["The Star-Spangled Banner"] It's Wednesday, August the 20th at 301. We'll call the Urban County Arts Review Board meeting to order. The first item on the agenda is to approve the minutes from May 15th, 2019. If you haven't had a chance to do that, this is your time. It's been brought to my attention that Mike McKay's name has been spelled wrong a few times. So if we could just... He doesn't care, but if it matters for... Okay, all right. It wasn't Mike. He doesn't... Yeah, his ego's not in this game. Thanks, Jennifer. Okay, then. Plumbers made a motion to approve the minutes. Do we have a second? Second. Okay, Kurt seconds. So, anybody have any other comments? All in favor, say aye. Aye. Anyone say nay? Okay, so the minutes are approved. We'll move on to the next item on the agenda, which is the Woodland Park Kip Tutaris project proposal. This is for conceptual review, and this is a wonderful application because there's so much, so many visuals with his past work. The same part that Mike Fresca and Zoe Strucker and Erica did their sculpture through these materials. Do we have representation from the Ellsford neighborhood? Would you like to come to the podium for questions? Thank you. And introduce yourself, please. Hello. Can you hear me? Oh, yeah. I'm Kathleen Winter. I'm the president of the Ellsford Place Neighborhood Association, so thank you for having us come and present our project. So, I think it's somewhat self-explanatory, but a couple of years ago, maybe 18 months ago, one of the trees was taken down in Woodland Park, which is contained within our neighborhood association, and the trunk, which is called a tree snag, as I've such learned since since this started, was retained in one of our residents, Cliff K. He recommended that we consider it for an art project, and I'm not sure how he became connected with Kipto, but he somehow did, and and so the kind of the project idea got rolling. So, it's been a little slow moving, just in kind of getting through all the hurdles, since it's a park and a public space in the neighborhood, but we are hoping to have the this turned into a sculpture, and the proposed design is in there, the melting pot, which I can let Kipto speak to more details on the actual work. So, the Neighborhood Association has committed some funding towards this project, and Jake Gibbs has also committed some funding towards this project, so we have some financial support already lined up, and the balance will be solicited by donations from folks within the neighborhood or within the community at large. I'm not sure if there's any other things you want me to go over. I'm looking at the printout of the application, and the font doesn't fit into the box, so if you could finish some sentences for me. Sure. Okay. I'll do my best. Briefly explain why this location was selected. All we can see is it was selected due to the location of an existing tree snag, and really because it's the location is on the north side of the park on Kentucky Avenue, which is one of the main entrance points for pedestrians coming into the park, so it's visible from the street and from the sidewalk. There's no other art in that vicinity, so in that sense it's appealing. It's also the location of the Woodland Art Fair, as you all know, so it is certainly a gathering point already for art in the community. It's one of the main location kind of entrance sites for that. Okay. All right. Well, it looks like some people did print out the whole thing. Maybe it's just mine. Yeah. All right. Well, I won't be redundant. I'll just look at Kurt's. Is this where the stage is? It's near where the stage is, yes. So if you look on the map, actually, which is page 24, do you have the whole packet? So it's kind of where that X is. It's very close to the gazebo, if you kind of know where the gazebo is, but it's on the street side of the sidewalk, so it's between the street and the sidewalk, very close to the very edge of the park. Mm-hmm. And is there special lighting there? There's already some existing lighting. There's at least one or two standard light poles, I don't know, you know, posts. There's nothing other unique other than the street lighting. Mm-hmm. The other piece that is in the park that you mentioned that we had done earlier with with Zoe and Mike, that one also doesn't have any additional lighting, but the goal of that project was to be very pedestrian friendly and, you know, target the people who are walking into the park, and we sort of feel the same with this piece. Has the arborist already inspected the tree? Or does it have the date of application in it? Yes, I believe so, but I don't have that information, and I don't know if, Kipto, you know that. Was there the arborist inspection? Yeah, that I don't have. I do believe it was done, but I don't have the date or any information from that. I have a question. Super beautiful piece. It's very elegant. I love how thin it is, but my question would be about, I'm concerned that, you know, people climbing on it will get up there and pull it and it will break. I don't know if the artist sketch is going to be as representative as the final piece, or if there's thoughts about how thick those members would be. I don't know if we could... Actually, Kipto has joined us in the audience. Kipto, would you mind joining the podium and maybe answering some questions? Introduce yourself. Thank you for coming. I mean, I understand, too, part of the beauty of it is the thinness of those elements, so how to keep them as thin as possible without having someone destroy your work or get injured destroying your work would be my concern. Good afternoon, everybody. Well, the last meeting we discussed about this, too, and the solution to this was, yes, it could break, but my working around it, problem-solving around it, was that I found another stamp that will replace the top vessels. The bottom vessels will still remain the same stamp that's on site, but the other one, I found a stamp that actually has limbs of the same connotation to the image itself. So with this one, initially on the primal design, it was that one stamp going, which is actually very precarious in the sense of the structure, but I found this same kind of tree, which is oak, but with a multi-faceted limbs, which pretty much that's going to be the strongest point in the tree. So with that going, what's going to happen is that I have the stamp itself, it's like 10 feet going up in the sky, and then we have the bottom one, which is going to be the main one, that would be probably like four to five feet off the ground. So it will mitigate on all that somebody coming to climb and, you know, the structure itself of the individual vessels that are being represented in there. So the initial stump will be, the existing tree stump will be the pot for the most part, and then you'll splice in a new part on top. So the rest of the ones will be from another tree. Thank you. Yeah, that changes it a lot, because this is a very, I mean, by looking at the scale of this, the base vessel is maybe three, I mean looking at the scale. Yes, it's pretty much, to my eyeballing, close to four to five feet, and then. So it'll be double that. Yes, it'll be three times that. The pot itself will be double that. Yes. Will it be the same circumference as the base of that tree? So it will not be the same circumference, but it will be closer to what it's representing, because I'm planning to make the base around it also be, not be able to come close too much to it. So within that, I'll have to create, from the roots of the tree coming in to the main trunk, those would be like firewood for the pot that is boiling, actually. So it will reduce a little bit, but still maintain the structure of the roots, and you know, just be more visually like it's actually boiling, but restricts people from coming too close to it. Wow, so it's very different from this sketch. It's probably an addition to the sketch. So then each vessel that's coming up is just carved from an existing branch that's coming out of your additional? The main tree. Okay. Yes. And I have images, I probably, I can just show you what I'm talking about of the tree. And what is your plan for attaching the existing stump, or I guess snag, to the part that you attach on? What is the system that you'll use? So that's gonna, yes, that's another thing that I wanted to tell you all, that it's gonna involve some other rigging, in terms of putting metal roads in between the bottom one and the top one. So that's gonna be the engineering behind that one. Sounds like it keeps getting more complicated. Yes. I mean, all of that makes sense, and it's still, I think, will maintain the beauty of that initial sketch. I think we would probably want additional sketches that would show the, I mean, I'm speaking for the committee, I shouldn't, but I would prefer to have some larger sketches kind of supplied, and images, because it is, you know, we are concerned about safety, and I would also, I am concerned about your your artwork and not being ruined after all that effort. So if that's the next process for us, then I would assume that others would feel the same. Definitely. Yeah. So, and also, we're not sure if the arborist has made a comment about the integrity of the snag. Does that, does anybody know the answer to that question? I think it was asked before you came in the room, that's why I'm repeating it. As far as I'm concerned, it's pretty stable, and you know, it's structurally stable. It's not gone through much of rotten or infestation of bugs, and as it stays like that, you know, it can stay there for the next, like, 50 years without even rotting. Yeah. Because that's like pin oak. How did it die? I'm not sure. It was a storm, the lightning. Which storm? Yeah. So if you want to, you can make a proposal, if you want, to make a motion to, for added material, if you want. Yeah, I would like to make a motion that the artists supply additional material that is more in line with the final scope of the project, both in terms of using two trees, as well as the engineering. Okay, Mike has made that motion, and then Heather mentioned... Okay, so we have two motions. Can we approve them both at once, or do them separately? Okay. Yeah, I think let's do two motions. Let's finish up Mike's motion, and Heather's motion. Okay, we'll start with Mike's again. He's made a motion that the sketches be updated with your, with the latest developments, and then, right? Including the engineering. George, this is conceptual plan. Can we just include this as... Yeah. Oh, yeah. Approval of the conceptual plan with these... Yes, that's what... Right, exactly. So there's been a motion for the conceptual review for, and for us to be provided with updated sketches and the engineering. Is it, it would be an arborist's approval, or would it be engineering? Okay. Correct, just the conceptual idea about how you're going to bring those two parts together. I don't think anything that formal yet, but just to see the concept. Got it. Okay, does anyone want to second that? Tony, I mean, Jay seconds it. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Anyone not? Okay, so there's been a motion made and approved to update these items, and now there's... We'd include any budgetary changes in there. That's, we got That's a second motion. Okay. Yeah. I'll second that. Okay, so there have been a motion made and seconded to update the budget. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Anybody not in favor, say no. Any other conversation about that? Okay, so there, then this motion has passed. Oh yes, Michelle. I was just asking Jennifer how I ask a question officially of the board. I just want a clarification if the engineering you're looking for is a drawing showing how the rods will hold the tree, or if the engineering you're looking for is a certification by a structural engineer. No, no certificate. I was just wanting to see his... Okay. Yeah. That's all I wanted to know. Conceptual. Yeah. Yeah. It wasn't my intention either to kind of prolong the process either, because it's a very beautiful piece, and I think we're all on board. It was just some more information would be great. Yeah, that's basically what I was looking for also. So are there any questions? Anybody in the room? Yes. In terms of getting this additional information reviewed and approved, does that need to wait for the next cycle, or can that happen outside of the convening of this group? Our next meeting is, you know, it's in mid-November, if we could get the next date. How long do you think it will take to to get this? We have in the past had special meetings, but it would require all of us coming back to repeat this process, which probably isn't very likely that that could happen, but I don't know. We could vote on that. I mean, if you want to give a timeline, I think probably in the next two days is not very reasonable, but if you could give... Georgia? Yes. How about if they submit the information, and if Jennifer, you could distribute it with a meeting survey kind of deal to see if we can get a meeting together? Yes, I'm happy to do that. So we'll wait and work on that plan once the information has been submitted. So if you can get all that together and then send it to Jennifer, and it would involve just redoing the project application, and just with those tweaks, which shouldn't be a big deal, and give us the budget, then she'll send out a Google poll and see if we can get together and meet, okay? But it really is an excellent project, and I love having all the public art in Woodland Park, because it is city treasure. This is for the conceptual. It would be, mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. So basically what I'm saying is that if you do have everything together, and it is approved, then we could give your final project approval prior to the November meeting. Yeah, yeah, I think we're all on board with that. Yeah, Kip, too, is the TAT one month? That means that's how long it'll take to create once you start it? Oh, turnaround time, okay. Perfect. There's also a question about fire retarding the piece. There is chemicals out there that we can put, and you know, most of the times I don't really like the effect it puts on the piece, but if we have to consider fire retardation, then we'll still go with that part of getting these chemicals to put it on the piece, too, as opposed to just using the normal preserving compounds that I use. What material do you typically use? I use linseed oil. Linseed oil. Is that what's on the horse at Ashland? Yes. So there's no fire retardant on the horse at Ashland. Is that a concern of the city? I would have to check with risk about that management, but Michelle and I can do that. I'll check in and let you know via email. We have wooden structures on public property. That was just a concern brought up. So we've already been to park staff. Everyone loved the design, but had a lot of the similar concerns that you did, and then we've been to the park advisory board, and at both times people were concerned about someone just lighting it on fire, which is unfortunate, but it does happen in our parks that people will target things that are wood and just light them on fire, and a lot of times they use accelerants. So our question had just been, is there something that doesn't harm the integrity of the art that could be put on it that would make it less, I mean, it won't make it inflammable, but it would it retard, at least maybe cause someone to get bored and give up before they got it lit. So we just asked the question. There may not be a solution, and part of part of this may just be the risk that we as a community take and trust that it doesn't happen, and it would just be unfortunate, but we were just asking the question. Yeah, yeah. Michelle, has that happened to artworks? Yes, I'm told that there were some artworks at Castlewood that were outdoors, and that they were they were burnt. They were like basket weave sculptures, I remember. And they were burnt to the ground, yeah. Does anyone have any more questions for Kip Tu? I don't know. What arborist was consulted? John Saylor? Yeah, I don't have any knowledge of it, but he's saying John Saylor, so that would be one of the city arborists that looked at it. I'll contact them after the meeting. We're in contact a lot, John and I, for Corridors Commission, so I'll find out from him and let everybody know in addition to the the fire retardant question as well. Thank you, Jennifer. Do you have any questions? Any more questions for us, Kip Tu? Okay. All right, so I think we're good. You'll take care of that, and then we'll try to get together. We'll make an urgent attempt to get together. Okay, thank you. Thank you. All right, and the next item on our agenda, I think Nathan was going to come and just give us an update. This is nothing for us to approve. It was just the benches, and he isn't here. It's Michelle. Do you want to? Oh, it's okay. It's Michelle. It could have been. Oh, Michelle, are you going to? Oh, that's right. Oh, I'm sorry. I was thinking the other Kate Savage bent thing. These are the mosaics that Michelle Armstrong did that are in your packet. They're really in your packet, just for FYI, so you all can see what the finished product was. I went out and looked at these. Thank you for coming. Yeah, and they're finished a little bit more, I understand, beyond the photos. Those are the four I sent you. So the artists had sent me those photos, and I just had asked Jennifer, as an aside, does the board ever get to see photos of finished products, and would they like to? And so I understand now that they have finished the pressure washing of the bottoms and where you can see raw block. Underneath that, that has been stained and sealed. And so the final piece to go on is in my shop, and that is going to be some aluminum, budget-driven, aluminum signs with vinyl that teach you how to use the boards that are on there to play various games, if you bring your own pieces. We found about, I think it's four different games that you can play on those boards. In English and Spanish? Correct. Correct, which they're kind of small benches, so we could not do chess. There's absolutely no way to communicate all the rules of chess in two languages on a 12 by 18 side. But checkers, there's a Hawaiian sort of checkers, there's something called Go, and one other that we came up with that we found online, and we'll be adding those to the benches. But I just thought you all would like to see. And I just, I would also like to report, just FYI for all of us, makes me very sad, but there's already been skateboarding on them, and we already have had some loose tiles. So I don't know what the answer is, but lesson learned. Maybe we should have thought about some kind of relief on the edges to make that not attractive for skateboarding. I know. We're hoping they'll pop up online, because they were filming themselves being so cool, and so we're hoping that somebody will see them online, and we'll be able to figure out who it is, and I don't know, shame them or something to come fix it. But we'll see. Does anyone have ideas for anything, any way to put an abutment on them? Well, I know that a lot of benches and curbs have those metal, yeah, like fins that are made to be the enemy of skateboarders, ultimately. Right. And you know, it's a, someone said, well, we have a skateboard facility in this park, so you're inviting them to be there. My answer would be, we have a skate facility in this park over there. Right. We'll see. But otherwise, they've been really well received, and everybody loves the work, and we're very pleased with them. Well, hopefully whoever did that wasn't trying to harm them. They were just being squirrely, and they won't do it again. Yeah. I'm sorry, but they really, if anybody can get out there to see them, it's really great. They're really fun. I think they really make the playground. So I just wanted you all to see that. Thank you so much. All right. Any other business? Any questions? Okay. Thank you. This meeting is adjourned. Jennifer, thank you for your work, and Michelle, thank you. Oh, black magic car. Oh, get out the car. Oh, black magic car. Oh, get out the car. Oh, black magic car. Meanwhile, back at the ranch. Everybody's talking to computers. They were dancing to a drum machine. I know I'm living on the outside, scared of getting caught between. And I'm so poorly calculated, alone in the modern world. But Sally had a hard time holding back. The alley to her heart is a beaten track. She's got the love monkey riding on her back.