San Ramon parks commission approves two Dougherty Station stairwell murals; elects new chair and vice chair

The San Ramon Parks and Community Services Commission on July 9 approved conceptual designs for two murals at the Dougherty Station Community Arts Center and elected new officers for the 2025–26 term.

Commissioners voted 7-0 to approve the conceptual design for the Dougherty Station Community Arts Center north stairwell mural by artist Joshua Powell. The commission also moved to receive and approve the conceptual design for the south stairwell mural by Deborah Kaufman; staff said the project timeline and final details will be worked out with the artists before installation.

The commission completed its officer elections for 2025–26, selecting Commissioner Steve Breed as chair and Commissioner Kyle Levy as vice chair. The body also adopted the minutes of its June 11 regular meeting before taking up the arts projects.

The two mural projects are intended to animate interior stairwell walls and better connect the arts center to local history and community programming. Adam Chao, the city’s arts and cultural supervisor, presented the two proposals and described the process the Arts Advisory Committee used to select and refine the designs. Chao said the south wall measures about 150 square feet, faces the gallery and front row theater, and includes a built-in shelf and an emergency exit cutout the artist accounted for in the composition. He said the south mural is expected to take several weeks to paint once the installation approach and timeline are finalized.

Deborah Kaufman’s south-stairwell proposal, titled “Dancing for Our Lives,” uses bright, mosaic-style color fields and abstract, non-figurative forms. Kaufman, an Oakland-based muralist with more than 18 years of public-art experience, told the commission her aim was to “evoke the feeling of both dance and music through the use of quirky, nonhuman figures playfully moving up and around through an energized space of light and color.” The Arts Advisory Committee recommended Kaufman’s concept after meetings with the artist and community-oriented feedback on color, movement and perspective.

Joshua Powell’s north-stairwell design, titled “Expressway,” draws on historical references to San Ramon’s evolution from orchards and ranchland to the present-day Bishop Ranch employment area. Powell’s concept layers imagery — an Ohlone basket, pear orchards, an auto from the mid-20th century and the freeway — to guide viewers’ eyes up and down the stairwell, the presenter said. The Arts Advisory Committee recommended the piece for its historical theme, compositional balance, and the way it uses vertical elements to carry the viewer’s eye through the large wall.

Commissioners asked about practical installation details, including whether the artists would paint directly on the walls or create panels in their studios for later installation; staff said those logistics remain to be settled and that the city is exploring both on-site painting and studio-produced panel approaches to balance artist time, cost and access. Commissioners also discussed staging so one stairwell will not be closed while the other is being painted, and staff said timelines will be staggered to maintain public access.

Several commissioners recommended using plaques or QR codes to provide viewers with artist statements and local-historical context. Adam Chao said the city plans to include identification plaques and is evaluating QR-code links to expand background information beyond the short placard text.

Commission discussion noted public engagement during the art selection process: both artists met with the Arts Advisory Committee and attended meetings to receive feedback on concept development. Commissioner comments praised the public review and the contrasting visual styles selected for the two stairwells, saying the differences should complement one another across the arts center’s interior.

Staff did not provide a final construction schedule at the meeting, but noted the south-stairwell work could take roughly three weeks of on-site painting, and that the broader installation schedule aims for completion during the fall season when the facility sees heavier program use. Chao and staff said they will return with final implementation timelines and installation details for the commission’s information and for public outreach.

Votes at a glance - Approve minutes, Parks & Community Services Commission regular meeting, June 11, 2025 — moved and seconded; outcome: approved (recorded as passed at the meeting). - Election of officers, 2025–26 — Commissioner Steve Breed elected chair; Commissioner Kyle Levy elected vice chair; outcome: approved (unanimous recorded at meeting). - Approve conceptual design, Dougherty Station Community Arts Center, South Stairwell mural (Deborah Kaufman) — motion moved and seconded; commission moved to receive and approve concept design (final implementation details and installation timeline to be determined by staff and artist). - Approve conceptual design, Dougherty Station Community Arts Center, North Stairwell mural (Joshua Powell) — outcome: approved, vote recorded 7–0.

The commission asked staff to return with plaques/QR-code text and an installation schedule; no contract awards or additional funding requests were included in the presentation. Staff said the Arts Advisory Committee will continue to support outreach and coordination as the projects proceed to production and installation.