffiti/UV Coating
• Repels graffiti from paint, spray paints and permanent markers. • Doesn't require solvent cleaning or abrasives to remove graffiti. • Simple pressure washing or hand-wiping with water does the job. • Allows graffiti to be removed countless times without reapplication. • The low VOC formula meets stringent environmental regulations. • Extremely weather-resistant.
• Ideal for graffiti-prone areas like transit stations, bridges, overpasses, rail cars, retaining walls, municipal buildings, fences, schools, shopping plazas and public restrooms.
Materials List
BUDGET
$125,000
ARTIST FEE $ 15,000.00
FINAL PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT $ 5,000.00
TRAVEL (3 weeks; 3 people) $ 15,000.00
INSURANCE $ 500.00
MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES
Exterior Paint $ 3,000.00
Spray paint and caps $ 2,000.00
Supplies $ 3,000.00
Varnish/protective coating $ 3,000.00
Spray machine and accessories $ 750.00
SITE PREPARATION
Primer $ 250.00
INSTALLATION COSTS
Artist's Labor $ 20,000.00
Other labor $ 12,000.00
Equipment (crane, scaffolding, or other) $ 2,000.00
Site Protection including materials for surfaces $ 1,000.00 Site Restoration including Hazardous Waste Removal $ 2,000.00 PERMITS AND TAXES $ 500.00
CONTINGENCY $ 5,000.00
TOTAL $ 90,000.00
ESTIMATED TRAFFIC CONTROL PLAN & DAILY IMPLEMENTATION
(APPROXIMATELY $1,600/DAY FOR 21 DAYS) $ 35,000.00
TOTAL $ 125,000.00