local photographers

So I've put out a call for a local photographer to provide images for the South Tacoma Pump Station.

Looking at the work of several photographers including Kristin Giordano, Jason Hummel, Abby Kok, Jennifer Chushcoff amongst others.  Each artist has certain strengths that could benefit this project, particularly as it relates to creating strong iconic imagery that truly enhances the Art Deco building.

  

Innovative Grant

We got it!

The Innovative Grant to implement community outreach and bluebird box construction came through!

Many thanks to Beverly Bowen-Bennett for seeing the value of the project for South Tacoma and taking on the task of organizing the various participants.  Also thanks to Emily Kalnicky and Jerry Broadus with Tahoma Audubon Society, Christa LeGrande biologist at JBLM, Albert Styers steward of Oak Tree Park, Mary Anderson of Tacoma Parks, Ricky Delpino, Molly Seyler and Lisa-Marie McDonald of Mt Tahoma High School.

Looking forward to working with everyone to create this wonderful habitat restoration project.

materials & maintenance

materials & maintenance

free – diluted latex paint, hand & HPLV-sprayer applied

fly – weathering steel (A588 plate) & cold-rolled steel (acorn squirrel shield, pipe)

flow -- 3M Control Tac/Avery 6060 Anti-Graffiti Laminate, Sintra PVC Board, CD files

flume – cut, honed & engraved igneous river rock, CD files

At this point, anticipated routine maintenance would consist of very little as it relates to our base project deliveries (tree-painting, metalwork, photos, stonework).  The tree paint (diluted latex) will gradually fade over 3-5 years.  Weathering steel will develop a protective oxide patina requiring little maintenance over a 30-40 year lifespan.  Cold-rolled pipe and spun steel of the material thicknesses specified (1/4” to 3/8”) will last approximately 20-25 years if left untreated in the elements.  The photos covered with a UV-resistant anti-graffiti film should last at least 8-10 years before fading.  The stonework is essentially a permanent material.  Conservatively call it a 50+ year lifespan. 

On the other hand, the wooden birdboxes and any additional landscaping elements will require some ongoing attention as part of a larger effort to create human presence and stewardship in Oak Tree Park.  Anticipate semi-annual cleanings of the birdboxes and replacement structures every 5-7 years.  Landscaping is an ongoing seasonal effort.   

As stated earlier, we will provide a complete maintenance manual with detailed instructions for care of all artworks upon completion and release of work.  We will also provide digital files for replacement images for flow, waterjet cutting for fly and fossil engravings for flume.      

timeline

timeline/schedule

            design details/shop drawings/CDs

site measurements & exact locations for all 4 projects………….…May/June 2017

stone dimensioning/fossil research & design for flume………….....May/June 2017

design refinement/CAD layout for fly................................................June/July 2017

image research & interviews for flow…………………………........May/June 2017

            fabrication/installation      

                       

                        free (tree painting)

                                    final scoping/materials acquisition/rental reservations………....July/Aug 2017

                                    work on site……………………………………………………..Sept/Oct 2017

                        fly (birdboxes/infrastructure)

                                    grant decision/final scoping……………………………….......April/May 2017

                                    workshop planning……………………………………..……...May/June 2017

                                    materials acquisition……………………………………………June/July 2017

                                    studio fabrication.........................................................................July-Sept 2017

                                    outreach/workshops…………………………………….........…Sept-Nov 2017

                                    installation……………………………………………………...................TBD

                        flow (photo installation)

                                    *photographer interviews…………..……………………….…May/June 2017

                                    image acquisition (if no photographer secured)………………..May/June 2017

                                    *photography (w local photographer)…………………….….....July/Aug 2017

                                    printing (sans photographer)………………………………...….July/Aug 2017

                                    *printing (w local photographer)……………………………......Sept/Oct 2017

                                    installation (sans photographer)…………………………....…...Sept/Oct 2017

                                    *installaton (w local photographer)……………………………..Oct/Nov 2017

                        flume (stonework)

                                    stone selection/design details/order placement……....……..…May/June 2017

                                    fabrication (cutting, honing, engraving)………………………June/Aug 2017

                                    site prep/load out……………………………………………….Sept/Oct 2017

                                    installation………………………………………………………Sept/Oct 2017

Exact scope, approach and timeline of fly is contingent upon outcome of Innovative Grant.  If funding doesn’t come through, those funds will be supplemented by funding from the base public art project, replacing birdbox post project with artist providing more of a community-liaison/artist-residency approach.  If the grant comes through, the artist will provide infrastructure as originally-planned.  Given all the unknowns at this point and the need to coordinate outreach efforts with multiple organizations (related to school academic years), exact end date for installation of this piece are to be determined.

Exact approach and timeline of flow is similarly contingent upon a potential collaboration with a local photographer.  If an agreed esthetic approach with a local photographer can be developed, there’s an additional 2 months built into the timeline to allow for their photographic work.  Otherwise I will obtain suitable stock photography through an image bank with an earlier installation date.

All timelines noted here are estimates based on assumptions about several factors that are beyond the artist’s control (timely reviews, community collaborations, invoice turnaround, subcontractor performance, etc).  While the desire is to complete the work in a timely and efficient manner, since we aren’t under a base project coordination deadline, patience is the watchword…and, as always, quality in all it’s immeasurable aspects is the ultimate arbiter.

signage concerns at Oak Tree Park

There's at least 6 different signage styles happening at the park.  Each sign has its own typeface, different materials and discordant color scheme.  If Tacoma Parks is planning to provide more explanatory signage related to the bluebird project, I'd suggest trying to match an existing style or creating a new standard to replace any ugly outdated signage already on site.  Just sayin'...

April 10th feedback

--Generally a 'GO'

--need to figure out exact approach to fly regarding scope of work, materials, placement, coordination with the Innovative Grant (if received)
--desire for collaboration with local photographer on flow (Rebecca will send names)
--need to figure out landscape/sculpture interface for flume at South 74th entry
--timeline & budget refinements
--maintenance requirements & anticipated lifespans

--highlighting request for cleaning of South Tacoma Pump House
--concerns about evergreen succession & clearings at Oak Tree Park

  

contextual considerations

While this project delivers a considerable amount of esthetic impact for a relatively modest budget, there are several contextual issues requiring some attention.  From my observations of several projects elsewhere in the city, it appears Tacoma has a collection of public artworks and park places that are suffering from some serious neglect.  To assure the work is going into places that will offer a modicum of respect and stewardship, I feel it’s important to deal with these issues up front.

The blue tree project, free, invites some comparison with the surrounding canopy, particularly as invasive conifers are pushing out the iconic Garry Oaks being highlighted here.  Given this, I would strongly urge Tacoma Metro Parks develop and implement a consistent overall strategy for preserving the Garry Oak habitat.  While there is a core volunteer group performing ongoing maintenance at the park, the scale of the issue as it relates to undergrowth and invasive species is beyond their capacities.  Therefore I would recommend Tacoma Parks provide a reset clearing throughout the park to help the Garry Oak habitat flourish.  Once that occurs, the ongoing maintenance efforts of volunteers will have a meaningful framework within which to perform their service.

The habitat restoration project, fly, offers some of the same critique, but also with the help of some built-in stewardship, an opportunity to draw more visitors to the park.  The hope is that properly cleared and framed existing meadows will provide enough enticement for a bluebird migration to the area.  This would be a most exciting development, bringing a rare species to the urban environment and another step towards the greening of the city.

The pump house poster project, flow, presents a readymade situation for community outreach on behalf of Tacoma Water.  Unfortunately, the current setting could use some basic cleaning and a paint job to provide a site that could instill some pride.  I hope Tacoma Water will take this as an opportunity to perform some basic facility maintenance prior to our installation of new artwork.

And finally, the monumental stonework along South 74^th known as flume can either be installed as a simple ‘stone on grass’ sculpture (with some consideration for routine lawn mowing) or part of a larger effort to bring in sustainable low maintenance native landscaping and pathways.  While I can’t provide the latter within the current scope of work, it may be something worth exploring or as a vision that develops over time with other resources.  I like to think about these as ‘pebbles in the pond’ sending ripples out into the surrounding community. 

flume (final)

Located in the Oak Tree Park north end meadow bracketed by the playground and South 74^th Street, flume is a landmark environmental sculpture with possible landscaping.  Conceived as a monument to Tacoma’s historic water flume, this 6-element stonework recreates in negative space at least two different interpretations of the concept.  Through a precise alignment of the sawn faces, a v-shaped channel is apparent when the piece is viewed longitudinally.  Call this an homage to history, civilization and the spirit of progress.  The contrapuntal arrangement of individual stones offers another view from above, revealing a serpentine winding path that echoes oxbows typical to the course of a stream cut into a ravine.  Consider this a nod to the natural, wild and winding road of discovery.

The piece will be made from massive igneous river rocks sliced at precise angles to capture the proper alignment when assembled on site.  The cut surfaces and edges will be lightly honed so there are no sharp edges, but retain a natural, rustic appearance in keeping with its park surroundings.  Small engraved ‘fossils’ based on the natural history of the unique Garry Oak ecosystem will provide an opportunity for discovery and conceptual links to the surrounding environs while the flat stones offer a warm place to lounge on a sunny day. 

Though this is beyond the scope of work offered here, the entire lawn surrounding the artwork could be reconceived as a verdant meadow, filled with native plants and meandering pathways.  Depending on interest, the piece could be part of a larger indigenous landscape filled with flowering plants (blue camas, common blue-cup, Blue-eyed Mary among others).  These could complement low maintenance native flowering perennials, grasses and shrubs.