Art board plans outreach at May 10 art fair for proposed Homesteaders sculpture at Los Pueblos Park

Board members said they will solicit public feedback at the May 10 art fair, colocating their table with the Los Alamos Historical Society to collect preferences on a proposed homesteader sculpture and possible site improvements at Los Pueblos Park on Barranca.

Staff and board members described a working concept that would include a bronze figure of a homesteader with a plow and farm animals and discussed possible complementary features such as a community garden, play area and interpretive signage. The item description said the park currently lacks public art and that the site includes the footprint of a former homestead.

Board members said they will present printed materials and quick visualizations (including suggested renderings) at the fair and then tailor an online survey based on in-person feedback. Staff noted a family — the Romero family — has historical photographs that could be shown at the table. Todd Nichols of the Historical Society is expected to attend; board members also discussed coordinating with Parks and Recreation and seeking wording for a plaque from historical society representatives.

Members discussed how to prioritize Los Pueblos Park as the site rather than other homestead sites, and said their primary reason was public land availability and low existing public art in the neighborhood. They also noted bus access and trail connections as advantages. The board asked staff to re-send the drafted survey questions to working-group members and to bring the survey broadly online following the May 10 event.

The board scheduled a follow-up to review collected input and said the Homesteaders working group should use the event to refine any later calls for art or project budgets.