Artist Rodney King presents 'Beloved Community' mural concept to Lakewood Arts Commission; commissioners set written voting process

Rodney King, the presenting artist, showed the commission a concept for a 10-by-30-foot mural for a historic barn that centers on "unity" and incorporates the word "Lakewood" and the phrase "Be Love" worked into a stained-glass–style abstract, he said.

The commission’s facilitator (Nikki) opened the special meeting, introduced two incoming members observing the session and explained the process: artists would present, commissioners would make notes and record scores on provided forms, and there would be no group dialogue after presentations so each member could vote independently. The facilitator said some members who could not attend would vote by email.

Rodney described his production plan as painting on 2x6-foot plywood panels that a vendor would photograph and expand to the 10x30-foot size; he said the panels "fit together like a puzzle." He told the commission the vendor (transcript spells the vendor name both as "prank Northwest" and "print Northwest") had performed a site survey and had quoted $486 "and that includes like the lift the installation and everything," a figure he said the vendor provided. He said the final installed material would likely be an aluminum-type panel rather than vinyl and that an anti-graffiti coating was part of the planned finish.

King said the mural would not be permanently affixed to the barn to preserve the historic structure and described operational constraints. He told commissioners cold, wet and dark weather could force a delay: certain paints should not be applied under about 50 degrees Fahrenheit for longevity, and he would need to schedule a lift and an assistant to complete the work. "I probably need to get an assistant to help me at least for the first days," he said.

Commissioners and the facilitator raised budget and procurement questions. The facilitator said the commission has a budget line for public art next year (she referenced $30,000 earmarked for public art) and that the specific mural project would operate within a $10,000 available amount for this installation; she said the commission could use funds for deposits and that payment terms are negotiable. Commissioners also discussed whether the city could later purchase a finished mural for indoor display; that policy and exact spending authority, the facilitator said, have not been finalized by City Council and will be addressed at a future meeting.

Design details King described included mountains, native plantings and a heart-shaped "O" for Lakewood in the mural’s center; he said he intentionally avoided rendering many literal faces so no group would feel omitted and described adding cultural symbols such as monarch butterflies to represent migration and shared history.

The facilitator and several members emphasized consensus norms and asked commissioners to accept majority selections. Commission member Lua urged colleagues to support the majority choice once the vote is final.

The commission did not take a formal vote during the meeting. The facilitator instructed members to complete their written scoring forms and submit absentee votes by email; staff will tally results and proceed according to commission policy.

What happens next: commissioners will submit final scores (in-person forms or by email), staff will compile results, and the commission will follow up on procurement details (vendor confirmation, deposit terms) and a realistic installation timeline given weather and lift availability.