Napa Public Art Steering Committee Meeting - October 27, 2026

The Public Art Steering Committee (PASC) met at 5:30 p.m. on October 27, 2026, in the Council Chambers at 955 School St., Napa. Staff presented the NatureCulture: Art in the Open program update, the Art in Parks FY2026-2027 project proposals, and general public art program updates. The committee approved the August 25, 2026 minutes and approved the four proposed Art in Parks projects. No public comment was offered.

Approval of Minutes

• PASC unanimously approved the August 25, 2026 regular meeting minutes as submitted.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the public comment period.

NatureCulture: Art in the Open - Program Update

• Sarah Winski, Public Art Coordinator, presented this informational item. NatureCulture is a two-year rotating temporary art exhibition series at the Oxbow Preserve; the inaugural edition is called Art in the Open.
• According to the staff report, the RFQ for Bay Area artists ran May 1 through June 7, 2026, and 25 applications were received. The oral report said the RFQ ran through June 1, creating a minor discrepancy.
• An Art Selection Panel reviewed proposals on a 1-5 scale for artistic quality and originality, site specificity, environmental considerations, and feasibility. The panel recommended that all four selected artists proceed.
• Selected artists and proposals: Delia deVer and Kristi Moya, Napa-raised artists with Chiricahua Apache heritage, proposed a woven basket of local flora at site 5 with on-site weaving in March 2027; Mia Feuer proposed "Blending," a roughly six-foot-tall sculpture of three children becoming a steelhead trout, belted kingfisher, and caddis fly on site 2; Packard Jennings proposed a reimagined triumphal column reduced from 32 feet to about 16 feet to avoid creating an osprey nesting or habitat-removal issue; and Seongmin Yoo proposed a monumental woven nest with three deer as a "doorway to the underworld."
• All installations will be along the ADA paved pathway in non-flooding areas of the Oxbow Preserve. Installation is planned for completion by March 2027. The program budget is approximately $30,000 from the General Fund, not the Public Art Fund.
• In discussion, a committee member noted a separate indigenous cradle basket project at Oxbow Commons led by Lowell Downey; staff said the projects are separate but complementary and may have aligned timing. Committee members encouraged staff to publicize the on-site weaving and consider school or community engagement opportunities. Staff noted the selection panel had requested good signage and an audio guide for each artwork.

Art in Parks - Project Proposals FY2026-2027

• Winski presented four proposed projects. City Council confirmed PASC's earlier recommendations on June 5, 2026, including $60,000 for sculpture in FY2026-2027, $60,000 for sculpture in FY2027-2028, $55,000 for park amenities, and $75,000 for land/sound art. The recommended $20,000 for the Nimbus Arts Stone Stacking project would reduce the available sculpture budget for new proposals to $40,000.
• The proposed projects were:
  • Artistic bike racks: up to three artist-designed racks at Fuller, Laurel, and Westwood Hills; $30,000.
  • Interpretive art panels: local flora and fauna illustrations for existing message boards at Fuller, Alston, and Westwood Hills; $5,000.
  • Artistic benches: up to two benches at Fuller, Monarch, or O'Brien Park; $20,000.
  • Functional/thematic sculptures: up to three sculptures at Monarch, Westwood Hills, and Kennedy Park; $40,000.
• Committee members broadly supported the proposals, praised the park choices, and liked the functional art component. One member suggested leaning away from Fuller Park because it recently received playable art; staff explained Fuller was recommended because of an upcoming bathroom renovation and new pathway and interpretive area near the Rose Garden, and said the feedback would be considered. Another member countered that all parks are equally important and that Fuller serves non-child constituencies.
• The committee moved, seconded, and approved the four new projects for FY2026-2027 and supported staff efforts to continue planning. The motion carried by voice vote with no opposing votes.

General Public Art Program Updates

• Vianne De Santiago, Public Art Intern, presented the oral program updates.
• The "Napa Tapestry" by Danielle Davis is fully installed along 2nd Street ending at Main Street's pedestrian scramble. Its patterns are based on traditional textiles from six groups who shaped Napa, as listed in the oral report: Wappo, Swift, Chinese, German, Mexican, and Italian.
• Día de los Muertos street banners are up on 2nd and Main Streets, with 12 new banners plus 16 from last year, 28 in total. The Napa Día de los Muertos festival is scheduled for November 7 from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. Lowrider car altars are returning, with an expanded area on Brown Street including a small stage and bathrooms.
• Two public art walking tours are scheduled: November 10, 9:30-10:30 a.m., focused on Circulation/Weavers with about a 1.5-mile walk, and December 5, 12:00-1:00 p.m., focused on the 2nd Street Art Corridor.
• Volunteers Bob and Ruben Zomke began sanding and re-oiling the "Meandering Redwood" bench at Oxbow Preserve as part of their annual volunteer maintenance.
• Committee comments: the chair praised the bump-outs and pedestrian scramble but shared public comments that the white bollards can look dull and that surfaces can appear dirty; she suggested exploring coatings to more closely approximate the original thermoplastic design and improve cleanability. Another member said the bollards are a safety feature but may be the least attractive element. Members also praised the fifth year of Día de los Muertos, the marketing of public art tours, and the diversity of community celebrations.

Key Outcomes

• The August 25, 2026 minutes were approved unanimously.
• The four Art in Parks FY2026-2027 projects - artistic bike racks, interpretive art panels, artistic benches, and functional/thematic sculptures - were approved. Staff will continue planning and plan to return with draft RFQs in early 2027 and publish RFQs in spring 2027.
• The NatureCulture update was received as information; no formal action was taken. Staff will complete artist agreements and installation by March 2027 and will consider ways to publicize on-site art-making.
• The next regular PASC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 22, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.