It’s partly up to whoever walks in and fills out a survey to help determine which of those public art proposals now displayed at the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts will make the cut as permanent fixtures in the under-construction Tracy Transit Station.
Ten artists submitted ideas for artwork that include decorated bus shelters, sculpturesque conference tables, historical murals and metal wall displays. The idea is to have the art reflect Tracy’s heritage, commemorate important public figures or creatively illustrate the theme of transportation.
“I love how some of these ideas mix together all those aspects,” said Adrian Anthony, 41, who on Friday stopped by the gallery to check out the choices.
Her brother-in-law, Tracy native David Anthony, submitted the largest proposal, one for a 10-foot metal wall sculpture of a Miwok man, a bull, a cornfield and train pulling a line of boxcars.
About $100,000 from the $12 million transit station budget — almost all of which comes from state or county transportation-specific sources — will pay for the art. The city plans to decorate both the inside and outside of the two-story station at Sixth Street and Central Avenue with sculptures, embellished benches, murals or whatever the public, local arts commission and, ultimately, the City Council decide.
Other pitches include engraved benches, decorative tree grates, a bronze statue of a baseball player and various reliefs for bus shelter panels.
Oakland-based artist Anné Klint suggested placing on the glass-walled bus shelters silhouettes of birds that migrate through San Joaquin County. The art would prevent real birds from flying into the transparent shelter as well as add an artistic touch to a structure that’s going to get built anyway, Klint said in her statement.
The Grand’s gallery director, William Wilson III, said some proposals stand a stronger chance than others.
“But overall, I’m impressed,” added Wilson, who’s going to meet with the arts commission Thursday as city liaison and adviser. He’s not a voting member.
So far, Wilson said, dozens of people have filled out the survey, which asks whether each proposal evokes “no interest,” “some interest” or “strong interest.” He said he hopes at least 150 people weigh in before next week’s deadline.
The art commission’s role after collecting public feedback is to evaluate each artist based on work experience and how much of their proposed costs include administrative or travel expenses. Obviously, said Wilson, if too much of the budget pays for something other than supplies and actually building the art, the proposal is more likely to get shot down.
Three of the artists call Tracy home, and nearly all the others come from various Northern California cities. One lives in Oregon.
The public can review the proposals during gallery hours at the Grand — from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. They’ll be on display until Thursday, when the arts commission will meet to decide which ideas to take to the City Council in July. The commission is made up of teachers, historians and artists, among others.
Once the council gives its go-ahead, the artists will have from August until October to translate their concepts into tangible art.
The station is scheduled to open sometime in the fall — or winter at the latest.
• For information, go to the Grand Theatre’s Web site at www.atthegrand.org or call Wilson at 831-6278.
Can't wait to see the displays in the new Transit Station.