Alameda County Castro Valley Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Project Artwork Proposal Delaine Hackney

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1 Alameda County Castro Valley Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Project Artwork Proposal Delaine Hackney Written Proposal pg 1 of 3 The natural world within and immediately surrounding Castro Valley is full of wildness, intense color, and rare beauty. My intention, as artist, is to bring some of these qualities into the streetscape of the Boulevard by creating large ceramic and glass mosaic pieces that celebrate the native wilderness of Castro Valley. Though I will be including much of Castro Valley s flora and fauna into the artwork, the theme of my proposed piece will commemorate owls that live in the region. These owls include the Burrowing Owl, Great Horned Owl, Barn Owl, Northern Pygmy Owl, Western Screech Owl, and the Spotted Owl. A selection of native flora will also be highlighted in the mosaics. Not only are these flowers and trees integral to the owl s habitat, they will also visually complement the art pieces. These plants are: Shooting Star flowers, California Poppies, Blue Flax, Cobweb Thistle, Desert Bluebells, Horsetails, Big Leaf Maple trees and Wood Rose. In walking around Castro Valley, I m aware that the hustle and bustle world of the village and boulevard area is completely different than the world just outside; nice homes, hills, and beyond It is apparent that this theme of owls and flowers will serve as a refreshing daily reminder to the people of Castro Valley that open space, canyons, creeks, lakes, hills, agriculture, wild life, immense natural beauty, and beautiful weather surround them. In this way, the artwork will serve as a bridge between the inner commercial area and the outer surrounding areas of Castro Valley. Mosaic art provides a sense of permanence and abundance. My personal style of mosaic art is quirky, non pretentious, and full of vivid colors and variety of textures. Animals and nature are often the inspiration and subject matter for my art. Specifically, I am

2 Alameda County Castro Valley Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Project Artwork Proposal Delaine Hackney Written Proposal pg 2 of 3 passionate about Owls! My method of setting, or tile placement, is super tight and clean, unlike much of the mosaic art that is made for or by children in the Bay Area- often cute but totally different than what I do. Although my mosaic art is full of sparkle and pizzazz, for this installation I envision easily identifiable imagery that will look very much like the illustrations. In fact I do use my illustrations, enlarged with a projector, to create a template for the mosaic work. The mosaics will be placed so that the bird images, at least one bird on each seat block, will be most prominent. Some birds will be clearly legible from drivers in cars, others by pedestrians on the sidewalk. Each seat block will be different, with different colors schemes and with the images facing in different directions. No designs will be repeated; each seat block will be one of a kind. Up close, people will appreciate the many tiny pieces and variety of materials and textures that comprise the work. The theme for the gateway markers is a snapshot of Castro Valley's wildlife in the night sky cradled by the hills that surround the valley. Illuminated stars and a magnificent Barn Owl in flight grace the land over hills, township and diversity. A little about the materials: The mosaic work will be made primarily of ceramic tile with a little bit of glass here and there. All materials will be suitable for exterior. The finished mosaic will be smooth and flat with no sharp edges or areas where water would collect. I plan on using tile purchased from McIntyre Tile in Healdsburg, Dal Tile in San Leandro and or Fireclay Tile in San Jose. I am thoroughly knowledgeable, skilled and experienced in regards to all materials and techniques needed for large-scale exterior public art mosaic work. I ve worked as a manager at the Institute of Mosaic Art in Oakland for several years, have been teaching mosaic portraiture classes in various locations for 5 years and have completed many large-scale exterior public art mosaic installations in the bay area.

3 Alameda County Castro Valley Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Project Artwork Proposal Delaine Hackney Written Proposal pg 3 of 3 The majority of the setting work will be done in studio, on fiberglass mesh, When the in-studio work is complete, the sections of mosaic detail work on mesh will be ready for installation onto the seat blocks. Installation will involve adhering the mesh sections onto the seat blocks with Thinset mortar and then filling in the remaining spaces between the sections with tiles. Finally grouting and sealing. The mosaic artwork will be permanent and is expected to last for a minimum of 50 years. There is basically no maintenance required for the upkeep of the mosaic work. Only resealing the grout every 8-10 years to insure that it will remain water and stain proof. Re-sealing the grout is quick, simple, inexpensive and necessary for any tile application that is regularly exposed to water. This artwork will provide a plethora of vivid colors to the Castro Valley Boulevard streetscape and will be a source of pride for the community. Site Plan: The mosaics will be placed so that the bird images, at least one bird on each seat block, will be most prominent. Some birds will be visible from drivers in cars, others by pedestrians on the sidewalk. Each seat block will be different, with different colors schemes and with the images facing in different directions. No designs will be repeated, each seat block will be one of a kind.

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