Rotarian of the Day Michael Goldsmith introduced guest speaker Karen Rudd, the City of Norfolk’s Arts Manager. Rudd helped establish the city’s public art program 12 years ago after the City passed an ordinance that 1% of every capital dollar (bond money) would be put towards public art.
Because the art program is publicly funded, artists are chosen through an open and fair request for proposal process. Rudd works with an 11-person Public Art Commission that helps make decisions on design and artists. Although not everyone likes every piece, Rudd stressed that the community is really involved before anything is purchased.
Since the founding of the program, the city has commissioned 70 pieces of art. Rudd showed pictures of some commonly viewed, including those at:
- Norfolk Botanical Garden
- Attucks Theater
- Community beach park restrooms in Ocean View
- Coleman Place Elementary School
- VA Zoo (the elephant made of butterflies),
- Light rail stations (9 of 13 stations art was done by local artists)
- Amtrak station
- Lakewood Dance Studio
In tabulating traffic counts, the city estimates 300,000 people see Norfolk’s public art work every day. For a map of all of the public art projects, go to the city webpage at Norfolk,gov and search for “public art map”. Although the city has not funded every piece of art found in the city, Rudd believes its helped to inspire art projects beyond its own, including the current mural craze.
Rudd said that public art can “feel good” and tell the story of the neighborhood. For example, a piece in the Norview neighborhood entitled “Storyteller” depicts a gathering of three figures as a story is being told.
Public art projects coming includes pieces inside 5 new elementary schools and at Bay Oaks Park, Chelsea, Munson Park (Park Place), Norfolk International Airport, the Richard Tucker Memorial Library in Campostella and along the Elizabeth River Trail in Larchmont.
To encourage the private sector to invest in public art, Norfolk offers $25,000 towards public art if a private owner is willing to match that investment. EVMS outdid itself in putting aside $325,000 for art at its newest building currently under construction.
Norfolk Arts runs a summer program (now called Norfolk Emerging Leaders,) which is best known for providing public art in Norfolk’s parking garages when there was no money for it. All of Norfolk’s parking garages now have public art.
Additionally, Rudd’s office runs the Offsite Gallery to showcase local artists (which started in the Selden Arcade in 2006 but is now in MacArthur Mall).
A book was presented on behalf of the speaker to the school of the week, St. Helena Elementary.
The Meeting
President-elect Jim Kitz convened the luncheon in the absence of President Lorna with recitation of the pledge of allegiance and four-way test. Irv Wells delivered the invocation. Songs from way in the back of the book (Hello! Ma Baby and Blow the Man Down) were led by John Cameron and Frank Whitman.
There was no visitation report as Bob Heely said everyone is well.
Alan Nelson had members introduce their guests:
- Sally Hartman introduced Annie Filer Vogt from EVMS
- Sigur Whitaker introduced visiting Rotarian, Past District Governor Stephen Beer, from a Richmond area club
- Chip Finch introduced Len Remias from the City of Norfolk
Carlisle Wroton (on his birthday!) was honored as a major donor for the Rotary Foundation by Stephen Beer from District 7600.
Bill Moore gave an update on the Hunton YMCA $32,000 kitchen renovation. The deep fryer and stove were installed this weekend and with no disruption to the center’s food distribution. Below, Chef Paul is broadly grinning as the new equipment has been installed.
Reminder was given to pay club invoices.
Steve Jones said the committee would make its decision within the next week on the 2020 Suds and Buds third charity.
Sigur Whitaker announced that registration is open on the club webpage for the club’s October 30th curated tour of the Thomas Jefferson exhibit at the Chrysler Museum organized by Jim O’Brien.
Happy Bucks:
- Barry Kesser honored Linwood Beckner for helping him in his hour of need.
- Jason Drane purchased his first new car in 20 years.
- Bob Kuhlo enjoyed helping sign people up for the Salvation Army Christmas program.
- Julie Keesling also attended the Salvation Army service project but admitted forgetting to wear her Rotary pin.
- Stephen Beer celebrated the district having a segment on world polio carried by a local ABC affiliate.
- Jim Kitz reported that Eleanor Schoonover paid in honor of our club member Berhanu Mengitsu who is in Ethiopia working on a global grant for a water and sanitation project.
- Sally Hartman adopted a new dog she found using the app Nextdoor.
- Alan Nelson returned form a week in Ireland
- Michael Desplaines enjoyed seeing Rotarians at Tosca Tuesday and at the Forum Thursday.
- Irv Wells announce he has brand new pacemaker with a defibrillator.
Bill McInnis conducted the raffle which was won by Jim Kitz ($12), who did not take a try at the big pot.
Two extra raffles in honor of breast cancer awareness for tickets to “The Band’s Visit” at Chrysler Hall were won by Sharon Laderberg and Gary Boswick.
