Lakewood panel reviews Perico mural and plaque, considers $10,000-per-side expansion; narrows artist shortlist for park and signal-box pieces

The Lakewood Arts Commission spent the June 9 meeting focusing on ongoing and proposed public-art work: the near-complete "Beloved Community" mural by Perico, proposed plaque text, options to expand the mural, and a narrowed roster of artists for signal-box wraps and other capital-project murals.

Sally (Arts Commission member) reported that Perico’s beloved-community mural is being installed at American Lake Park and that the artist expected to finish the installation the following day. Commissioners reviewed a shortened plaque text drafted to accompany the mural and discussed whether to include a secondary statement crediting Martin Luther King Jr. and the "Beloved Community" philosophy outside the primary plaque text.

Commissioners raised wording questions about a passage that referenced "migration." One member said the term could be read multiple ways — seasonal migration, military families stationed at JBLM, and ancestral migration — and asked whether the plaque should use a different word such as "journeys" or include brief explanatory language. The group agreed to refine the language and to consider a longer explanatory statement either on a secondary plaque or in supplemental materials.

The commission discussed expanding Perico’s piece to write the words "beloved" and "community" across blank barn-side panels on either side of the existing mural. The artist initially estimated $12,500 per side; commissioners discussed an option to negotiate the price to $10,000 per side and to cover the remaining materials cost (about $5,000) from another budget. Several commissioners cautioned that an expanded mural would likely consume the commission’s annual budget for the year and that prioritizing capital-project installations and utility-box wraps might be preferable.

Commission staff (Stacy, capital-projects lead) presented site photos for proposed projects: utility/signal-box wraps at American Lake Park and Ward's Lake Park and a low mural wall by bathrooms that would not require a lift. Commissioners reviewed dozens of artists on a public-art roster and discussed artistic fit, duplication concerns (artists who have very similar existing work), and technical constraints (some artists prefer hand-painted originals rather than digital files, which affects production time and cost).

Artists and practices discussed by name included Laurie Davenport, Mauricio, Christine Westfall, Katie Dean, Taylor Keller, Jose Orante, Rosa Cruz, Kenji Stoll/Stahl, Carla Escobar, Sarah Robin(s), Curtis Ashby, Mary/Merryman (various spellings in the roster), Jesse Peterson, Daniel Hunter, Jamelle and others. Commissioners narrowed an initial long list toward a working shortlist for different locations and agreed to follow up with artists to confirm interest, availability and any licensing or "do not replicate" restrictions that might prevent reuse of prior works.

On process and budget, commissioners said they favored prioritizing capital-project installations tied to city funding this year and recommended deferring additional utility-box work or mural expansion to later if it would deplete available funds. Staff said they would seek firm estimates from Perico and others and would notify the commission of final pricing; staff also said they would send the edited plaque text to commissioners by email for final review.

Ending: The commission agreed to continue narrowing artist choices, to request firm cost estimates from artists, and to circulate plaque copy and final budgets by email ahead of the next meeting.