Water Basket honors and acknowledges the cultural heritage of the original people of this land in a contemporary artistic context. 360° murals inspired by Pomo Basketry will be painted on two large water tanks at the highest point in Middletown. The tanks are visible for 1-2 miles in all directions and from above. Native and non-Native community members and artists were invited to engage in the process and power of creating public art, cultural education and awareness building. Videos from 3 workshops are posted below. Our Call for Proposals, which was due Jan 31, 2024 resulted in 25 proposals!
A jury of stakeholders is being assembled. If you are interested, please click here to fill an e form, email info@middletownartcenter.org with subject WB jury, your name, address and phone number in the body of the email and a statement about why you feel you would be a good fit to serve on the selection jury for the Water Basket designs that will move to public input. Community jurors will be selected randomly and number 2-4, proportionate to number of community members interested. You can also drop an envelope with your information and statement at the Art Center (there is a mail slot). Please submit by March 20.
The jury will be comprised of 2 representatives each from: Middletown Rancheria Tribal Members, regional Cultural Practitioners, Water District board members, Middletown community members (2-4), Middletown Area Merchants Association, Middletown Area Town Hall, and MAC artistic staff who will assess proposals and select 2-4 proposals for each tank to move to public input.
Public Input: Mockups and maquettes of selected proposals will be displayed at MAC, at the Tribal Office and/or Casino, and at the monthly public meeting of the Middletown Area Town Hall, Middletown Merchants Association, and at the Water District office between MARCH and APRIL
Following public input, final selections will be made by Callayomi Water District and the Middletown Rancheria. Professional muralists will paint the selected design on the tank.
Semi Finalists following the jury process and before public input, will receive $300 each to work with MAC staff to prepare 3-D mock ups for public input
Artists of work selected will receive $1000 compensation to work with muralists to make any refinements to the design needed for enlargement. Fuel stipend and lodging will be provided as needed.
Questions? Contact info@middletownartcenter.org or call 707-355-4465
A jury of stakeholders is being assembled. If you are interested, please click here to fill an e form, email info@middletownartcenter.org with subject WB jury, your name, address and phone number in the body of the email and a statement about why you feel you would be a good fit to serve on the selection jury for the Water Basket designs that will move to public input. Community jurors will be selected randomly and number 2-4, proportionate to number of community members interested. You can also drop an envelope with your information and statement at the Art Center (there is a mail slot). Please submit by March 20.
The jury will be comprised of 2 representatives each from: Middletown Rancheria Tribal Members, regional Cultural Practitioners, Water District board members, Middletown community members (2-4), Middletown Area Merchants Association, Middletown Area Town Hall, and MAC artistic staff who will assess proposals and select 2-4 proposals for each tank to move to public input.
Public Input: Mockups and maquettes of selected proposals will be displayed at MAC, at the Tribal Office and/or Casino, and at the monthly public meeting of the Middletown Area Town Hall, Middletown Merchants Association, and at the Water District office between MARCH and APRIL
Following public input, final selections will be made by Callayomi Water District and the Middletown Rancheria. Professional muralists will paint the selected design on the tank.
Semi Finalists following the jury process and before public input, will receive $300 each to work with MAC staff to prepare 3-D mock ups for public input
Artists of work selected will receive $1000 compensation to work with muralists to make any refinements to the design needed for enlargement. Fuel stipend and lodging will be provided as needed.
Questions? Contact info@middletownartcenter.org or call 707-355-4465
Artistic elements sought:
• Pomo basket inspired geometric, symbolic or graphic designs
• Elements that reflect the area’s history, people, and ecology may be integrated including animals and plants native to local ecosystems.
• Strong positive/negative space relationships
• Traditional Pomo colors red, orange, yellow, brown, black, straw/ochre; minimal additional hues. The background color of the smaller tank will be painted a kind of yellowish beige (resembling dried grasses). Artist may have input on the background color. The larger tank is currently a light neutral green tint (like seagrass).
• Dynamic composition
• Continuity – top to sides and around
• Easily decipherable from afar and above
• Calls attention to the hill and local ecology
• Pomo basket inspired geometric, symbolic or graphic designs
• Elements that reflect the area’s history, people, and ecology may be integrated including animals and plants native to local ecosystems.
• Strong positive/negative space relationships
• Traditional Pomo colors red, orange, yellow, brown, black, straw/ochre; minimal additional hues. The background color of the smaller tank will be painted a kind of yellowish beige (resembling dried grasses). Artist may have input on the background color. The larger tank is currently a light neutral green tint (like seagrass).
• Dynamic composition
• Continuity – top to sides and around
• Easily decipherable from afar and above
• Calls attention to the hill and local ecology
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View documentation of the presentation portion of each of the Water Basket workshops. In each workshop, Pomo Culture Bearers/Artists share about Pomo cultural heritage and the rich legacy of Pomo basketry renowned worldwide and unique to this region. Each workshop also provides support for Native and Non Native people in bringing their vision for the tanks forward. Have a look!
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A panel discussion and workshops on basketry patterns, and design led by Pomo cultural artists opened the project in September 2023.
All events are free to the public. CLICK TO READ our press release.
All events are free to the public. CLICK TO READ our press release.
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What do you imagine?
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Images: Pomo Basket from the Lake County Courthouse Museum, photo by Corine Pearce
Water tanks on Rabbit Hill from the east (Hwy 29) looking west; from the west looking east,
Sample Designs: Eric Wilder (left) Wanda Quitiquit (right) adapted with permission
Water tanks on Rabbit Hill from the east (Hwy 29) looking west; from the west looking east,
Sample Designs: Eric Wilder (left) Wanda Quitiquit (right) adapted with permission
This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.
To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.
