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Artists present competing visions for Nicholson Park mural; staff outlines tight approval and installation timeline
Summary
Six artists presented concepts for a proposed 150–200-foot Nicholson Park mural. Staff said the city will notify selected artists April 24 and aims to finish installation by the end of May, with interpretive signage and Serrano-language elements to follow.
San Bernardino artists presented competing mural proposals for Nicholson Park on Monday as the Arts and Historical Preservation Commission heard about a compressed selection and installation schedule tied to park improvements.
Andrew Ham showed a 50-foot mockup of a planned 200-foot work titled "Unified," emphasizing multigenerational figures, color transitions and references to park features and local flora. Hal Lacy proposed a recreation-themed mural focusing on sports and family activity; Christian Malis suggested a sports-card motif celebrating local athletes; Alejandro Poli (Man One) described a whimsical, sneaker-centered landscape titled "A Walk Along the Park;" and D'Angelo Castro proposed a 150-foot storytelling strip, "From Rails to Roots," honoring railroad and citrus workers and Route 66 heritage.
Staff said these five submissions were the only applications received by the deadline. Vanessa and other staff explained the timeline: artists will be notified on April 24, staff will perform consultations and prep in May, and the city expects installation to be completed by the end of May with a grand-opening ribbon-cutting to follow. The project budget for Nicholson Park includes elements that draw on $5 million in funding associated with Councilmember Ramos’ office; staff said some items will be phase-one while others may move to phase two.
Commissioners asked practical questions about mural dimensions (several artists discussed 150–200 feet), mockup scale, community outreach plans and durability of interpretive signage. Staff said they are working with a Serrano-language consultant to ensure correct wording and are exploring interpretive signage fabricated from weather-resistant materials and QR codes or audio to help residents learn pronunciation. Staff also said security and camera plans are under discussion and that park rangers perform regular patrols.
Commissioners were asked to review confidential application packets and return rankings by email as staff compiles a rubric and announces the selected artist. No formal selection vote occurred at the meeting.
Next step: staff will notify the selected artist on April 24 and return to the commission with details of community consultation and installation plans.
