Waves || Roots
2022 – 2024
Fort Bragg, CA
Mixed media artwork combining public murals, digital media, and education.
Awards: Listos California, EPIC Grant
The process for the Waves || Roots educational mural was multi-layered and complex. In early 2022 I connected with the Alleyway Art Project curator about a grant opportunity funded by Listos California. This Emergency Preparedness In Communities (EPIC) grant was available to artists working on educational projects targeting community awareness.
After meeting with regional organizations specializing in tsunami response and safety I developed a proposal focusing on conceptual interpretive design. My goal was to provide a series of pieces that inspired public interest through the use of wayfinding principles.
It made sense to install this artwork within the Noyo Harbor, an active destination for both locals and tourists. Engaging with the harbor through ‘space and place’ mapping played a key role in designing Waves. This requires observing environment interactions (place), along with tracking emotions and thoughts related to those interactions (space). I most commonly document these observations in photos, videos, sketches, and written notes. I also researched existing educational tsunami resources and historical wayfinding materials.
LOCATION
Installation in progress.
PROJECT CREDITS
Fort Bragg Alleyway Art Project, Listos California, Arts Council of Mendocino County, City of Fort Bragg, North Coast Hubs & Routes, Noyo Harbor Commission, Noyo Harbor Master
After working through a number of ideas I chose to create a series of interpretive murals incorporating a stylized compass rose. The compass is a navigational instrument known in all cultures; it is a symbol that can be understood quickly regardless of the language spoken by viewers. The colors chosen for the mural link to signifiers utilized in pre-existing safety awareness signage.
The mural and landscape together provide an immediate cue to viewers that is bilateral (or in this case ‘biolateral’: combining visual art with the surrounding environment). The synergistic simplicity is what makes the message powerful. The location takes into account shifting weather patterns and erosion. How nature interacts with the mural becomes part of the conversation and viewer inquiry.
A QR code will be posted leading viewers to the companion digital content.