WEBVTT METADATA Video-Count: 1 Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=pmaERNyCzzs Part: 1 1 00:00:02.639 --> 00:00:18.640 Okay. This is a recording of a meeting of the Ammerst Public Art Commission on June 30th, 2026. Because of suspension of some certain open meeting laws by our governor, this group is able to meet via remote means 2 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:33.840 and our wonderful IT staff will upload this recording to the town of Ammeris YouTube channel within a week or so. At this time, I want to recognize our chair, Tom, and thank everybody for volunteering. >> Thank you, Angela. 3 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:49.039 >> Thank you. Have a great meeting. >> Thanks, Angela. >> Okay. Good evening, everyone. [clears throat] Well, as I say on YouTube, let's let's dive right in. 4 00:00:49.039 --> 00:01:08.760 I'm trying. I got share settings. Okay, Tom, I made you host. If anything happens with your feed, just text me and we'll start it over. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. 5 00:01:56.240 --> 00:03:25.760 Okay. Can folks see my agenda on the screen? >> No. >> No. >> [clears throat] >> Are you trying to pull up the agenda right now? >> I am trying, but I downloaded a update 6 00:03:25.760 --> 00:03:48.879 to Zoom and now I don't recognize >> what it's trying to trying to do. Do people have a copy? >> Yeah, copy. >> Let's do it that way. Let's just 7 00:03:48.879 --> 00:04:09.280 read along on our own there. Okay. Okay. So, um I want to skip around a bit. uh in the agenda. Uh we'll start 8 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:27.520 as usual with the approval of minutes from from last time. Uh but the main things I'd like to do this evening, make sure that we do this evening are select um two APAC members to join 9 00:04:27.520 --> 00:04:44.479 the advisory committee and make that a formal decision. I'd like to get um some thoughts on the Boltwood garage poetry boxes. Several of us paid a visit there a 10 00:04:44.479 --> 00:04:59.600 couple of weeks ago. Um going to ask Matt to speak to that in a few minutes. Um also need to have us review the call for artists 11 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:16.880 for the electrical control boxes. And I think those are those are the major those are the items I' really like to get to. So let's let's look at the at the 12 00:05:16.880 --> 00:05:38.639 at the minutes from May. And by the way, I um I should have figured this out before, but I realized that if you're listening to a lengthy podcast, if you crank the 13 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:56.320 playback speed up to like 180, it vastly improves the the re the playback of the meeting. [clears throat] >> Okay. Um I have a question just about where the online meeting documents 14 00:05:56.320 --> 00:06:14.880 um with all those bullet points. >> Yeah. At the moment they're nowhere. They're >> okay. >> Um but when we when we finish these these minutes, they will go with the 15 00:06:14.880 --> 00:06:31.919 minutes onto the uh town's website. Okay. So, the things that are listed there, the contract for the poetry boxes, >> Yeah. >> the draft specification, those will be uploaded there. >> Yes. >> Okay. 16 00:06:31.919 --> 00:06:47.440 >> Yeah. Yep. So, that's I think they called I think the label is meeting packet in the in the right margin when you're on the >> Yeah. >> APAC web page. >> Yeah, I see that. 17 00:06:47.440 --> 00:07:03.120 >> Okay. Tom, isn't there a place though where they put um documents so that a person who's coming in from the public would have access to information that's going to be discussed at the meeting like the agenda? I I thought I thought 18 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:19.520 that that was part of like on our on the public art commission's web page. I think it says when the next meeting is and I thought this stuff was sort of there because doesn't that have to be made available to the general public who might want to 19 00:07:19.520 --> 00:07:34.880 >> Yeah, it's supposed that's the meeting packet that's supposed to be all presented agenda and accompanying documents. So, they they'll have to shoot me over this one, but um that's the way it's supposed to work. 20 00:07:34.880 --> 00:07:54.720 >> Okay. >> I thought the minutes [clears throat] looked great. I didn't have any comments at all. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I wasn't I wasn't there, so it's very helpful to see it. Um Okay. >> So, thank you for who who drafted these. 21 00:07:54.720 --> 00:08:13.759 They do they do look excellent. They're very easy to read. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. All right. Are there other questions, comments on the minutes? Can I see >> make a motion to approve? 22 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:32.640 >> Okay. Thank you. And we got a second. Let's see a show of hands to accept. Okay, it is unanimous and I thank you all for that. Okay. So, going back to our agenda, [snorts] 23 00:08:32.640 --> 00:08:50.959 um, in one sentence, the update on the town hall gallery is that we will have um, a new exhibitor beginning, I think, August 7th and 24 00:08:50.959 --> 00:09:07.360 running two months. Really, really beautiful paintings. I'll send you and include in the meeting packet [snorts] um pictures from her exhibition. Uh and we have somebody lined up then 25 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:23.600 for October and November as well. So that's looking up. I'm going to >> Oh, one of those people the photographer. I remember you talked about the photographer. >> Yeah, the photographer is going to be is 26 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:41.360 going to be uh October, November. Megan, hello. >> Hi. >> Hi. Gang's all here. No, it's not not here. Lori's here. >> Well, no. Yeah, we're down. We're down a member, but >> down a member. Lori isn't here. Thank 27 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:59.440 you. [snorts] Okay. Um I don't know that there's an update on social media work. Um so let's go on to percent for art. 28 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:17.279 Um basically we need to decide which two of us will join the advisory committee for that project. I'm I'm not interested in I'm not going to do it. Um, Lynn has 29 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:33.519 been volunteering to do this for like a year and a half. Um, and we need Well, we need two people. We need two people for this. So, is there are there other people interested? Dave, 30 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:49.680 >> I'm definitely interested. I I know we talked a little bit just trying to get a clear sense of how that aligns with these meetings and if just getting a clear idea of the commitment because I definitely want to do it. Just want to make sure I can I have the capacity to 31 00:10:49.680 --> 00:11:07.360 to be helpful. >> I nobody really knows the answer to that. However, I think the best because we're going through this for the first time, but I my best guess is that there will 32 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:23.519 be uh periods of flurry on this first to discuss and draft or help draft with Apac the uh call and specification of 33 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:40.959 what art we're looking for. Call to artists. I expect then there'll be a second flurry when uh proposals have come in and need to be reviewed and discussed. 34 00:11:40.959 --> 00:11:57.920 >> Um I would not I would not be surprised to see that there could be you know 20 or more coming nationally given the size of this project. So there could be some real 35 00:11:57.920 --> 00:12:13.920 some real heavy periods there and then weeks of nothing happening given given my life's work on committees. That's that's that's where I'd put my money if I were a betting person. I 36 00:12:13.920 --> 00:12:34.000 >> mean I'd also be interested in um in doing it. You know, one thing we could do, David and Megan, is if the two of you were interested in tag teaming this, you 37 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:52.880 know, one covering for the other. Um, that would be a possibility. You mean like if one of us can't make a meeting? Is that >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, sure to have that 38 00:12:52.880 --> 00:13:09.760 >> as an option if we need it and we have more more people than we need. So, >> but yeah, I'm I'm gonna go in blind. I'm saying allin. I have no idea what I'm betting on, but um >> Oh, we're we're glad you're a colleague 39 00:13:09.760 --> 00:13:24.639 here. That sounds good. >> Okay. All right. Let's do that. And so Lynn, you're in. You're in, too. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Okay. All right. Oh. Um, can I have a 40 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:42.480 motion putting all of the preceding several sentences together that um >> I can make a motion that um representing APAC at the um percent for art advisory 41 00:13:42.480 --> 00:14:00.800 committee will be Lynn Thompson as a full-time member and um David and Megan will either alternate or share co- co co-fill the second seat. [clears throat] >> Okay. Do we have a second for that? 42 00:14:00.800 --> 00:14:18.320 >> Second. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Watkins. Okay. Um, show of hands to to to approve this this good. This is the way commissarat works. I don't think we've ever had a negative 43 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:33.519 vote. [laughter] [snorts] Okay. Thank you. Thank you everyone. I'll report that on to to Paul Bachman. I'm going to explain [clears throat] that uh Lynn is part of 44 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:49.920 the tribe of retired people has endless time and focus for this and [snorts] that David and Megan are part [clears throat] of the tribe that are keeping the world running and love this. 45 00:14:49.920 --> 00:15:08.160 >> That's very generous. Thank you. this this this work but are levelheaded about Okay, got it. Okay. Um the um electrify Ammerst. 46 00:15:08.160 --> 00:15:24.480 Um I'd like in a moment to take a look at the call for uh for artists. The background here is that we've been doing 47 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:42.639 um we've been doing up to five boxes uh a year. This year we have funding from the business improvement district to do two boxes. Um, and I'm suggesting that we cover a 48 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:59.759 third box and that these will be this will be interesting because these are in prominent positions downtown. One is out on the main common. Another is at the 49 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:16.880 um North Pleasant Street end of that little alley that goes between the tea house and the funeral home which is right across from the fire department and CVS and it's kind of half hidden in the 50 00:16:16.880 --> 00:16:34.320 bushes there at the moment. Um [clears throat] and then the third uh I'm suggesting would be uh at the Amity Street parking lot that is next to 51 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:49.199 uh Ammeris Coffee and the cinema there. And it's it's right out on the sidewalk. It's a newish box in nice shape. And um so I think that that would make 52 00:16:49.199 --> 00:17:06.240 three that leaves us that that is easier on our budget too as as we'll see in a minute. I think we're going to have to spend a little more money than we have in the past uh on these. 53 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:22.559 But um so the and the general timeline would be that we would put out that call as soon as this week if we agree on everything here and set 54 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:41.679 uh and give uh four weeks for people to turn in their proposals. Then we have a meeting. We'll use our August meeting to select the winners and then that will give us time this year to notify the winners 55 00:17:41.679 --> 00:17:57.760 uh before the cold weather sets in which caught us last year when we were delayed for other reasons. Right. So, if you pull up the draft um 56 00:17:57.760 --> 00:18:20.720 call, it's a 2026 call for for artists. So, I'm starting it off by saying [clears throat] that public art commission in partnership with the business improvement district is calling for artists to submit. I want I want to give them credit for, you know, 57 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:35.679 >> directly here for for stepping up very very nicely to uh to help us on on funding these and sponsoring. Um, and then I I try to use just one sentence 58 00:18:35.679 --> 00:18:51.120 to talk a little bit about purpose here where I say, "These public artworks are intended to be beautiful and engaging, drawing residents and visitors to the town's center. 59 00:18:51.120 --> 00:19:08.559 the from the bid's perspective. Uh I think this sentence I'm I'm confident this sentence represents their thinking. They their purpose is to help downtown businesses 60 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:26.960 draw people and they are not asking us to create advertising for those businesses. They believe that if these are compelling artworks in total, all of these boxes painted and already 61 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:42.880 and these new ones, that if it brings some some more people into downtown, whether they're Ammeris residents or visitors, that that's a good thing. I was tempted to get a little more wordy and put some more on there, but I 62 00:19:42.880 --> 00:20:04.880 thought maybe maybe not. So, if you would all take a look at that paragraph and let me know if you've got any thoughts, suggestions. Yeah, I know that we when we were drafting our mission, you know, kind of our mission thing, we came up with some 63 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:22.080 language that talked a lot about public art and the value of public art. And uh it makes I I understand what you're saying with keeping it short, but I feel like there might be just something in there >> that speaks to the value of public art. 64 00:20:22.080 --> 00:20:37.520 >> One more sentence. I want to I have to go back and kind of pull out that document and >> and look at it. Um >> so possibly just a little bit more. >> Okay. Okay. I think that'd be easy enough to do. >> Yeah. 65 00:20:37.520 --> 00:20:52.559 >> Yeah. I like that idea. I think that could still be pretty short. One or two sentences max that just >> gets more at the mission. Um >> it also promotes us a little bit as public art commission. kind of what our 66 00:20:52.559 --> 00:21:11.280 what our role is. >> But I'll I'll look, you know, tomorrow I'll look that up and and you know, send you a sentence or >> Yeah, that'll be good. That be >> And is this Oh, sorry. >> No, you go ahead, David. >> Is this the entirety of what applicants 67 00:21:11.280 --> 00:21:27.120 will see or is there a second stage where if you know the more details? Yes. In >> terms second stage. second stage. Um, [clears throat] for example, we're going to need to break the news to them that two of these 68 00:21:27.120 --> 00:21:43.760 boxes are pretty ratty with 20 years worth of um, not so much graffiti, but uh, you know, the remains of stuff that were glued to them. >> They're gonna have to get out the 69 00:21:43.760 --> 00:22:01.520 scraper. Is it possible since we do know which box that there going to be three boxes? Is it possible to include a picture of the box and its location? Because if I as an artist, I might like to go to the site and actually see what it how what does it look like? What does 70 00:22:01.520 --> 00:22:22.080 it feel? What's around it? Um it's so um >> it is very sight specific. And I remember when we talked about these last time, I can't remember if it was you, Lynn, who who went out and took some photographs and >> a part of our process which I thought was really fun was trying to match, you 71 00:22:22.080 --> 00:22:36.640 know, the submissions with the locations. Um, so that was fun to do. But I agree that, you know, and I don't know where in the stage this comes, but if the artist is interested in a specific location, that might, you know, 72 00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:54.320 play into their design or it might be something that we take into consideration when we make that those decisions. >> Yeah. You know, I wrestled with that when I was drafting this and I'm glad I'm glad you brought this up because 73 00:22:54.320 --> 00:23:11.039 we we should talk it over together and see what decision we come to. I definitely agree that if I'm an artist thinking about one of these boxes, I'm very likely to be 74 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:28.320 to at least want to take into account where it is, what the background is, etc., etc. Um but on the other hand um we might if if we give artists the option of 75 00:23:28.320 --> 00:23:44.400 selecting a box to paint, we might get 27 submissions for two boxes and none for the third. >> Yeah. Or you can word it so that it's you know these are the boxes we're painting. If you want to be specific, 76 00:23:44.400 --> 00:24:00.000 you can. You can't. It's not not a guarantee. The boxes are different, a little bit different sizes and shapes. Like you said, >> I I feel like if a person knew that their this box had the potential to be where some of these boxes are, we might get more submissions. 77 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:16.480 >> Okay. >> You know, because they're they are pretty, you know, pretty visible. >> And presumably, well, I don't know. I was going to say if if we ended up in the in the kind of 78 00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:33.919 worst case where we we didn't think we had a good submission for one of the three boxes. Would we go back to artists who had good designs but for other boxes and say, "Well, how about 79 00:24:33.919 --> 00:24:51.840 doing this one instead?" >> Yeah. I I my feeling is you I think you can sort of say these are the three that are going to be painted. >> We're not asking you to be necess I don't know >> you could word it in a way that it says you know it's it's the committee's 80 00:24:51.840 --> 00:25:13.200 decision to decide where these ultimately go but if you want to >> if you have a a you know a direction that you want to go in it [clears throat] >> work that way. Yeah, I hear it. >> Matt, Megan, do you do you guys have 81 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:31.679 thoughts on this dilemma? >> I think it'd be fine to include the locations. Um, but doesn't mean I think it's still to Lynn's point, it's up to us where the final art actually goes. I think it's as a hook for people who are 82 00:25:31.679 --> 00:25:47.679 applying. it might interest them to know. >> Um, but ultimately the decision will lie with us and I think it's perfectly fine to accept submissions on behalf of all of them. And if they >> want to include the specificity of where they'd like it to be, that's fine. But ultimately, >> you know, it's our call and I think that 83 00:25:47.679 --> 00:26:02.159 prevents the the pothole that you're worried about, Tom. >> Yeah. Okay. Yeah, >> I agree. I think I think telling people where the locations are is probably >> Mhm. It's probably a fun idea actually. 84 00:26:02.159 --> 00:26:19.039 I mean, it might inspire some things, but yeah, we should we should definitely have the last call. Um, I also like the idea of adding a little bit more about public art and what that might look like 85 00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:36.080 >> for an artist when they're thinking about painting one of these boxes. >> Mhm. Um, >> I think it might just be helpful because it looks like the next steps for them is they sketch 86 00:26:36.080 --> 00:26:53.679 out their proposal. >> Mhm. >> So, they just like get right into it, right? >> Yeah. Well, we can help that a bit um by including I don't know if I even put it in here. Oh, here. It's sort of a nothing at the 87 00:26:53.679 --> 00:27:08.240 where it's sitting now. But um see enlivening public this this um set of pages here enlivening public spaces has really nice 88 00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:25.279 pictures of existing uh boxes, painted boxes around town. One of my thoughts would be, I mean, you could include as part of your heading or something a box that's been recently painted so we can see what it what a 89 00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:40.720 finished one looks like. Show them where these new um new opportunities are. >> Okay. >> And I would actually include one of the when we got those submissions, they were so all over the place. There were a few that people 90 00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:56.399 really had articulated, you know, this is this side, this is this side. And though and I would even include a sample of what somebody had sent that made it very easy for us to be able to understand um to we had it for made it easy for the committee to visualize what the final product would look like where 91 00:27:56.399 --> 00:28:12.960 some of them you know just a single image was really hard to figure how it was going to work and I like the idea that you say you know showing all services I actually think of it as five services versus three services I'm not sure when you said three what 92 00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:28.240 you were eating there. [clears throat] >> Oh, what I was thinking is that some of these some of these boxes have a really ugly back end. You know, it's all sort it isn't a plain surface. >> Um, so it's 93 00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:44.320 >> so they may have three to five services depending on if it's a freestanding box or if it's pushed up against a bush or something. Is that what you mean? Well, um, some of them, uh, the back surface 94 00:28:44.320 --> 00:29:01.840 is is not flat. >> It's it's got a it's like subboxes on it. >> And I've seen those painted and incorporated design. >> Yeah. That's why s a sample I don't know is 95 00:29:01.840 --> 00:29:19.919 >> you know the um that salamander one would make a good example because it really shows how the artwork kind of wraps around the box. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Mhm. would it be um too much to just provide them with a 96 00:29:19.919 --> 00:29:36.799 very simple template like showing like this is the front, these are the sides, this is the back. >> That's a really good idea because >> we'd like you to cover all of these. >> I think they're all all the boxes are unique though in the amount of surfaces 97 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:54.240 and their scale and size. So I think the one thing I would add to the conversation is like keep the proposal a little bit vague. I think it might be good to have an example of one that we liked in the past and we moved to approve. Um but I would hesitate to add 98 00:29:54.240 --> 00:30:10.960 too much detail to it because part of I think part of the proposal is an interview process to say hey how how well have you thought this through? um is that's going to help us decide and I think if we go down the route of trying to provide too clear a template um it's going to discourage people from applying 99 00:30:10.960 --> 00:30:27.840 and it also might not give us the detail and kind of those proposals that we'd like to see the initiative on. >> Yeah. What if we What if we did something where I'm trying to remember I don't have that document here, but the I think the one that's over by Big Y, the 100 00:30:27.840 --> 00:30:44.399 one that's kind of that moody Tim Bart Burton kind of style. >> I think that submission did follow that pattern of showing all the sides. >> So if you showed a finished one and you showed the >> Yeah. >> the submission, then 101 00:30:44.399 --> 00:30:58.960 >> that would be and then a person could go and look and look. Well, we could, you know, I see a balance here. As chair, my job is to find balances, but the the the balance I see here is 102 00:30:58.960 --> 00:31:16.799 that uh that that meets the, you know, provide the sketch, you know, give people a, you know, thorough sense. On the other hand, the the box that in my personal opinion 103 00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:32.559 is the most successful this year um had very little detail. This is the one with the blue herand >> that's up by the UMass Police Department. I don't think he even finished the sketch. 104 00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:49.440 >> I think he showed the two sides of it. >> Okay. But um >> but he showed no color. It was really >> line. I think that's cor that that recollection I think is accurate. I'm speaking to Matt's, 105 00:31:49.440 --> 00:32:06.640 you know, suggestion that we have to be, well, I don't have to, but we might want to be a little careful about not giving so much detail that we make that 106 00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:22.559 a key criterion or allow it. >> Wait, you don't want to encourage >> I wonder. So, I would just add I wonder if similar to the specificity conversation and like showing the that a 107 00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:39.039 template could be made available. I'm just wondering in terms of like equity and access um like I do think that the presentation of those sketches >> um helped us make that decision 108 00:32:39.039 --> 00:32:56.799 >> in ter right and so >> I think if I'm remembering correctly like we're talking about some of them really included that um multi-panel kind of vision and others didn't and I'm just wonder I can't I'm trying to think back to how we made that decision. But I 109 00:32:56.799 --> 00:33:13.120 think the ones that we're mentioning, I think we favored because it did kind of provide a clearer picture of what the the artist was um >> Yeah. >> intended. >> Show that they had thought it through, >> right? >> And how, you know, they had figured out 110 00:33:13.120 --> 00:33:30.559 how it was going to >> Okay. All right. Um Okay. I'm taking all of this in for for reddrafting. Um, do you think does it make sense for me to put say one, two, three little images 111 00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:49.360 side by side showing the the target boxes or just leave it to the description of where they are? Description is just fine. Um, and I think it's it's really up to the artist 112 00:33:49.360 --> 00:34:06.080 if they need to site visit or how much detail they want because I think part of this as a proposal it's it is it should be kind of a sketch. Um >> because I think there's special accommodations need to be made when the final box and art artist are >> paired. And the other thing you could do 113 00:34:06.080 --> 00:34:20.000 is say these are the new ones and throw in a couple addresses of recently completed boxes >> and go on their own and check it out. >> Yeah. So, you know, >> are some of the newer ones going to be 114 00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:36.720 added to the enlivening to the website? >> Yeah, they [snorts] should be. They they they really should. Yeah. The um the Samantha Ge Geffin, who's the town's 115 00:34:36.720 --> 00:34:53.200 uh communications person, webmaster, etc. She has she has this summer an intern who's going to work on our stuff. >> Yeah. 116 00:34:53.200 --> 00:35:11.760 >> So, um yeah, I I think I think certainly my intention that we get it a central complete uniform set of documentation for these and a single source a richer source 117 00:35:11.760 --> 00:35:26.880 for people to see. Yeah, >> because if we don't want to provide like a template or anything, I do think referencing the the website and even if and if it could be passed on to that intern, I think it's the images that are already there are great. I think the 118 00:35:26.880 --> 00:35:41.599 ones I would think are most helpful are seeing the same piece >> from kind of >> all showing one piece from all all different sides. >> Okay. Okay. Yeah. Well, um my understanding is that this intern uh 119 00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:59.760 will be doing some uh new photography to help in that way and we can we can we can guide that also. Um and one last thought while we're on this um general topic is that I think we're beginning to 120 00:35:59.760 --> 00:36:14.480 see a bit of a I don't know about a divide. We're seeing more of a spread of profile of person who's stepping forward in response. 121 00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:32.800 Some of the people that we whose whose proposals we've accepted um are professional electrical box painters >> and have a lot of experience with it and do good work. We we've thought so. uh 122 00:36:32.800 --> 00:36:48.400 that Tara Bilatta who did the salamanders box uh she does this not exclusively for a living but heavily uh is not a valley resident does this all over eastern Massachusetts 123 00:36:48.400 --> 00:37:05.040 and we've had several in that in that uh profile and in terms of inclusiveness uh I think we want to we want to keep in mind that we we want to we want to make it 124 00:37:05.040 --> 00:37:19.920 possible for a a bright high school senior to win one of these two if the art quality is there. And so if in everything we've been discussing in the last 15 minutes, if 125 00:37:19.920 --> 00:37:38.000 when the dust settles, we're not discouraging the um rising artists. Let's let's put it >> Well, for the younger artists, I think the more information you give them is probably probably [laughter] better. 126 00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:55.920 >> Okay. Um Right. We still have more to discuss on this, but what I'm beginning to think is that I'll I'll need to do a re u some more editing on this, get it back to you, and then we're going to need to meet again to approve it, 127 00:37:55.920 --> 00:38:11.920 and maybe we can maybe we can schedule a 10-minute meeting uh rather than wait another whole month. If we wait another month, our >> our whole timeline is going to slide into the cold season again. [snorts] >> Can we do it online? Can we do it like 128 00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:28.640 just through email or something? We have to >> a public meeting to approve it. >> I think we do have to have a public meeting to make a decision. >> Okay. But u you know maybe we can manage to squeeze in a 10-minute meeting somewhere 129 00:38:28.640 --> 00:38:46.320 in the next 10 days and still not completely lose our timeline. >> I'll aim for that. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um the the sentences that I have out um 130 00:38:46.320 --> 00:39:00.400 with back with the yellow and blue backgrounds, these would be alternatives from what I believe we discussed. >> Yeah, we did. Uh the problem that we're trying to address here 131 00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:19.119 is that uh we had upwards of $500 submitted by one of the artists for materials and I felt obligated to pay that because we had only said reasonable allowance 132 00:39:19.119 --> 00:39:32.800 for uh supplies. >> Yeah. My my um vote is to go with the second one that you've got highlighted in blue and just have it be 650 flat price. 133 00:39:32.800 --> 00:39:50.240 >> Um and that includes the materials. >> So you've corrected for inflation and you're not going to get any surprises and it's it's it's you know >> Yeah. Well, this way the we don't we don't need to um 134 00:39:50.240 --> 00:40:08.599 be reading through um paint store receipts either. >> So that would be my vote [laughter] to go with the number. >> Others [clears throat] other opinions. >> I agree. Flynn. 135 00:40:13.920 --> 00:40:35.119 >> Okay. Yeah, I think the 650 is good. >> Mhm. Okay, thank you. Okay, now let's move down to the submission details and I was wrapping my mind 136 00:40:35.119 --> 00:40:51.920 trying to remember whether we had suggested improvements on this going back months and months. and I looked through the emails and couldn't find anything. So, >> your memories to see and to recommend 137 00:40:51.920 --> 00:41:08.400 how we might either add some more items here or give a little more detail for the ones that are here. The only thing that I think I would do is on number four is to incorporate a little bit or to reiterate really what 138 00:41:08.400 --> 00:41:25.800 you've said above like you know a sketch your proposal showing the >> you know the different sides of the thing just to make sure people really understand you know that's what we had in mind. Okay. >> Okay. 139 00:41:34.560 --> 00:41:52.000 And the only other thing you could say maybe is a you know one paragraph's artist statement. I don't know. You're asking them for an artist statement about the piece they're creating or about themselves or about I mean what I don't know if you need to be more specific about that or 140 00:41:52.000 --> 00:42:07.520 >> Well, an artist statement is a thing that artists who are already in the field understand. But going back to the point I was making a few minutes ago, 141 00:42:07.520 --> 00:42:22.400 somebody who's not who who's new to this might not understand might come up with the same question, Lynn, about what do we want them to talk about. So maybe I can add add a phrase there. 142 00:42:22.400 --> 00:42:38.640 >> Yeah. Like how how does this satisfy the >> Yeah. >> the goals of the project or something? What does it mean to you? >> And incidentally, but helpfully, these artist statements are are really very 143 00:42:38.640 --> 00:42:54.480 very helpful later on when you want to provide at least some minimal documentation about, you know, who painted it, >> etc. I don't know that these are going to make 144 00:42:54.480 --> 00:43:11.680 a big difference in which which artists win the I'm saying this carefully because if it's not going to help us make the decision maybe, you know, it's we're getting ourselves into something else. 145 00:43:11.680 --> 00:43:34.960 But, uh, I I think I can help on that on that point on the drafting. Um, in terms of getting this out, I know that you it goes on the website. Do you actually send like this out? Is there >> Yeah. 146 00:43:34.960 --> 00:43:51.119 >> How do you send it out? How do you get the word, I guess I should say? >> Yeah. The that works in two ways. Samantha Gifin has a regular list of places she sends press releases and this whole 147 00:43:51.119 --> 00:44:07.599 thing that you're looking at is the structure of press release that she uses. >> Oh, okay. >> So, this will go on the town's website. It will go, you know, to the traditional media like uh Daily 148 00:44:07.599 --> 00:44:24.640 Hampshire Gazette that go to the indie. Oh, >> okay. It go to it goes to a a whole list of places that uh organizations and and uh public and media that uh 149 00:44:24.640 --> 00:44:44.480 that disseminate calls for for artists >> out of the school cycle or you could send it to the art high school art teacher. >> Yeah. Well, the um sorry 150 00:44:44.480 --> 00:45:00.560 I also so that second path is that I I put it in the next door, you know, community. >> Oh, yeah. That's a good that's a good for it. >> Yeah. I noticed, by the way, if I put something, you know, Apac related there, 151 00:45:00.560 --> 00:45:15.440 that it it they report back, you know, that it's that the item has been opened and read by upwards of a thousand people. >> Okay. And like Facebook, they probably have a Facebook page. >> Yeah, Facebook and that darn Instagram 152 00:45:15.440 --> 00:45:32.480 page where we can't find the password. I was going to u my grandson is a painting major at Greenfield Community College. I was going to send this to him. That is that's is that a conflict of interest if I wasn't I mean I would 153 00:45:32.480 --> 00:45:46.560 submit but if I didn't vote or something that's okay. >> No, no, I think that's that's fine because the submissions all come back in the >> the front door and that's your opportunity. Um, and I think this is covered in some 154 00:45:46.560 --> 00:46:04.640 of those policies that we need to sign off on uh for the town. And in that case, you would just uh make known to the committee, you know, your connection with the artist and then we would decide 155 00:46:04.640 --> 00:46:27.280 how to deal with that. So, keep keeping it transparent. [snorts] the um well thinking about you know wanting to get submissions from a [snorts] wide range of folks including you know high school students for example. I'm just thinking about the the 156 00:46:27.280 --> 00:46:41.359 dates of when this is going out and when it's coming back, which will be kind of during the summer months. And I I don't know if that has any bearing on how word would get out to students through um 157 00:46:41.359 --> 00:46:58.400 through say, you know, educators. Um I also was it says that we would get back to folks between the 7th and the 31st. Um I just wanting I don't know what our committees I assume we would have to make sure we could all meet in between 158 00:46:58.400 --> 00:47:14.240 those two dates. >> Yeah. >> So I just I'm wondering if there's enough >> I know you mentioned wanting to get back to the artists in time for them >> to work while it's still warm I think you said but like is that a big enough window for us to make sure that we'll 159 00:47:14.240 --> 00:47:30.880 have a quorum to um a quorum to meet and and make those decisions? it does push things a little bit. Um, and if we don't get a quorum, then the whole thing 160 00:47:30.880 --> 00:47:48.160 is going to slide on its own. Um, >> I think the last time we did this, I think maybe it was you, Tom, put together a packet that had all the submissions and all the images. We all got that ahead of time. So it may be that people can do that you know on 161 00:47:48.160 --> 00:48:03.920 their own and then come together and then what the way we what our process was is you know we all got this ahead of time. We got together and we kind of ranked them. We just went through and ranked them and then we looked at the the rankings and kind of came up with the top 162 00:48:03.920 --> 00:48:19.599 >> four five or whatever. So it it wasn't a it doesn't have to be a a long long meeting if people you know come with sort of some of their suggestions. I think the the key thing of what you're saying there Lynn is that we did in fact 163 00:48:19.599 --> 00:48:42.559 uh handle the um evaluation and the decisions on awards in a single session. If um 164 00:48:42.559 --> 00:48:58.000 let me let me look again at the at the calendar as I work on the various edits that we've uh identified here and try to remember back to 165 00:48:58.000 --> 00:49:14.240 last fall. And I think at the moment, my recollection is that it was about November 15th that it started getting too cold 166 00:49:14.240 --> 00:49:30.079 to paint. And that what that means is for the for latex paint to be able to cure adequately, you can't have freezing temperatures overnight. 167 00:49:30.079 --> 00:49:46.640 And once you get into the latter half of November, that gets kind of dicey. >> And we don't want to, you know, it's not for the it's not for the suffering artist. It has to stand there in the cold that we do this. It's for the it's 168 00:49:46.640 --> 00:50:02.880 for the ability of the paint to cure. That takes something like 30 days for latex paint. David, are you thinking that we should try to set up a date now for August and and back everything up to that 169 00:50:02.880 --> 00:50:18.800 and then we'd have that technically scheduled, you know, like third week in August or something and then >> yeah, I can that's that's an idea. I can put out put out a not a note to everybody with suggested dates right 170 00:50:18.800 --> 00:50:35.305 after our meeting tonight. So, if we can decide in a day or two whether we've got um got a meeting date we can fix or whether we're like the French and we all disappear for the month of August. 171 00:50:35.305 --> 00:51:05.359 [snorts] Okay. Okay, there other other thoughts on on this. Okay, I'll try to get the editing done tomorrow so I don't forget the suggestions and so you can take a look. 172 00:51:05.359 --> 00:51:21.200 And I also then want to see if we I can get us back together, you know, even for a 15minute meeting somewhere a week from now with the dates rolled another week 173 00:51:21.200 --> 00:51:40.319 to um keep things reasonable. Okay. All right. Uh, finally, Matt, would you like to start us off with um some thoughts, suggestions to open the 174 00:51:40.319 --> 00:51:56.800 conversation on the Boltwood uh poetry boxes, quote unquote? >> Sure. Um, I think for me, after the site visit that most of us were on, except for David, sorry you missed it. Sorry, 175 00:51:56.800 --> 00:52:13.520 missed you out there in the sun. Um there's some like challenges with that space and the installation which I think we've all kind of recognized which is now that there's been two different installations in there. They're not easily serviceable. There wasn't a 176 00:52:13.520 --> 00:52:30.079 long-term plan. Um and they they don't change with any kind of frequency. So there's not necessarily a reason to kind of revisit them. Um, but having now been in the space and kind of identifying what's possible, I I'd like to kind of 177 00:52:30.079 --> 00:52:45.680 propose that we work together on providing infrastructure to make it uh available to community contributions and also give this uh commission kind of the ability to update and improve it over 178 00:52:45.680 --> 00:53:02.559 time. Um, and I think specifically like I' I think an angle I'd like to take would be installing screens and some kind of computer. Broadly speaking, it could even be just a Raspberry Pi to serve content on those five screens. It 179 00:53:02.559 --> 00:53:19.359 could be a unified canvas. They could be run individually. Um, but it would be easy enough to kind of program that on a weekly schedule, a monthly schedule, a quarterly schedule. um do different programming at night and during the day and I think it invites kind of a lot of 180 00:53:19.359 --> 00:53:34.880 opportunity to either showcase photographers, showcase animators, showcase other types of light and installation artists that way. Um, so yeah, my my thinking is really to 181 00:53:34.880 --> 00:53:51.760 work together with this group to put together a plan to kind of build that infrastructure and then work with the community and our other collaborators at large to kind of uh bring it to life visually. And so far, what I've done is come up 182 00:53:51.760 --> 00:54:10.640 with that little speech and started to map out what this might look like from a budget perspective and put together some mock-ups, which I'd be happy to share kind of the next monthly meeting in a more presentation type format. >> Well, I like what I'm hearing. 183 00:54:10.640 --> 00:54:28.880 >> Sounds great. Thanks, Matt. And I should add I think we can do it at a very reasonable cost as well that would um basically serve as infrastructure for a long time. Um it wouldn't theoretically need a lot of updating 184 00:54:28.880 --> 00:54:47.280 which I think is actually a big sticking point for me with the previous works. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Mhm. >> And was there any movement on getting that sign off for the town or >> No, I was going to say um to honor Lor's 185 00:54:47.280 --> 00:55:08.800 concerns, I think I need to go in there with a wrench, [laughter] take the thing down and give it bring it to Angela's office [laughter] or wire cutters. I think it would be pretty easy with the right tool. >> Yeah. 186 00:55:08.800 --> 00:55:24.559 >> So, I don't think that'll be a blocker. I think, >> you know, if we put together a plan that we all agree on and figure out how we're going to solicit contributions >> to it, um maybe we start to think about a new sign. >> Yeah. [snorts] Well, another another 187 00:55:24.559 --> 00:55:42.400 point here too is once the discussion about this new iteration goes beyond our small group and people start going there to look for themselves, they're just going to get very confused by that 188 00:55:42.400 --> 00:55:59.119 irrelevant sign. Um, so >> one, >> sorry, since I wasn't there, can you What's the sign say? [laughter] It says something about uh artwork by a certain by an individual 189 00:55:59.119 --> 00:56:16.640 whose name I'm blanking on too. Okay. >> And it's sort of like, huh, where is this? >> It does say sponsored by the public art commission. So, the fact that there's nothing there, >> that's that's I think that's what Lor's >> primary concern is. >> Yeah. I mean, it names the gallery, it 190 00:56:16.640 --> 00:56:32.079 has the artist, it has the name of the artwork, and then a short description of it, but none of that is available to view anymore in the way that the artist intended. >> Yeah, I think that's the that's the correct answer. >> I'm curious, Matthew, when when you 191 00:56:32.079 --> 00:56:49.359 sketch it up, if there are ideas for like new labeling or if part of it the intrigue is leaving it kind of without more context. Yeah, I kind of think it's an interesting space that currently if 192 00:56:49.359 --> 00:57:05.599 you've been by as we as we were all together like it kind of draws your eye but then you look closely and you're like this can't be right cuz like in one window you see paper towels in another one there's like a mirrored surface that was clearly part of a previous installation. Um and the sign to Tom's 193 00:57:05.599 --> 00:57:20.720 point just adds a lot of confusion. I think in a world where you see motion on a unified canvas across five windows that is like, you know, a matching color swirl or something that's going to draw you over there and then maybe 15 seconds 194 00:57:20.720 --> 00:57:37.599 you're seeing something else. That doesn't require as much explanation. What it might require is us to think about how do you credit a revolving door of contributors and creatives that have brought something to life. Um, I don't have an answer for that yet, but I think 195 00:57:37.599 --> 00:57:53.520 in a world where we program something that changes, say every quarter or has like a different schedule over 24 hours, we might have to get creative with how we >> think about talking about it. >> Well, there's also that's all that's all 196 00:57:53.520 --> 00:58:08.000 true and and important. There's there's also the problem that these are these are very small windows and um I think there's there's a challenge 197 00:58:08.000 --> 00:58:25.119 uh to getting passers by to even pause to notice that they're there and what's what's in them at night. Much less of a problem if you got you got all kinds of dynamic lighting things going on. 198 00:58:25.119 --> 00:58:39.680 during the day it might be a little more difficult but that brings us back to the sign. So, what would a new sign once once we figured this all out? We need to think about what what kind of uh direction to hey, take a look at that. 199 00:58:39.680 --> 00:58:58.720 And we need kind of a carnival barker uh function to say, hey, you want to see this? But we'll get to that. I'm I'm getting it. I'm getting ahead of us. >> So, once we rip the sign down, we should bring it to Angela. Well, I'm thinking 200 00:58:58.720 --> 00:59:14.720 what um I don't want to get busted for vandalism. I mean, I could I could get busted for vandalism just for taking it down, but I don't want I mean, for out of respect to the town, I don't want to just uh you know, take it home and never 201 00:59:14.720 --> 00:59:29.839 get seen again. But, uh Angela um Megan is our official liaison to the town and she helps uh ah that's what I'll do. I'll I'll do a Lynn Thompson and I'll go 202 00:59:29.839 --> 00:59:47.200 to Angela first and say, "Angela, please solve this problem for us." Because she did Lynn did that when the town DPW man wasn't didn't show up at the appointment to let us in. 203 00:59:47.200 --> 01:00:03.359 And it turned out that he had some other emergency and you know we just got left hanging until Angela knew that somebody else nearby bank center had the key. All right. So >> now we know. 204 01:00:03.359 --> 01:00:19.119 >> So um I I'll go talk to Angela about that and we'll see if we can uh get that signed down, you know, quickly. And >> there are so many hard problems to solve and this is not a hard problem to solve. >> Should not be a hard one. 205 01:00:19.119 --> 01:00:35.119 >> Should be able to do it pretty quick. [laughter] >> I think once we figure out uh once we hear Matt's plan and I'll decide that it's brilliant, it'll be pretty easy to 206 01:00:35.119 --> 01:00:51.280 figure out how to get people over to that site. And I mean that area is It's just ripe forion and I >> mean they have those se that seating area there now which I don't think was 207 01:00:51.280 --> 01:01:11.440 there originally. So they're trying >> it. Yeah. No, I Megan I I think that's a that's the kind of problem we'd love to have. >> We got something cool >> and now let's [clears throat] make it known. I I I didn't mean to make that 208 01:01:11.440 --> 01:01:30.880 sound like it was an obstacle. >> Oh, no, no, no. >> So, that actually might segue us into that post that's there with a potential sculpture on it. I don't know where that I think that's on your agenda here. 209 01:01:30.880 --> 01:01:48.079 Yeah, I I sent email to John Paige asking him whether he had heard back from that artist because um that was again part of my summary last last week and it's in the 210 01:01:48.079 --> 01:02:06.400 minutes that uh u you know after I filled John in on the the outlines of the policy that we had drafted and is with the art uh lawyers about um [snorts] 211 01:02:06.400 --> 01:02:22.480 uh unsolicited public art you know gifted public art what criteria of process does it need to face so anyhow on that basis John was to go back to the artist get some get a a 212 01:02:22.480 --> 01:02:40.400 better a better statement of of the purpose and the vision etc talk with DPW about their their view on the suitability of the mounting point and method 213 01:02:40.400 --> 01:02:54.640 etc etc etc. So, we're I think the ball's in that court that uh John needs to get back to us once he has heard from the artist, you know, some responses so 214 01:02:54.640 --> 01:03:16.000 we don't so that we're not um we're not flailing around um on the topic. Just need to keep keep track of where it is. Okay. 215 01:03:16.000 --> 01:03:39.520 Any any last thoughts uh for this evening? Okay, Matt. So, I'd like um be very happy to to have you show us uh you know, more presentation uh more thought uh once you've had the chance to work on that a bit. 216 01:03:39.520 --> 01:03:55.200 Um, >> I'll bring it uh for next meeting. >> Yeah, good. Thank you. I think we've made we've made more progress on this in a meeting and a half meeting and the visit there than than we did on in the 217 01:03:55.200 --> 01:04:12.799 last 10 years on that topic. So, all right. I'm proposing then that this for this evening we quit while we're ahead. And um if there are no further comments, uh suggestions, requests, 218 01:04:12.799 --> 01:04:29.039 >> I'll just I'll just say something out loud so I'll be accountable to it. Lynn and I talked months ago about some changes to the website. And knowing that Samantha has an intern who's focused on it, I'm going to >> send an email. I'll make sure to copy Lynn and Tom and anyone else who wishes 219 01:04:29.039 --> 01:04:43.920 to be um to just kind of say, "Hey, we have a list of things that we have already discussed and want to do and let us know how we can help." >> Yeah. >> I' I'd welcome that. >> Yeah. I think it might help, you know, 220 01:04:43.920 --> 01:05:02.119 Samantha and the um unnamed intern maybe focus their efforts a little bit more and we can align pretty easily knowing that we've already done a bunch of thinking on it. >> Yeah. Okay. Yeah, I think that would be helpful to them as well. 221 01:05:03.039 --> 01:05:20.079 >> Okay. Can I get a motion? >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Yes. Thank you, Lyn. >> Second. >> A second. Okay. Show of hands to adjurnn. Okay. Good. We don't have to stay for breakfast then. All right. Uh I'll be back in touch. Take care 222 01:05:20.079 --> 01:05:27.960 everyone. Thank you. >> Great. Thanks. >> Thanks, Tom. >> Thanks. Night. >> Good night.