Title
Approval of Recommendation from the Art in Public Places Board for Approval of the Acquisition and Installation of “Raven Dialog, Friendly Advice” at the Los Alamos Nature Center Using Art in Public Places Funds in an Amount Not to Exceed $15,000
Recommended Action
I move that Council approve the acquisition of the small, bronze sculpture “Raven Dialog, Friendly Advice” by Star York, to be installed at the Los Alamos Nature Center and included in the Los Alamos County Art Collection, and authorize the expenditure of Art in Public Places funds in an amount not to exceed $15,000, which includes the sculpture purchase, installation, related expenses, GRT, and contingency.
County Manager's Recommendation
The County Manager recommends that Council approve the motion as presented.
Board, Commission or Committee Recommendation
The Art in Public Places Board recommends that County Council approve the purchase of “Raven Dialog, Friendly Advice”, a small bronze sculpture by artist Star York, to be installed outside of the front entrance of the nature center for a not-to-exceed price of $10,000 plus an additional $5,000 for installation and other miscellaneous costs for a total not-to-exceed cost of $15,000.
Body
This public art project originated from a presentation by Chick Keller, a founding member of PEEC, at the December 29, 2024 APPB meeting to request a sculpture to be purchased by APPB for the Nature Center. He envisioned a sculpture at the entrance of the Los Alamos Nature Center that would more clearly reflect its natural setting, ideally one that featured birds, in keeping with the meaning of “Pajarito” (“little bird” in Spanish). His goal was to enhance the center’s front entry with artwork that connected visitors more directly to themes of nature and wildlife. Once other PEEC board members embraced the idea, they recognized that the acquisition of such a sculpture could also serve as a meaningful way to mark PEEC’s 25th anniversary, aligning the installation with their year of celebration and community reflection.
To identify a suitable artwork for the Nature Center, a small working group, composed of one member of the Art in Public Places Board (APPB) and three PEEC Board members, collaboratively curated a selection of three sculptures by regional artists whose work strongly reflects themes of nature and wildlife. These selections were presented to the full APPB and formally approved at its March 27, 2025 meeting, where plans for gathering public input were also discussed.
The three proposed sculptures, created by artists Kevin Box, Gilberto Romero, and Star York, were then shared with the public during PEEC’s Earth Day Celebration on April 26, 2025. All three artists were invited to participate in the event, though only Star York from Abiquiu, NM was able to attend. Many visitors stopped by the booth to view the artwork posters, speak with members of the working group, and engage in conversations about the proposed pieces.
Initial feedback was gathered through a paper survey conducted at the Earth Day event. Over 100 attendees filled out physical comment cards, providing their sculpture preference and written feedback. Each poster included a QR code linking to a digital version of the survey, which was launched concurrently and remained open for an additional two weeks to encourage broader community input. In total, 191 digital survey responses were collected, with 56% of participants selecting “Raven Dialog, Friendly Advice” as their preferred choice. Only two respondents selected “none of the above.” See Attachment A for an image of “Raven Dialog, Friendly Advice” and Attachment B for complete survey results. The initial paper survey results were similar, ranking York’s sculpture as the preferred choice. Public input was reviewed and discussed during the APPB’s May and July 2025 meetings.
Some APPB members and survey participants expressed concern that the sculpture’s relatively small size (17" x 19" x 18.5") could limit its visibility at the installation site. To address this, the sculpture will be mounted on a custom-designed stone base (see Attachment C), from Santa Fe Stone, which will enhance its visibility and presence at the entrance of the Nature Center. The base will consist of a natural stone approximately 36 inches tall, with a top surface measuring about 24” x 30”. As is typical for natural stone, the shape will be irregular. To ensure proper installation, only the portion of the stone where the sculpture attaches will be etched smooth and leveled, allowing the piece to sit securely while preserving the organic character of the base. Final placement will be coordinated with PEEC staff and APPB members to ensure optimal public engagement and site integration. See Attachment D for an image of the proposed location.
The APPB working group will work with Sorrel Sky Gallery to acquire the sculpture, and artist Star York will oversee the installation and advise on long-term care and maintenance.
At its July 24, 2025 meeting, the Art in Public Places Board voted to recommend that County Council approve the purchase and installation of “Raven Dialog, Friendly Advice” for a total project cost not to exceed $15,000. Funding will come from the existing Art in Public Places Fund and will cover the cost of the sculpture, stone base, installation, plaque, and all related project expenses, including a ribbon cutting ceremony, GRT and contingency. This expenditure will not affect funding allocated for other current or planned APPB projects.
Alternatives
Council could not approve the expense, and the project will be cancelled.
Fiscal and Staff Impact/Planned Item
The current fiscal impact will not exceed $15,000 from the Art in Public Places Fund. There are sufficient funds in that account to cover this expense. The APPB staff liaison will coordinate the acquisition and installation processes.
Attachments
A - Image of Raven Dialog, Friendly Advice sculpture
B - Community opinion survey results
C - Image of Stone for sculpture base
D - Image of proposed location
E - Project Plan for Nature Center Sculpture