Artist Held at the Gate a Second Time
By SUZIE HARRISON

Source: City of Laguna Beach A rendering of the Bluebird Park gate designed by Jon Seeman, which was approved by the City Council on Tuesday.

The gate artist Jon Seeman designed for Bluebird Park seemed in danger of slamming shut on him this week.

Yet after much testimony by the public and arts commissioners, who unanimously recommended Seeman's whimsical gate, the City Council also voted 4-1 to approve the installation contingent upon an expert's evaluation and approval that it meets safety standards.

While most public comment about the gate was positive, a few detractors slammed the gate as grandiose and a distraction.

Arts Commission chair Nancy Beverage urged the council to view the design through the eyes of the children it was designed for.

Council member Cheryl Kinsman was the lone vote in opposition to the proposal, based on her recreation committee experience regarding playground equipment.

Seeman has taken a one-two punch with his public art pieces. In April, the council booted out his whale sculpture, which was designed for the downtown senior center even though that artwork too received the unanimous support of arts commissioners.

"With both art projects I feel I need a flack jacket. I didn't feel comfortable defending my art, knowing it's appropriate and my art is very safe for kids. I feel offended by the politics," he said.

"It will pass," he predicted, referring to safety standards.

The park's landscape architect, Ann Christoph, presented council members with an alternate gate design, which she affixed on the wall next to Seeman's.

"I have a drawing for a gate that went out to bid and they ended up taking out the project," Christoph explained.

With new play equipment, including a replacement rocket ship, that has earned the park a top-rating by parents, Christoph urged council members to choose a gate that would not distract from the park's playground delights. Her design for a new gate had received approval, but it was cut from the city's renovation plans, she said.

Soon after, the City Council directed the project to become a public art competition with a $50,000 honorarium.

Christoph went to the arts commission after Seeman was chosen to plead for consideration, even though she had not complied with the competition guidelines. Seeman's piece was chosen over 10 submissions.

Arts commissioner Pat Kollenda reminded the council, "It was not an original arts commission project. Toni Iseman brought it to us, to have an artist design gate public art competition."

Kollenda said the commission met with Christoph, and she showed them a wrought iron gate. "But that's not an art project; it's a fence. They asked us to do something that's playful and wonderful," Kollenda added.

Councilperson Elizabeth Pearson went to bat for the arts commission. "I think before the landscape architecture designed the original fence and gate we did not have the money to do that. We looked around where to find money," she said, reassigning the task to the arts commission, which receives funding through visitor bed taxes.

"When we do that the arts commission uses creativity and talent to do something creative and do a good job," she said.

Due to safety concerns, city attorney Phil Kohn said the proposal would require a check by an expert.

As for his first public art piece, Seeman remains hopeful about the three-piece commission for the community and senior with a $190,000 honorarium. "Third Street will go through. It's just a hassle, scenery and lights. Once they see the scale and whole image, they'll see physically the architecture and landscape will be accentuated by the whole scheme," said Seeman. "It shouldn't be placed at a different location."