Camas Kaleidoscope

Percent for Art Funded

Artist Statement on Project 
Camas Kaleidoscope is an expansive metalwork installation that weaves through all of Campbell Community Center’s newly redesigned courtyard spaces. These interrelated art elements include wall reliefs, kinetic sculptures, and concrete inlay work. The pieces are linked together visually through a shared vocabulary of whimsically illustrative imagery, celebrating Eugene’s historic legacy of free-spirited arts and culture.

The artwork celebrates several aspects of the Center’s identity. Campbell’s location on a rare plot of preserved camas prairie is reflected in images of local flora and fauna. These are intermingled with concrete references to the vital day-to-day activities that go on at the community center. Swirling fields of playfully psychedelic imagery are knitted together within a latticework of ornate, paisley linework, welcoming visitors to the Campbell Center.

Background
Campbell Community Center opened in 1964, making it one of the oldest senior centers on the West Coast. Campbell has between 250-300 people come through its doors every day, and Eugene Rec offers classes, activities, weekly social groups, presentations, support groups and special events for area adults and seniors. The lobby is a popular meeting place along the beautiful Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path System in Skinner Butte Park.

In May 2018 Eugene Voters supported a $39 million bond and $3.15 million levy to support Eugene Parks and Rec. The 2018 bond included $5 million to renovate and expand Campbell and add a health and wellness component to the building. The scope of work for renovations at the Campbell Community Center included increasing the square footage of the building from 8,000 to 14,500 sq feet, which includes a new addition with a great room, enclosed courtyard with security fence, fitness classrooms, renovated lobby area, and increased light in the interior of the building.

The percent for art process is triggered when any building, park, mall, or other capital construction project (but not including streets, alleys, bicycle paths, and other public thoroughfares) constructed, remodeled, or purchased by the city which construction, remodeling or purchasing involves the expenditure of more than $50,000.

Project Goals
The City of Eugene, Oregon issued a Request for Qualifications from experienced artists or artist-teams to create a public work of art at Campbell Community Center. A total of $66,000 is available for the purchase of site-specific art for Campbell Community Center in Eugene, Oregon. This includes, but is not limited to, artist fees, fabrication, insurance, shipping, travel, installation, documentation, and all other project costs. The deadline for submissions was December 31, 2019.

Strategic Goals of the Building:
• To support and enhance a welcoming, accessible and inclusive environment that allows patrons to feel connected to a larger community.
• To create an inspiring and fun environment that provides patrons more opportunities to enjoy a variety of programs that promote physical, mental, emotional and social wellness.
• To create an environment that can adapt to new and future needs, while honoring the history of the center and its patrons.
• To connect to the surrounding outdoor environment and the sense of adventure it inspires.
• To create a positive environment for staff that supports them in their daily tasks and allows them to be efficient and effective

Suggested Goals and themes for artwork:
• Creating a visual draw from street to entryway
• Fostering a welcoming, accessible and inclusive environment
• Reflecting on the history of the site
• Celebrating oral traditions and narratives
• Responding to the natural environment
• Celebrating life and aging