Dana Point City Council Approves Mural Artist for Community Center

Winning artwork proposal submitted by Lovisa Kjerrgren for the Community Center mural.

Photo: Courtesy of City of Dana Point

During the Dana Point City Council meeting on June 3, councilmembers and staff selected an artist to complete a mural at the Dana Point Community Center after 38 different artists applied.

In a 3-0 vote by councilmembers Mike Frost, Jamey Federico and Mayor Pro Tem John Gabbard, artist Lovisa Kjerrgren’s submission was chosen to adorn the side of Community Center. (Mayor Matthew Pagano and Councilmember Michael Villar were absent at the meeting.)

At a February meeting, the City Council had heard from Community Services Director Jeff Rosaler and approved a “Call for Artists” for the mural project. The goal of the project is to create a welcoming and dynamic environment that fosters community connections and enhances residents’ quality of life through various activities and programs.

The total budget for the mural project is $65,000, which has been allocated and approved in the current fiscal year’s budget. This funding will cover all costs associated with the project, including artist fees, materials, installation, and community engagement.

A total of 28 artists or artists’ teams submitted proposals for the project, all of which were evaluated by a five-member review team including representatives from the City Manager’s Office, Community Services Team, and the Arts and Cultural Ambassadors.

The review process used a scoring matrix that evaluated project understanding, team or artists’ experience, the proposal’s ability to enhance the facility’s beauty and reflect community values, and the appropriateness of the design for the location. All proposals scoring 90 points or higher were forwarded to the City Council for consideration.

The 10 original proposals considered by the City Council included those submitted by Kjerrgren, Arsenio Baca and Pauline Hacopian, Lovisa Kjerrgren, Jackie and Andrew Superlayr, Cory Schnitzer, Andy Davis, Juan Pablo Melchum Alba (also known as Noche), BC Biermann (also known as HVY), Jeremy Jarvis, Mike McKeogh, and Anne Sophie Gaudet.

Before the June 3 meeting, Rosaler said the team of judges narrowed the group of 10 down to Kjerrgren, Davis and Schnitzer.

“ I think all three proposals are fantastic, and I think the artists are fantastic,” Rosaler said. “It’s a really tough choice that you guys get to make.”

Before the decision was made, Kjerrgren was present at the council meeting to introduce herself and give councilmembers a first impression of working with her.

“ I’m a former resident; in fact, I used to live in the Harbor Creek community that’s right next door to the Community Center, so many times I have traversed these grounds, and this project is near dear to my heart,” Kjerrgren said. “I live in Laguna Beach now, but wanted to be present for any questions that you might have. I’m really excited to see the city put this much emphasis on public art … this really is for the community, and there’s a lot of value in that.”

Kjerrgren has previously executed multiple murals for The Sawdust Festival, which takes place in Laguna Beach. Her submission for the Dana Point Community Center “is a bold, bright, and playful design taking cues from the delights of Dana Point Living,” according to Rosaler.

She titles the piece she submitted for consideration “Dana Delights.” She explains she will take cues from quintessential delights of Dana Point living, from ocean adventures and beachside treasures to culinary treats and palm-lined streets. She will celebrate the outdoor-living lifestyle that the city’s rich community revolves around.

She mentions in her application that the style of the piece will be a simple yet expressive graphic style, weaving together symbolic objects, including boats, buoys, and whales, and evocative images in a free-flowing tapestry look.