Oroville Arts Commission discusses sites for two sculptures; motion on $40,000 red-tailed hawk proposed but not voted

At a recent meeting of the Oroville Arts Commission, commissioners discussed possible permanent locations for two public sculptures by artist Martin Taylor and debated a motion to commission a red-tailed hawk sculpture at a $40,000 price point; the motion was proposed but no formal vote was recorded.

The commission reviewed two pieces: a winged-figure sculpture the artist calls Touch the Sky (also referred to in meeting materials as Reach for the Sky) that is currently on temporary display in Vacaville, and a proposed red-tailed hawk design that commissioners asked be modified so talons are tucked in. Artist Martin Taylor told the commission the winged-figure has been on public display in Vacaville since July 2024 and earlier in downtown Napa, and that the work is made of weathered/rusted metal and stainless steel with internal LEDs. "I've never had one of these break ever," Taylor said, describing the lighting as simple, replaceable LED hardware and the exterior as resilient to graffiti because of its textured, rusted finish.

Commissioners and staff emphasized that location will determine the permitting route and some costs. Anything sited inside the city's Downtown Overlay Historic District must be reviewed by the Planning Commission (historic advisory review) before going to City Council for purchase and siting approval. If the commission or the artist proposes a Feather River Parks and Recreation site (for example Nelson/Riverbend Park), that agency's approval would be required. Commissioners also discussed sites outside downtown, including the top of the Green Bridge, Thermolito Hill/roundabout, Table Mountain Boulevard approaches, Centennial area, Butte College and other school properties, and said each option carries different permitting, electrical-utility and stakeholder steps.

Maintenance and liability were recurring concerns. Commissioners noted that if a sculpture is attached to a privately owned building the property owner typically handles upkeep; city-owned sites would be handled by the city maintenance branch. Meeting discussion also raised vandalism risk and possible mitigations, including mounting the piece out of easy reach (a 9-foot mounting height was cited as a deterrent) and the material choice that Taylor said tends not to accept graffiti easily.

Commissioner Tomori summarized outreach the commission had received from other potential host organizations and noted those groups had raised maintenance and liability concerns. Staff explained the fastest internal timeline if a downtown site is chosen: the Planning Commission could consider the item on a late-month calendar (referred to in the meeting as the 27th), with City Council consideration possible two weeks later (mentioned as the 14th in meeting discussion). Taylor said Vacaville's lease on his winged piece expires in July; he offered to coordinate timing if the commission wanted to move the piece directly from Vacaville to Oroville.

During discussion a commissioner moved to commission Taylor to proceed with a red-tailed hawk sculpture (described in meeting materials at a $40,000 cost, with lights and a full body whose talons would be tucked). Commissioners and the artist then agreed the commission should first see revised drawings and a rendering showing the sculpture in a proposed site before placing a formal recommendation to Council. No roll-call vote on the $40,000 motion was recorded in the transcript; commissioners directed staff to schedule follow-up work—request revised drawings from the artist, pursue potential site approvals (Planning Commission for downtown sites or Feather River Parks and Rec for park sites), and convene an additional Arts Commission meeting the following week to review drawings and narrow location options.

The commission also received a brief update that a mural previously selected by the commission had already cleared historic-review and is scheduled to proceed to City Council for approval of the purchase and placement.

Next steps recorded in the meeting: the artist will prepare adjusted drawings (including an option with talons tucked and a full-bird version with internal lighting), commissioners will add site photos to a shared slide show so the artist can produce rendered mockups, and staff will contact Feather River Parks and Rec and the city engineer for input on specific non-downtown locations. The commission set a follow-up meeting for next Thursday at 4 p.m. to review drawings and refine recommendations to planning and council.