Crafting Community Through Art

Lane Community College Health Professions Building nearing completion. The violet-blue stucco panels are where the intended murals will be located.

It is my privilege to be a member of the selection jury tasked with identifying the artist or team of artists who will create large-scale murals for the new Lane Community College Health Professions Building (HPB). The selection process, now underway, is both exhilarating and challenging. Fundamentally, the process for selecting the right muralist(s) for the building is about choosing work that will resonate with both the college and the greater community, tell a story, and enhance the campus in a meaningful way.

The 11-member jury includes representatives from the Health Professions Division, the Visual Arts Department, the Performing Arts Department, and the Facilities Management & Planning office, bringing together a wealth of perspectives to the table.

For my part, as the project manager for the building’s design team I will help ensure the architectural concept is fully realized. From the very beginning, the incorporation of large murals has been central to our design—integrated art that is both site-specific and holistic. Particularly for the exterior installations, which will be up to 30 feet tall, we envision work that will captivate viewers from a distance (such as drivers on 30th Avenue) and invite closer inspection. We want the future murals to serve both spatial and symbolic roles, inseparable from the building’s architecture and drawing people into their narrative. Unlike "plop art," which is often autonomous and detached from its surroundings, the murals will be conceived for, dependent upon, and inseparable from the building and its context. They will engage viewers, drawing them into the building's spatial narrative and creating a dialogue between the artwork and the architecture. The murals will be essential components of the building and a vital part of the structure’s identity.

Rendering of the building depicting the concept of mural art in the north portico.

The call for applications, detailing a $110,000 budget inclusive of all costs, emphasized the need for unity, a sense of welcome to the campus, and a representation of diversity, equity, and inclusion. These criteria ensure that the selected murals will not only beautify the HPB but also embody the values of Lane Community College.

The jury’s task began with a flood of creativity: 139 artists (or teams of artists) submitted portfolios through the art call management tool, CaFÉ. Despite its occasional clunkiness, CaFÉ is invaluable for its consistency and fairness, ensuring that every artist has an equal opportunity to present their work and that our reviews are standardized.

One of the most rewarding aspects of this process has been seeing the diversity and quality of the submitted portfolios. Each is a window into an artist’s world, showcasing their unique style, vision, and interpretation of what the murals could bring to the LCC campus. The initial review stage, in which we scored each submission with a simple “yes,” “no,” or “maybe,” allowed us to sift through this vast array of talent and creativity. Each "yes" or "maybe" represents a piece of art that could potentially transform the building and impact the community.

Examples from the submitted artists' portfolios:

As of this writing, we have successfully winnowed down the number of candidates from 139 to twenty-two. Discriminating between higher and lower-ranked submissions among the semi-finalists will require plenty of deliberation. The subjective nature of art means that what resonates with me might not with my fellow jurors. This is where the scoring system, now ranging from one to seven (seven being the most preferred), comes into play. While it will help in quantifying our preferences, it will also bring to light the nuanced differences in our perceptions and priorities.

We are meeting again next week to further reduce the list to three or four finalists, who we will then ask to present site-specific design proposals. This next phase is particularly exciting because it will involve seeing the artists’ visions come to life in the context of our building’s design. To support this, LCC will provide stipends to the shortlisted candidates, recognizing the time and effort required to develop their concepts. Our schedule will require delivery of the finalists’ proposals for our review sometime in September. If all goes to plan, the installation of the murals will occur a year from now during the 2025 summer break.

The final choice of the project’s muralist(s) will be a culmination of thorough review and collective deliberation. Personally, I find it incredibly rewarding to further contribute to a project that will leave a lasting mark on the LCC campus and beyond to the broader community. The murals that will eventually grace the HPB will be a testament to the diverse voices and visions that came together to make the building possible.

The goal of LCC’s public art selection process has been clear from the get-go: to use a credible methodology that emphasizes inclusion, community development, and consensus building. This is not just about choosing a muralist; it’s about engaging the community in a meaningful dialogue about art and its role in public spaces. It is a journey of discovery, collaboration, and celebration. It’s about finding art that will not only enhance the Health Professions Building but also enrich the lives of those who encounter it. As a member of the jury, I’m proud to be part of this journey.