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Commission directs staff to consider painted giraffe staircase for next year's work plan
Summary
Commissioners discussed a proposal to paint a giraffe mural across 16 vertical stair risers at a shopping mall and directed staff to include the stairs mural concept in the public art commission’s next annual work plan rather than undertake the project in the current fiscal year.
Commissioner Ryan presented the idea of painting a large animal—she proposed a giraffe—across the vertical faces of 16 steps at a mall staircase and asked the commission whether to include the project in the Public Art Commission’s next annual work plan.
Commissioner Ryan said the design technique—painting on the vertical risers so the image reads across steps—had been used successfully elsewhere and suggested a giraffe for its vertical format and potential public appeal. She said she spoke with Nicole Shaw, a mall representative who told the commission the mall owns the steps and that mall management “loves the idea” and is willing to host a painted stair mural.
Robert Rose, assistant director of community services, told the commission the public art fund’s available mural budget for the current fiscal year is roughly between $30,000 and $39,000 based on preliminary, not-yet-finalized finance reports. Rose said the commission’s current fiscal resources would not support a large installation priced like the Manhattan Beach seal project that was cited in discussion as roughly $30,000 in that city’s context.
Commissioners discussed practical issues including long-term protection if property ownership changes, repair of a small damaged area on the steps, procurement rules (staff noted that artists must be solicited through the commission process rather than directly retained), and whether the commission could find local artists able to do the vertical riser technique at lower cost.
Because the mall is now owned/managed by an entity willing to host the artwork, and because funding and procurement constraints make immediate installation unlikely, the commission agreed that the stairs mural is an appropriate item to add to the 2025–26 annual work plan for further scoping and budgeting. Staff said the recommendation is for the idea to be considered in the work-plan cycle and that there is no formal vote attached to the direction given at the March 10 meeting.
Speakers cited in this article appear in the commission's speaker list for this item.
