Just five entries in city’s public art competition
Local artists apparently were not enthralled by the city’s $5,000 contest to create public art. Only five applications were submitted by the May 21st deadline.
The winning idea will grace a soon-to-be built high-end RTA bus stop in front of the INA building, near the corner of Detroit Ave. and Warren Rd. The new nearly 38-foot long by 6-foot wide “transit waiting environment” (TWE) is funded by a $25,000 federal grant to the city via RTA.
Analia Dimit (Dimit Architects), Cindy Einhouse (Beck Center), Ruth Koenigsmark (Lakewood is Art), Aref Shafik (The Design Firm), David Stein (Plantation Home), and Danielle Willis (RTA) are on the jury that will review the five proposals.
Ground rules
The competition announcement (see .PDF) outlines the parameters of the art project:
Although boldness and creativity is encouraged, respect for the commercial nature of downtown Lakewood and the mid-century modern architecture of the INA Building should be considered. The feasibility of the proposed public art will be one of the criteria used to select the winning entry.
Other rules include:
• The art must be located within the limits of the TWE as shown on the attached proposed site condition drawing.
• The art must be permanent, durable in nature and be suitable to an urban commercial environment.
• The art must take into consideration the TWE’s function as a transit stop and cannot in any way impede RTA’s service operations and maintenance.
• The art may be mounted on the proposed shelter but must be designed to accept the structural and function limits of the shelter.
• The barrel vaulted roof of the shelter may be removed to accommodate the art, however the installation must provide the same weather tight condition.
• A minimum five-foot rider loading area must be maintained between the shelter and planters as shown on the TWE Proposed Improvements drawing.
• If the art overhangs any of the pedestrian areas a minimum eight-foot vertical clearance from the sidewalk must be provided.
• The art cannot be affixed in any way to the adjacent building.
The candidates
Project statement of Bradford Watson:
Bus stops, or any other transit waiting area, by their very nature are places of passing time and anticipation. They are part of the daily ritual of our day and we come to mark the passage of the season by the way one has to dress to wait for transit to arrive. At some point there is a shift from waiting in the early morning dusk to basking in the sun with a crisp spring breeze. Similarly as the year fades, that bright sun slips from the morning and the smell of fall fills the air, preparing one for the cold and anticipation of the next spring. This series of three planters becomes a way of marking time that reaches back to the native prairies that once covered this region.
Constructed out of Ipe wood, a weather resistant hard wood, these planters provide a portal into the historic plains of the Midwest. Three planters of differing heights emerge from the concrete to provide a dynamic landscape of native Ohio prairie grass and flowers. The plains eventually elevate to provide a shelter for those waiting for the transit system to arrive. The Ipe will start in a red / orange tone and turn to a silver / gray as time passes, further facilitating the marking of time passing. Similarly, the prairies are a permanent reminder of the seasonal cycle with their change in height, color, texture and natural attraction and add to the anticipation within this waiting environment.
Supporting .PDF files for Bradford Watson:
| Project Rendering | Project Statement | Artistic Resume | Prior Works |
Project statement of Michael Fleming:
The Mid-Century Modern Bus Stop is designed to add continuity between the INA Building and the street. Indeed, many other buildings in the area are of similar vintage, thus the Transit Waiting Environment becomes a fitting place-maker for that section of Lakewood. It is simple and elegant in form, while drawing the eye horizontally, giving a sense of movement befitting public transportation infrastructure.
The TWE is designed not just to shelter riders, but to act as a piece of “floating” street furniture, hovering just above the sidewalk and replacing traditional park benches with a lower, more informal seating place from which to relax and enjoy the street on warmer days. The stop further mimics the INA Building with a sun shade hanging out from the shelter.
Supporting .PDF files for Michael Fleming:
| Project Rendering | Project Statement | Artistic Resume | Prior Works |
Project statement of Sheila Weil and Joseph DeLuca:
The bus stop project on Detroit Avenue is a project that really excites and interests us. Being artists and residents of Lakewood for 10+ years, we love the direction that Lakewood is heading, and feel that visual and public art can only enhance the great spirit and character of what Lakewood is. Art displayed within a community touches people and strengthens their feelings of pride and commitment—we want to help create a part of that!
Over our many years together, we have created thousands of art pieces both together and separately. Sheila has been a mosaic artist for the last 15 years, showing and competing in art shows throughout the country as well as executing many private and public commissions. Joseph has worked in the visual forms of photo montage, mosaic, and conceptual art. We feel that we have a strong vision and understanding of how this particular project can help enhance Lakewood.
Our intent is to create an enjoyable environment filled with simplistic nature and beauty that will stand out against the modern lines of the INA building. Much thought was incorporated in the design to create harmonious lines, colors, and forms that will both contrast and complement the background. Using the universal theme of nature and seasons is one that we feel everyone will respond to. It will help create feelings of peace and harmony, and a bit of wonder and joy within the urban environment that it is found. The different textures and materials that we intend to use—bold vinyl forms, ceramic
tile mosaic, and stained glass beads—will also resonate with the senses on another level. We have taken practical considerations into mind as well. The design will not impede the visual necessities of the bus stop, and we have been careful with the design to insure against any safety hazards.
We are very excited to be considered in this design proposal for Lakewood! We feel our design will stand out in this city and be noted for its simple grace, beauty, and form. We love living here and are really excited by the possibility of creating something beautiful and lasting within it!
Supporting .PDF files for Sheila Weil and Joseph DeLuca:
| Project Rendering | Project Statement | Artistic Resume | Prior Works |
Project statement of Michelle Mowery and Amy Budzar:
As long time Lakewood residents we are pleased to submit a proposal for this public art initiative opportunity. We love this community and are committed to raising our families here. We have been active participants in numerous projects and events that have taken place in the Lakewood art community and are interested in continuing to grow and promote the Lakewood arts culture. While neither of us qualifies as a full time artist – we both have found a balance of incorporating artistic pursuits into our lives. Amy is a mother of four, full time elementary school teacher whose artistic talents include photography, illustration, print-making and jewelry design. Michelle is a mother of two, full time business executive, whose mosaic arts/crafts “hobby” has led her to having a studio space at the Templar Industrial Park / Screw Factory Artists studios since July of 2009. Our combined resume submitted outlines the various projects and events we have participated in.
Our initial approach to this project was to incorporate the concept of community diversity of the residents and the businesses that make Lakewood a unique city and great place to live and or visit. We would like this project to include and highlight as many locally owned and operated Lakewood establishments as possible. The first part of our design concept includes a postcard styled photo-mural entitled “Greetings from Lakewood”. This would consist of a “collage” of postcards we design featuring Lakewood businesses, to be mounted inside the back-wall of the Brasco Shelter area. The double-sided mural (visible from the sidewalk or street) would be mounted between plexi-glass to protect the images, and installed in the middle third of the shelter to allow for light and visibility from within the shelter structure (we felt obscuring the entire shelter was a safety concern). We have solicited pre-approval and consent from Lakewood businesses to participate with us in the project should we be selected (see list of businesses who have agreed to participate and those we have solicited but have not received a response as of this date – we are also open to additional suggestions from the committee of additional establishments we might have overlooked). If selected, we intend to collaborate with the business owners on each establishment’s postcard design that will become part of the project, and therefore our collaborative approach to this project extends further into the Lakewood community. The second part of our design concept is the mosaic sidewalk mural installation in the 4’ area between the seating benches. This concept is simply to illustrate and promote the diversity of Lakewood’s residents – the heart of our community. Lastly, for additional artistic interest, the planter boxes (and possibly the bike rack if feasible) would be covered in mirror mosaic. The recycled mirror pieces will draw attention and reflect the colors and movement surrounding the planters – the effect of which is eye-catching and yet cohesive with the architectural design of the whole transit waiting environment.
Supporting .PDF files for Michelle Mowery and Amy Budzar:
| Project Rendering | Project Statement | Artistic Resume | Prior Works |
The project statement of Cheri Homaee, Leslie McCafferty, and Stephanie Sibits:
This is a great opportunity to create a confluence of art, transportation, business and environment in the City of Lakewood. This will be represented by life size wire two dimensional figures.
We are three artists with the analytical and aesthetic background to complete this project. Though, initially our backgrounds are diverse, we have come together in our passion for art and all that art can represent. Our resumes show how we each have a conventional working ability as well as visual ability. We are able to draw, paint, and carry out our concepts. All work is documented and bid through standard construction processes, using the highest quality of materials.
We recognize that “on-time, on-budget” is much more than a sales pitch. We use these yardsticks every day to measure our success. However, we are not dogmatic in our approach. We recognize that business needs change, and we are very flexible in working with our customers to reassess a changed situation and to create an appropriate expectation for success. The bottom-line is ensuring that the commissions we build are a success.
Supporting .PDF files for Cheri Homaee, Leslie McCafferty, and Stephanie Sibits:
| Project Rendering | Project Statement | Artistic Resume | Prior Works |
Tags: