Public Art

Yolo County

"Each new county building project includes a public art component," says Beth Gabor, public information officer for Yolo County. "We prefer art to be in public spaces. We also like art outside or in entry lobbies because it can be enjoyed by more citizens. Integration of artwork as a component in any public building is essential to humanizing the space for the end user."

As lead consultant, "the Yolo County Arts Council proposes artist, location, upkeep, and so on," says Gabor, "and the General Services Department and the board of supervisors determine budget and approve submissions." The criteria for selecting artists is specific to each project; factors such as the actual space and the building's theme (health, education, justice, etc.) are considered. The funds allocated toward artwork are individually decided upon and assigned. Besides those three, a slew of other entities also has a say in the process: the county administrator's office, developers, architects, contractors and sometimes even the public.

Two of Yolo County's latest projects include the recently constructed County of Yolo Probation Building, and the still-in-progress Herbert Bauer, M.D., Health & Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Building, both in Woodland.

Each city also maintains and operates its own ordinances or processes for placing public art. Perhaps one of the quirkiest of these is Woodland's Dead Cat Alley. Here, along with historical markers and murals, reside 13 ceramic cats: some basking in the open, others lurking in a corner.

"Dead Cat Alley is where Woodland began," says Dino Gay, president and co-founder of the Woodland Art Center. When WAC adopted the alley, "we kind of proclaimed it to be our project. WAC manager George Streng and Sacramento artist Gary Dinnen got the idea to do funky cats sprinkled in and out of the alley. The momentum built from there."

Though originally only 13 cats were planned, "we're just going to keep it going," Gay says. "People come up to me and say, 'Where are the cats?' It's almost like a treasure hunt."

The alley's popularity even resulted in a segment on Channel 13 when one of the cats was stolen in November 2006. The kitty has since been restored, safe and, but for some minor damage, sound.

Solano County

The new Solano County Government Center currently displays four pieces of public art: a mural at the second floor landing (Spirit of Solano, a Time and Space Scape by Sayako Dairiki and Jonathan Hammond); a suspended piece in the entry lobby (Capturing a Moment, by Kana Tanaka); art for the outside reflecting pool (Roberto Rovira's The Glass Hull) and a mural in the sixth floor reception area (Solano Tule Grassland, by Susan Schneider; see sidebar.)

The acquisition and management of these is just the start for the "relatively young" Solano County's Public Art Committee, says Ann Cousineau, director of library services for Solano County Library, and the committee's chair.
Unlike in Yolo County, a funding percentage of 1.5 percent is "a given" for capital projects with "a construction budget of $100,000 or more," Cousineau says, although the decision could be made to not allocate it. That percentage is "the only funding budgeted for art." The committee's biggest challenge, however, was getting the word out to local artists; they now keep a database of artists for future reference. Once assigned, Cousineau says, "the artists have much leeway. The Government Center theme ["Connect to the past. Describe the present. Envision the future."] is one we use for public art projects ... but the art is from them and we want to encourage, not hamper their artistic juices."

Most installations are permanent, as the program is too new to handle anything getting destroyed or renovated. An exception is the pedestals outside the board chambers, one designated for each city within the county. Some cities will show permanent artwork, while others will rotate pieces. To date, only Benicia and Fairfield have contributed artwork.

The committee is building up a head of steam with new projects such as artwork at the roundabout at Abernathy and Rockville roads. "The piece is unique in that we partnered with the Suisun Valley Fund, governed by the Solano Irrigation District," Cousineau says. "An additional theme was that the piece would serve as a gateway to Suisun Valley." The board awarded the contract to artist Lisa Reinertson; installation for her piece, Mother Earth, is slated for May 2007. Other projects include a new board seal for the Board of Supervisors and artwork for the Nut Tree Airport sign.

"The artwork shows the diversity and talent of Solano County's art community," Cousineau says.

Napa County

Napa County doesn't have a percentage in place as do Solano and Yolo counties, but it does have clusters of determined citizens. One is the Arts Council Napa Valley. Michelle Williams, executive director, rattles off a list of activities: "We are getting ready to launch cultural planning in Napa County. We've also just launched a new Master Arts & Culture Calendar. We are working on an initiative to get public funding for arts in Napa County, and we just concluded the 2006 Open Studios Tour."

While ACNV strives to support arts education, organizations and local talent, the community itself has also banded together for a good cause. In September 2006, Napa County's newly renovated historic courthouse (825 Brown St., Napa) received a donation of a stained glass dome artwork from Napa Valley artist Gordon Huether. "This final piece was not funded by government funds," says Stephen Bouch, court executive officer, but rather "was the brainchild of retired Judge W. Scott Snowden."

The courthouse had just undergone an extensive renovation. The final objective of the restoration was to retain the historic appearance of the building's interior, and that's where Snowden stepped in. "Working in conjunction with the Napa County Historical Society," Bouch says, "donations were solicited to fund the design and construction of a stained glass dome to replace the one that was originally installed on the second floor." The loss of the original remains mysterious; speculation runs from destruction in the 1906 earthquake to it being removed and the lead used for the war effort during World War I. "What we do know was that it graced the original building and was noted in early newspaper accounts of the opening of the building in 1878."

Funding for the project came courtesy of the legal community, to whom Snowden appealed. Huether donated his time in the design of the stained glass, and his firm, Gordon Huether & Partners, Inc., was hired to construct and install the art. The piece was unveiled to the public at the rededication of the courthouse on October 17. In addition, two paintings were donated by local artists Joann Ortega Snowden and Susann Ortega; Snowden's painting depicts a Napa Valley untouched by development, while Ortega's painting is of a valley oak populated by numerous indigenous birds.

Incidentally, the renovation of the historic courthouse earned both Snowden and Bouch Preservationists of the Year awards from Napa County Landmarks in May 2006.

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