Mural Design for North Seattle College 2015

North Seattle College and the campus Arts Task Force are seeking an artist or artist team to design a dynamic, innovative mural on the exterior surface of a wall facing the main courtyard on campus. 

Eligibility: This project is open to all artists.

Deadline: February 1st, 2015 at 10:59pm PST.

Design Budget: $5,000 to include design fees, a detailed list of materials needed, 2-3 speaking appearances on campus, artist compensation, travel expenses and any applicable taxes.

Artist Responsibilities: Once chosen, artist will provide mural faculty at North with a to-scale design, and the color numbers for each color represented in the palette. Artist will provide a detailed supply list needed for the mural and a gridded version of their design which the students will use to transfer. Students in an advanced painting class under the direction of experienced faculty with expertise in mural execution will complete the actual transfer of the design and the painting of the mural. The chosen artist will have the opportunity to speak with these students to express their vision for the mural but will not paint alongside the students except for the one or two days that they are visiting the class.

Specifics: The building wall faces a bustling campus courtyard and can be seen by all faculty, students and staff on their way to and from class and work. The wall is concrete and measures 87 inches high by 54 feet 3 inches wide. It is required that the design addresses the entire space. The chosen design will successfully integrate a strong understanding of design, color and composition while speaking to the community and values of the campus. Please visit http://northseattlecollegemurals.tumblr.com/ for pictures of the wall, as well as more information about last year's successful proposal and mural project. This aims to be an annual project that the mural class completes each spring. As this annual class continues, future murals may eventually be painted on adjoining sections of the same large wall. The chosen artist is eligible to apply for future mural opportunities.

Questions: Contact Kelda Martensen at kelda.martensen@seattlecolleges.edu.

Selection Criteria:

• Design must be to-scale and consider the actual proportions and surrounding environment of the wall

• Design must successfully integrate  community themes with design principles 

• Quality and strength of artist’s past work as demonstrated in the submitted materials

• Demonstrated knowledge in the unique consideration of exterior murals and public spaces

• Ability to create a unique and engaging artwork that is appropriate in concept, materials and scale for this project. Artist should keep in mind that a class of college students new to mural painting will be completing this mural within an 11 week quarter. 

• Color is encouraged

• Designs should avoid direct and literal representation of cultural diversity, i.e. faces of various ethnicities or overly-literal and representational use of traditional cultural dress and artifact. Applicants should think about how art can address contemporary cultural diversity without explicit use of routinely seen symbols of diversity.

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Artists will submit 6 digital images that include the design proposal as well as relevant past work. Submissions that do not include a proposal specific to this call will not be considered. Images should include how the design would look in the setting. Proposed design must be drawn/rendered to scale. Design must represent how it will look when it is hand-painted by brush.

A selection panel comprised of members of the North Seattle College Arts Task Force, campus students and staff will review all application materials received by the deadline. Selection will be made by the end of February, 2015.

 Timeline:

• February 1st, 2015 Application deadline

• Mid to late February, 2015 Artist selection

• Early March, 2015 (TBD) Planning meeting with Arts Task Force and artist

• Early April 2015 (TBD) Artist presentation of design to campus and mural class

• Spring 2015 Creation and completion of mural

• Mid to late June 2015 Campus-wide celebration of mural

 Who we are at North Seattle College

North Seattle College is situated north of Seattle’s downtown, west of I-5 in the Northgate neighborhood. The campus is built on wetlands fed by Licton Springs, a place significant for its history of spiritual healing for Native Americans and later as fertile ground for Japanese farmers before forced relocation to internment camps. These stories of being a place of gathering remain an important narrative in our mythology. We strive to be a campus that embraces the future while acknowledging and paying tribute to our past. In addition to celebrating the biodiversity that comes with our natural setting, our campus is proud of the fact that our students come from all over the world. North Seattle College is a learning institution that respects its myriad of cultures, languages, nationalities, religions and voices. NSC is a place where students experience new beginnings: new languages, ideas and places to call home; new cultures, voices and identities; new job skills and career paths, all in an open and accepting environment. At North Seattle College, students are equipped with a strong foundation to further their personal development. To read more about our dynamic campus, please visit www.northseattle.edu.

North Seattle College Art Collections Mission Statement:

Based in the rich cultural and natural histories of the campus, our mission is to enrich our campus culture through art acquisitions that honor our natural environment and celebrate diverse perspectives.

Selected Primary Goals:

-       Create an aesthetically stimulating environment for North employees, students, and visitors

-       Encourage, elevate, inspire, and educate through the visual arts

-       Use the North Seattle College Art Collections to enhance the college’s core themes – Advancing Student Success, Excelling in Teaching and Learning, and Building Community (https://northseattle.edu/about-north/mission-accreditation)

Our campus mission

North Seattle College is committed to changing lives through education.

We achieve our mission by:

• Offering comprehensive educational opportunities;

• Creating a highly supportive learning environment, and

• Engaging in effective and enduring partnerships.

For more resources on applying to this call, including photos and a schematic drawing of the site, visithttp://northseattlecollegemurals.tumblr.com.

For more resources relating to our campus, visit https://northseattle.edu/

For more resources relating to our city and natural environment, visit http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives