Los Alamos County Arts in Public Places Advisory Board Meeting Summary – April 27, 2026

The Arts in Public Places Advisory Board (APPB) of Los Alamos County met to discuss public art project updates, the Justice Center mosaic, lion sculpture designs, the FY26 budget, and possible deaccession of two artworks. The provided meeting timestamp is 2026-04-27 18:30 UTC; the agenda and transcript reference Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 5:30 PM. Chair Tim Foley presided, with members Jasmine Stephens, Anna Buckthorpe, and Andy Wright; staff liaison Chelsea Ashcraft participated. No public comment was received.

Consent Calendar

• The board approved the minutes of the March 26, 2026 APP meeting unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made in person or via Zoom.

Working Group Updates

• Open art project: No new update; the board is waiting on sign design and language, expected in June. Board members said the project has been slow and that earlier community feedback showed little interest in art at Los Pueblos Bike Park, though some community members still want to commemorate homesteaders. Members expressed concern that the effort lacked a dedicated community advocate and was too broad; they favored coordinating with the Historic Preservation Board and creating targeted pieces that complement the planned signs.
• Strategic planning: No progress since the last meeting; Tim Foley proposed meeting in June after the county council passes the FY27 budget so the group can plan using updated budget numbers as guardrails.
• Fire station working group: Placed on hold until the fire station replacement design advances; a community survey on art theme may be launched during the June mosaic workshops.

Justice Center Wall Mosaic Project

• Chelsea Ashcraft reported the mosaic assembly workshops are scheduled for Friday through Sunday, June 5-7, 2026, at Mesa Public Library, with drop-in and reservation options. Registration opens May 1, and a promotional banner will be displayed on the overhead pass in May.
• Participants will complete 12-by-12-inch grids in one to two hours; the artist plans to assign simpler pieces to families and more intricate pieces to experienced participants. The artist estimated needing around 15 people per hour over the 15 workshop hours to complete about 150 grids.
• Advertising: The board reviewed Los Alamos Post rates: full page $1,365, half page $680, quarter-page vertical $340, and eighth-page $170. No ad was purchased immediately. Board members agreed that if registration is less than half full by mid-May, staff should place a quarter-page ad in the week before the event; the decision can be finalized at the May 28 meeting, with submission around May 29 or June 1 for the June 4 edition.
• Stickers: Chelsea proposed participant stickers, costing about $97 for 300. The board preferred the cutout-style design over square designs and supported keeping the design evergreen while considering adding Arts in Public Places or Ask me about public art in our county.
• Ribbon cutting: The board leaned toward holding the ribbon cutting at the end of installation week, around June 12-13, while the artist is still in town; staff will check for conflicts with Los Alamos Pride on June 12.
• Volunteers: Chelsea distributed a sign-up sheet for APP members, with two board members per two-hour shift to avoid an accidental quorum; volunteering is optional.

Lion Sculpture Designs

• The lion sculpture working group, including police department representative James Rodriguez, reviewed public comments on two remaining designs. Board members said the public disliked the aggressive and roaring presentation, and many commenters requested a mountain lion, but the police department had asked for lion(s) for the memorial. Neither final design fully met the police department's requirements.
• Originally, four artists were considered; two local New Mexico artists dropped out because they could not fit the project budget. Of the remaining two, one artist, Jocelyn, had an existing lion piece, while Daniel produced a 3D design and maquette for the project.
• Both artists were asked to reduce the aggressiveness, for example, a lying-down posture and no roaring. Daniel agreed to create new 2D sketches after speaking with James Rodriguez. Jocelyn said a full redesign could not be done within the budget.
• No vote was taken. The working group will review Daniel's sketches, and if acceptable, the APP board will consider a recommendation to the county council. Board members noted the budget was at the low end of the range for such a sculpture and discussed the police department's role in defining the desired piece.

FY26 Budget Discussion

• The board reviewed the FY26 fund balance of $261,217.36 after all known and anticipated expenses. The Pacific Coast contract line is $81,000 for the full contract through June 2029, not an annual cost. The anticipated FY26 revenue of about $69,000 is not yet included; budget hearings next week may provide a better estimate for FY26 and FY27.
• Items highlighted in pink are projects under consideration but not yet approved by council. Members agreed the budget numbers should act as planning guardrails, balancing maintenance of the current collection with new acquisitions.

Deaccession and Relocation Discussion

• Dino World: Chelsea said the piece, a crane in a pond, is in poor condition; the maintenance contractor concluded that upkeep costs exceed the acquisition cost and stopped entering the pond to clean it. Jasmine Stephens attempted to contact the artist without success. The board discussed obtaining a repair cost estimate from the artist; if no response after about two months, they would discuss proceeding without the artist. Members also raised the need for clear criteria for when a piece is beyond practical repair and whether a new commission could replace it.
• Tranquility: The piece was acquired in 2000 and installed in 2001, so it is past the 20-year mark. The artist is OK Harris, who may have died in 2008, and his Albuquerque studio appears closed. The piece originally cost $6,000. It scored as a beloved work in the community survey, which caused hesitation about deaccessioning. Relocation is considered not viable because the piece is rusty and poses safety concerns. Pacific Coast maintenance staff were hesitant about putting replacement art in the water due to labor-intensive cleaning and potential effects on wildlife from coatings.
• No formal action was taken.

Pending Items and Staff Liaison Report

• Senior Center security gate: Installation was scheduled for April 28, 2026, but the shipper failed to pick up the piece; staff were awaiting a new arrival date.
• Nature Center sculpture and Poppy and Groves installation: Completed; removed from the pending list.
• White Rock pottery relocation: No update; noted as outside the board's control.
• Aquatic figures pool mural: The pool is closed for renovation, and painting over the mural requires paint that withstands humidity, chlorine, and washing. Contractor quotes are due May 5 by noon and will separate APP costs from aquatics costs. Painting could begin in July, before the pool reopens in October. Staff are trying to contact the artist or estate; if contact is made, a deaccession recommendation could become a May action item.
• Wind sculptures at Mesa Public Library: One of three wind sculptures fell and is now in Chelsea's office. It had fallen before; the original recommendation was a shorter pole because the current pole is too high for high winds. The company that took over the artist's studio offered a one-time replacement of a similar sculpture at no charge, valued at about $1,900, in exchange for the broken pieces. Because the ordinance treats this as a deaccession and replacement, the board needs to make a motion at the next meeting to recommend the exchange to council; with no cost, it could go on the consent agenda.

Board and Staff Communication

• Chair Tim Foley reported on the unveiling of the sculpture known informally as the bear sculpture, formally titled Ravens Dialogue, at the Earth Day celebration. The artist and Councilor Herman spoke, and roughly 30-40 people attended despite cold weather. Foley described it as well received and as a start-to-finish project for newer board and staff members.

Key Outcomes

• Approved March 26, 2026 minutes unanimously.
• Endorsed the mosaic workshop plan, provisional newspaper-ad trigger, cutout sticker direction, and ribbon cutting during installation week.
• Directed the lion sculpture working group to review Daniel's new sketches and return with a recommendation for a possible board vote.
• Agreed to monitor Dino World artist contact and Tranquility replacement options; no deaccession votes were taken.
• Scheduled next steps for May 28, 2026: wind sculpture replacement motion, aquatic figures deaccession action, possible lion sculpture action, and mosaic workshop discussion.
• Adjourned at 7:01 PM.