On Thursday night, I presented the mural project to the Lion's Club in Cold Spring.  They were very receptive; a few people came up to me afterwards and mentioned that they knew artists with whom I might like to work!  I am trying to get in contact with the high school art teachers...

Yesterday after the meeting with Dan Kippley,  I walked all around town talking to business owners, seeing if they might be interested in hosting our mural.  The manager of the Legion told me that they will discuss it in their Board meeting on Monday. 


I also distributed several posters advertising the art workshops that I will lead in June.  My first workshop will be on June 7, and is focused primarily on Diego Rivera.  The discussions and artwork generated in these workshops are essential to the brainstorming process for the mural. 

We have a meeting set up with the Cold Spring Planning Commission for June 27.  In preparation for this meeting, I have been researching mural ordinances in other cities.  Most cities with murals do not mention them in their ordinances, but a few do.  Minneapolis' definition of a mural (as a sign exempt from the sign ordinance regulations) is as follows:
 
"And, within section 520.160, Definition of Mural: Mural. A work of graphic art painted on a building wall, which contains no commercial advertising or logos, and which does not serve to advertise or promote any business, product, activity, service, interest or entertainment." (From Mary Altman, Public Arts Administrator of Minneapolis)


Long Prairie also regards a mural as an exempt sign:

"Exterior walls must be free of graffiti and advertising except as allowed by the Chapter 16.510 – 16.519, Sign Regulations, of this Code......
 

(5) Murals painted or applied to a building require a sign permit and an artist’s conception of the painting."

  Lastly, I want to mention that I talked with Gustavo Lira, the muralist who worked with Bruce on the Mosaico de las Americas.  We have plans to meet on Friday, June 10th!  I am very excited to get to talk with him about his experience as a Latino muralist in Minnesota. 

 

We have a WALL!!!!!!

Today Raquel, Yesi, and I met with Dan Kippley, owner of the Cleaning Center laundromat in Cold Spring.  He seemed glad to offer us one of his walls for the mural.  We are very excited about this progress! 

The Cleaning Center has a nice flat, long wall in a pretty good location, but we're still keeping our options open.  The Old Opera House would be a fantastic building, both for its history and central spot with a lot of traffic.  This building is owned by the Cold Spring Coop, and a representative told me that they were thinking of tearing the building down or selling it...

More to come!  I have to go pick up some disposable cameras that were donated for the workshops I'm doing next week!

Reflecting on this past week

On Tuesday I presented my mural project to a small group of kids at Casa Guadalupe.  They seemed interested in the project, though we need to spread the word even more.   I also let them know about the workshops that I will be giving in June, and I have since made posters in Spanish that I will print and hang out around the trailer park.   

On Wednesday I got to watch the movie Walkout with the youth at Casa Guadalupe.  It was about a highschool walkout in Los Angeles by Chicano students who protested the poor conditions and maltreatment that they were receiving at their school.  There was a discussion afterward, and it was interesting to hear how much the movie had connected with the kids.

Today was a relaxing day; I researched Diego Rivera and did some sketches inspired by his work.  I also am drawing a design that I want to put with the article in La Voz Libre newspaper to accompany the article.  I will put some of the sketches up shortly.

I have also taken up volunteering teaching English at Casa Guadalupe on Tuesday and Thursday nights.  There are not a lot of official community events going on this summer, but I'm connecting with Casa in any way that I can.  This Sunday I will go to Mass, and in June I would like to organize a community brainstorming session.

Planning Commission Meeting

Yesterday I had a promising meeting with the Cold Spring Planning Commission. City Administrator Paul Hetland told me that the Chamber of Commerce passed a resolution in support of my mural project, and some members showed up to last night's meeting especially to show support for the project.  The Cold Spring Historical Society is very excited about my project.

I presented my project proposal as I did for the Business luncheon, and received immediate support from the Chair of the Planning Commission.  He interpreted the strict design regulations as not applying to a mural, saying the mural could be an exception. 

One member commented that letting me do this mural may open the door for other muralists, leading to a slippery slope.  They are concerned that people might feel like they are free to paint whatever they want on their walls, even if it is ugly or offensive.  In response to this, member Bob Thelen said that he personally likes Picasso, who has painted some pretty strange things.  Who are we to judge what is and what is not art?, he questioned.

The mayor of Cold Spring, Doug Schmitz, pointed out that the design standards, in his view, do conflict with a mural.  He clarified that he is not against the project, but that Cold Spring would need to establish a clearer policy that may permit a mural. 

The Chair then amended his initial statement of approval to be conditional; I am to research mural ordinances that other towns have to see if Cold Spring may adopt a similar policy.  Today I have begun contacting Minneapolis, St. Paul, Avon, Little Falls, and Elk River.  The Planning Commission will meet again in June.  By then, hopefully I will have a clearer design idea as well as more definite location.

I asked where the downtown area boundaries end, to see if we could paint in a residential area.  The commission told me that the regulations would likely be even stricter in a residential area.  I will ask Paul Hetland to send me the zoning ordinances for these areas. 

One woman, Cynthia, came up to me afterwards to compliment my energetic presentation, and asked me if painting a crosswalk could be considered a mural.  I said that was a definite possibility.  Who knows?  In Argentina I saw several paintings on the pavement...