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Leisure Lagoon Potential Art
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Member Mackey is the lead for this project. Steve Huebner updated the board at the Oct. 22nd meeting, stating that the Kiddie Pool construction is scheduled to begin on Feb. 2021 and be completed in Feb. 2022. As the project manager, Steve expressed that if APP is going to consider putting art in this location, that a firm design would be needed by Aug. 2021. Initial ideas from the board were a mural, a mosaic of tile or other material, Ceramic art such as fish, similar to the kites in the White Rock Library, and Sea Creatures. Board is to brainstorm ideas for this project with additional information of materials recommended for an enclosed aquatic center environment. At the Dec. 17, 2020 meeting Member Mackey presented two potential artists for the interior, Amanda Jaffe, and, Collette Marie for the exterior of the building. Member Mackey was tasked with further discussing with these artists further details and rough estimate costs for potential art.
At the Jan 2021 meeting Member Mackey provided addition details of the proposed pieces. The Exterior would be a concrete formed lined piece, proposed to be placed above the new windows of the pool. The Interior is proposed to have 5 pieces, each sitting underneath the new windows of the pool, and would need to be sunk at least 2 inches into the wall. Both proposals need extreme coordination with the project manager, Steve Huebner for feasibility in construction timeline and contractor capability an scope. Staff Liaison, Katherine Hudspeth, reached out to Steve Huebner with a summary of Jan. 2021 discussion, asking several questions, Member Mackey was cc’d.
At the Feb. 2021 meeting New Chair Mackey provided additional details. The exterior of the Aquatic Center will be concrete block, not form-lined, as previously through, therefore the stamped concrete is not a viable idea. Further research needs to be done for any exterior ideas. As for the interior, Amanda Jaffe is excited for the potential project, and does need to figure out how the pieces would be mounted, since they can’t be sunk into the wall. She going to send samples, Attn: Katherine at the Muni Bldg., and does plan to use thick tiles (2in), would use 2in angle iron and adhesive to mount.
Safety concerns were brought up at the June 2021 by county staff, and the board was asked to consider other ideas for art for the facility. Chair Mackey requested a meeting with the CSD Director to discuss. Chair Mackey was to gather additional information from the artist before any additional action was taken. Through January 2021 - October 2021 details regarding potential pieces were discussed with the artist, and safety concerns discussed and address with the Leisure Lagoon Project Manager, Wayne Kohlrust.
The 5 ceramic mosaic pieces are as follows:
- Clay used for the murals will be non-porous.
- The mosaic murals will be composed of tiles that are solid and approximately 6” square.
- Center mural ceramic tiles will be less than ¼ inches thick
- The surrounding boarder will be slightly less that 3/8 inches thick.
- Total mural size 7.7 feet x 5.5 feet each
- Each ceramic mural would weight approximately 138 lbs.
- The back of the ceramic tiles will have small, raised lines (just like a commercial tile) to hold the commercial grade adhesive; the tiles of the mural will be attached to the wall, by a professional using only commercial grade adhesive.
Ceramic tiles have been proven to last the elements of an aquatic center and are routinely used during pool installations. The proposed mosaic murals are to represent water in other forms, snow, ice, and rain. The artist has used a repeating pattern and flowing line to give the sense of the quiet effect water can have. The artist believes the colors selected, as seen in the attached picture, are bright and playful colors, that project a sense of joy, given that the space is geared toward children.
A public comment survey was conducted October 8 - 28, 2021 via Survey Monkey. Additional comments were collected from the Community Services Facebook Page, The Los Alamos Daily Post Facebook Page, and a letter written to the Los Alamos Daily Post, also attached. In response to the initial letter written to the LA Daily Post, APP Board Chair, Theophan Mackey wrote a response letter, and additional comments were collected from that. This letter is also attached.
Overall the survey showed that respondents were supportive of the proposed art, except for the cost. However, there were many comments noted that different mediums and colors where desired for the given space. Given this information, the APP Board approved to move forward with this recommendation.
The timeline for completion of the murals is estimated to be two (2) years, following a signed contract. The mosaic murals will be delivered and installed as they are completed.
Amanda Jaffee is ceramic tile artist and Professor Emeritus, where she taught ceramics from 1985 - 2011 at New Mexico State University, and is located in Las Cruces, NM. Her relief porcelain wall tiles are frequently abstract with landscape references and living close to the US southern border has brought Mexican cultural influence into her work. Experiences swimming in the ocean and pools makes important contributions to Amanda’s imagery. High relief ceramic tile wall pieces have been Amanda's primary focus but in 2008 she returned to a sculptural format. The scale of her work ranges from very small to public murals. She has completed three large public art projects in Texas, Washington state and at the Staten Island Zoo for which she received a New York City Art Commission Design award. In 2011 a retrospective exhibition of her art: Looking Back, "Looking Forward" was shown at New Mexico State University.
Cleaning of the murals would be the same of any ceramic tiled wall, therefore an additional maintenance/cleaning cost should be avoided.
The recommendation for the 5 mosaic tile pieces was taken before County Council on Nov. 16, 2021, and was put on hold, requesting information from the board regarding the process of how this art was selected.
At the Dec. 2021 Art in Public Place Board meeting, the board finalized, voted, and approved the final process document that is to be sent to County Council.
The process letter stated that they still standby their decision to select Amanda Jaffee for the Leisure Lagoon Art, however if Council felt that the Board needs to proceed with a Call for Art, that they would be happy to do so.
The process letter and re-recommendation was originally to be scheduled for Jan. 25, 2022 Council meeting, however has been moved to the Feb. 1, 2022 Council meeting.