HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-08-21 Public Arts PACKET
Public Arts Advisory CommitteeAgenda
August 21, 2025
Regular Meeting, 4:00pm–5:30pm
Siskiyou Conference Room, 51 Winburn Way
Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/93522969824?pwd=3niUIrt54ZKvz773KpfIkZoFUOZzzl.1
I.(4:00) CALL TO ORDER:
a.Welcome –Sue Sears Introduction
b.Quorum count
c.Announcements
d.Land Acknowledgment (attached)
e.Labor Acknowledgement (attached)
II.(4:05) APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a.July 17, 2025, regular meeting
III.(4:10) PUBLIC FORUM (for items not on the agenda; up to 3 minutes per speaker)
a.Abram Katz, The Home Project (Heartisan Foundation)
b.Don Daniels, Mural at 149-167 E Main St
c.Caroline Lion, Public Art Installation Non-profit (digital)
IV.(4:20) LIAISON REPORTS
a.City Council Liaison, Gina DuQuenne
b.APRC Liaison, Michael Gardiner & APR Staff Liaison, Rachel Dials
c.Community Development Liaison, Veronica Allen
V.(4:30) DISCUSSION ITEMSand MOTIONS (up to 10 minutes per topic)
a.Traffic Signal Box Selection Panel Update
b.Mural Fest & Fringe Fest Task Group Update
c.Guanajuato Heart Task Group Update
VI.(5:00) OTHER BUSINESS UPDATES (up to 5 minutes per item)
a.Budget Update -entering new biennial budget season
b.Art Maintenance Report
c.Ancestor's Future Update
d.We Are Here Mural Update
e.Playwrights Walk Plaque Update
VII.(5:25) ROUND TABLE -Member open discussion of project opportunities (2 mins. each)
VIII.(5:30) ADJOURNMENT -Next Meeting: Thursday, September 18th, 2025 @ 4:00 pm
Note: Anyone wishing to speak at any Public Arts Advisory Committeemeeting is encouraged to do so.After you have been recognized by the
Chair, give your name and City of residence. You will then be allowed to speak. Please note the public testimony may be limited by the Chair.
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Public Arts Advisory CommitteeAgenda
Land Acknowledgement
“We acknowledge and honor the aboriginal people on whose ancestral homelands we
work –the Ikirakutsum Band of the Shasta Nation, as well as the diverse and vibrant Native
communities who make their home here today.We denounce the egregious acts of the
colonizers and government and recognize the horrific impacts that still exist today.We
honor the first stewards in the Rogue Valley and the lands we live and depend on: Tribes
with ancestral lands in and surrounding the geography of the Ashland Watershed include
the original past, present and future indigenous inhabitants of the Shasta, Takelma, and
Athabaskan people. We also recognize and acknowledge the Shasta village of K’wakhakha
-“Where the Crow Lights” -that is now the Ashland City Plaza.”
Labor Acknowledgement
We also pause to recognize and acknowledge the labor upon which our country, state, and
institutions are built.
We remember that our country is built on the labor of enslaved people who were
kidnapped and brought to the U.S. from the African continent and recognize the continued
contribution of their survivors. We also acknowledge all immigrant & indigenous labor,
including voluntary, involuntary, trafficked, forced, and undocumented peoples who
contributed to the building of the country and continue to serve within our labor force. We
acknowledge all unpaid care-giving labor.
To the people who contributed this immeasurable work and their descendants, we
acknowledge their indelible mark on the space in which we gather today. It is our collective
responsibility to critically examine these histories, to repair harm, and to honor, protect,
and sustain their contribution to our society.
Note: Anyone wishing to speak at any Public Arts Advisory Committeemeeting is encouraged to do so.After you have been recognized by the
Chair, give your name and City of residence. You will then be allowed to speak. Please note the public testimony may be limited by the Chair.
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Public Arts Advisory CommitteeMeetingMinutes
DRAFT MINUTES
July 17, 2025
Regular Meeting4:00-5:30 PM
Siskiyou Conference Room, 51 Winburn Way
I.(4:06) CALL TO ORDER:
a)Welcome
b)Quorum count - achieved
c)Announcements – none
d)Land Acknowledgment – read by: Russell Copley
e)Labor Acknowledgement – read by: Tish Way
Attendance
Present:
ChairCassie Preskenis
Susan MacCracken Jain
Kate Womack
Heather Warden
Russell Copley
Tish Way
Emily Simon, SERJAC Liaison
Staff Present: Veronica Allen, Staff Liaison
II.(4:13) APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a)May 15, 2025, regular meeting
Motion: Kate moved toaccept the minutes with the correction of Russell Beebe’s
name
Second: Susan MacCracken Jain
Vote:All ayes - motion passed unanimously (Preskenis, MacCracken Jain, Womack,
Warden, Copley, Way)
III.(4:10) PUBLIC FORUM
a)Abram Katz, The Home Project(Heartisan Foundation)short presentation & Q&A
b)Sarah Mix – Concerns around Public Art & the Indian Arts & Crafts Act
IV.(4:30) LAISON REPORT
a)City Council Liaison, Gina DuQuenne - Absent
b)APRC Liaison, Michael Gardiner & APR Staff Liaison, Rachel Dials - Absent
c)Community Development Liaison, Veronica Allen – no updates
V.(4:37–5:29) DISCUSSION ITEMS - FORMAL ACTIONS & MOTIONS
a)Velocity Update - Public Works, Mike Morrison
Update on Velocity repairs – additional repair needed for the back end at a similar
cost to previous repair ($3,000). Discussion focused on cost comparisons (removal,
relocation, reinforcement, private sale, etc.). Mike Morrison will put together a list of
costs to bring to the PAAC at a future meeting.
Note: Anyone wishing to speak at any Public Arts Advisory Committee meeting is encouraged to do so. After you have been recognized by the
Chair, give your name and City of residence. You will then be allowed to speak. Please note the public testimony may be limited by the Chair.
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Public Arts Advisory CommitteeMeetingMinutes
b)Traffic Signal Box Update
Letters to be drafted by Veronica to send to the property owners/residents of nearby
boxesonce the art pieces are selected.Selection Panel has notyet metbut will
before the August meeting, City Council agenda pushed backto late September.
ODOT has provided their approval for all designs.
nd
c)Placement of 2Guanajuato Heart
Mike Morrison provided an overview of the relationship between Ashland and
Guanajuato,the connection to the Heart art pieces,and provided recommended
locations: the fire station, city hall, police station.PAAC members added in Garfield
Park, general high-traffic areas, the plaza, replacePioneer Mike, and the Community
Development lobby. Concerns were voiced about vandalismin/nearpark or police
station.Further discussion included the possibility of adding plaques to the back of
the hearts and coming up with a public voting mechanism (ie a survey).
Motion:Susan moved to form a Task Group to make location recommendations.
Second: Kate Womack
Vote:All ayes -motion passed unanimously (Preskenis, MacCracken Jain, Womack,
Warden, Copley, Way)
Volunteers for Task Group: Tish, Kate, Susan
Motion:Cassie moved to have items f-h moved to the next meeting due to time
constraints.
AmendedMotion:Susan movedtoadd to Cassie’s motion tohave an email sent to
PAAC members to describe next steps for strategic plan and enlist PAAC members
to join the groupbetween meetings.
Vote:All ayes -motion passed unanimously (Preskenis, MacCracken Jain, Womack,
Warden, Copley, Way)
d)Placement of Jarrett Davidson’s Mural from Mural Fest
Discussion included possible locations of OHRA, 2200 Ashland Street, other city
properties, and possibility of needing aprotective clear coat applied.
Motion:Kate Womack motioned to create a Task Group to identify possible mural
locations.
Second: Russell Copley
Motion strickenby Kate Womackand addressed with Fringe Festival item.
e)Placement of Art Piece from Fringe Festival
Discussion centered around identifying which piece of art was desired/donated to
the City of Ashland and possible locations would depend on the piece chosen.Emily
Simon suggested that we get more background information from the Fringe Festival
organizers on the diversity of the artists.
New Motion:Kate Womack motioned to create a Task Groupto identify locations for
the art piecesfromMural Fest and Fringe Festival.
Second: Heather Warden
Note: Anyone wishing to speak at any Public Arts Advisory Committee meeting is encouraged to do so. After you have been recognized by the
Chair, give your name and City of residence. You will then be allowed to speak. Please note the public testimony may be limited by the Chair.
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Public Arts Advisory CommitteeMeetingMinutes
Vote: All ayes -motion passed unanimously (Preskenis, MacCracken Jain, Womack,
Warden, Copley, Way)
Volunteers for Task Group: Kate,Heather, and Russell.
Veronica to provide contact information to the Task Group to receive more
information about the art piece(s).
f)Strategic Planning–moved to next meeting
g)M.A.P Discussion–moved to next meeting
h)PAAC Timeline Planning–moved to next meeting
VI.(5:29) OTHER BUSINESS UPDATES
a.Unveiling Lorraine HansberryPlaque/Playwrights Walk Plaque Update
b.Guanajuato Hearts arrived and first unveiled at SOU–discussed in previous items
Motion: Motion by Cassie Preskenis to move all remaining items not discussed to the
August meeting.
Second:Tish Way.
Vote:All ayes -motion passed unanimously (Preskenis, MacCracken Jain, Womack,
Warden, Copley, Way)
c.Ancestor's Future Update–moved to next meeting
d.We Are Here Mural Update–moved to next meeting
e.Budget Update -moved to next meeting
f.Art Maintenance Report–moved to next meeting
VII.(5:31) ROUND TABLE-none
VIII.(5:32) ADJOURNMENT -Next Meeting Date: Thursday, August 21,4:00 pm
Note: Anyone wishing to speak at any Public Arts Advisory Committee meeting is encouraged to do so. After you have been recognized by the
Chair, give your name and City of residence. You will then be allowed to speak. Please note the public testimony may be limited by the Chair.
Page 3of 3
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Goal: I want to create exhibitions in San Francisco and/or Portland from June through
September of art and important collections that are owned privately or publicly in Ashland and
the surrounding area. Entrance fees at these exhibitions would be small but the profit would go
to fire prevention and safety. I specifically think of middle-class homeowners in Southern
Oregon who cannot afford fire defense. A small percentage of sales (some pieces could be for
sale) would go to this same effort. The pieces would therefore be relatively safe during fire
season. Meanwhile, the people of Portland and San Francisco would be able to view a portion
of the treasure of art stashed away here in Southern Oregon. The art would be made up of
museum pieces, gallery pieces, and that of local artists. Some documents from the OSF archives
could possibly be included as well as Shakespeare
Process: First, I need to create a non-profit. Second, I need to meet possible donors and
foundations that would see the importance of this project. Third, I need to collect more
information and find a curator as well as a professional who knows about moving art and
creating safe exhibits. I would also need contracts for the art owners. Next, there would be an
open announcement to the public to see who might be interested in saving their art free of
charge during these four or five months. Then, in June, the art would be carefully and
professionally transported to the chosen exhibition spaces.
What I need from the Ashland Art Commission: At this point, I would appreciate legal help in
the creation of a nonprofit as well as contracts for the art owners for when the time comes. I
also would appreciate contacts with any foundations or donors. This will be a very expensive
undertaking. While I can write grants, I would appreciate it if someone could offer to glance at
my grant applications. Finally, any ideas are welcome!
What I have done: I have talked to the Regional Arts and Culture Counsel in Portland as well as
to the Portland Art Museum. The responses were very positive. I have also reached out to the
Fort Mason Center in San Francisco and am waiting to hear back.
Who I am: I hold a PhD from the Shakespeare Institute, University of Birmingham, Stratford
upon Avon, UK and am a twenty -five year resident of Ashland. Please see my resume.
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CURRICULUM VITAE
CAROLINE WIESENTHAL LION
541 488 5284
Klion230@yahoo.com
ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS
*University of Birmingham, Stratford Upon Avon, United Kingdom
PhD English (Shakespeare Studies) and Jewish Thought 2021
*Dissertation Title:
Supervisor: Dr. Ewan Fernie, Shakespeare studies
Secondary supervisor: Dr. Isabel Wollaston, Jewish Studies
*Middlebury College in Vermont and Paris, MA French (theatre and philosophy)
*College of Franklin and Marshall, BA French
*Academy for Jewish Religion, rabbinic program, Jewish thought, Talmud, Midrash, history
*Middlebury Hebrew immersion summer program
*Conservative Yeshiva, Jerusalem; Jewish thought and mystical constructs
*NYU Tisch School of Dramatic Writing, MFA Program, Dramatic Writing
HONORS
PhD Dissertation passed with honors and without corrections
Huntington-Oxford Fellowship awarded 04/2023
TEACHING CREDENTIALS
Present: I am a Research Associate for the New Swan Theater, University of California, Irvine.
2025: to today: Adjunct Professor Shakespeare Studies, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR
2014 to today: Community Writing Workshops in Ashland Oregon, sliding scale to create a
chance for challenged students and those who are underprivileged.
2021: temporary Assistant Professor at Lees McRae College, North Carolina
*English Composition
*Creative Writing
* British Literature (Beowulf to Shakespeare)
2000 to 2021: Rogue Community College, Oregon, instructor, online (Blackboard) and on
campus, highly diverse student population
*English Composition/ Argumentative Writing (115.121)
*Research Writing (122)
*Imaginative Writing (playwriting, fiction, poetry, and memoir) I
created the curriculum and syllabi for these classes.
2019: University of Birmingham, UK. instructor
*British Theater and Literature Before 1790
* Erasmus Students from all over the world
*online presence
*British grading rubric
2014-2016 Southern Oregon University, intermittently.
*Adjunct instructor of playwriting
*Shakespeare Facilitator for Visiting High School Students (lecturer)
workshop titles include Bringing Much Ado to Your High School and Be
Your Own Shakespeare (a writing workshop)
RESEARCH AND ADVISING POSITIONS
2016 Advisor in Hebrew Bible interpretation for Julia Lupton, Shakespeare scholar at UC Irvine
2016 Advisor for Shakespeare-America, an organization in Ashland Oregon that furthers
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scholarship of Shakespeare productions as interpreted through American venues.
GRANTS and SCHOLARSHIPS
*Shakespeare Association of America travel grant, 2025, not accessed
*Oxford-Huntington Exchange fellowship awarded 04/2023, $5,000 to research early
modern Hebraic texts at the Bodleian Library (Oxford) for my next project on The Tempest.
*Grant from the World Shakespeare Congress to attend the 2021 conference.
*Rogue Community College Faculty Development Award, 2019,
to enable the presentation of a paper at the Blackfriars Conference at the American Shakespeare
Center
*University of Birmingham, UK Research Development Award, 2019, research in
Israel of marginalized groups and political/social unrest with the aim to achieve
accurate presentist analysis of The Merchant of Venice, $1,400
*University of Birmingham Research Development Award. to enable the presentation of a paper
at the British Shakespeare Association Conference, 2018, $500
* British Shakespeare Association Conference scholarships, $500
*Shakespeare and Presentism Conference, University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Kingston, United
Kingdom, scholarship, 2018, $200
*Rogue Community College Faculty Development Award
to enable the presentation of a paper at the Shakespeare and the Jews
conference, University College of London, UK, 2017, $1000
*Shakespeare and the Jews Conference, University College of London,2017, $200
*Scholarships at The Academy for Jewish Religion, $750
*Scholarship at the Conservative Yeshiva, Jerusalem, $300
*Grant to start an experimental theater in Oregon/ recently widowed/ not accessed, $75,000
CONFERENCES
2025: Shakespeare Association of America Conference paper Reading Shakespeare in Jewish
Theological Frameworks: The Flaming Amazement of Ariel note: family issues so I did not attend but
took part in the peer review
2024 Shakespeare
2023 Shakespeare Association of America Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
2022 Kingston Shakespeare Seminar, The College de Sociologie and Shakespeare, Chair for
Dominique Goy Blanquet.
2022 The Shakespeare Association of America, paper "Shakespeare and the Song of Songs"
2021 The World Shakespeare Congress, paper, in The Merchant of Venice as Aspiring
Kabbalist
2019 Conference, American Shakespeare Center, Staunton, Virginia,
The Merchant of Venice as Post-
2019 Kingston Shakespeare Seminar, Arendt and Shakespeare, Shakespeare and Philosophy,
Temple, University of Kingston, UK, paper, Hannah Worst
2019 British Association of Jewish Studies Conference, Oxford, UK, paper, in The
Merchant of Venice
2019 Shakespeare: Race and Nation, British Shakespeare Association, Swansea
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University, UK, paper, in The Merchant of Venice as Post-Holocaust
2019 Shakespeare Association of America, paper, in The Merchant of Venice as Post-
2018 Shakespeare and Philosophy, University College of London, paper, in an Age of
2018 Shakespeare and Presentism, Kingston University, UK and the University of Nevada at
2018 Radical Mischief Conference, The University of Birmingham and The Royal
Shakespeare Company, committees attended; Religion led by Julia Lupton and Violence
led by Kiernan Ryan.
2018 British Shakespeare Association Conference, Belfast University, paper,
2017 Shakespeare and the Jews, University College of London, paper,
INTERVIEWS (samples)
02/2024 Friends of the Hannon Library Speaker Series, Reading Shakespeare in Jewish Theological
Frameworks: Shylock Beyond the Holocaust,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF3ULEwo6Mo&t=19s
06/28/23 New Swan Theater, UC Irvine, interview with Julia Lupton, distinguished professor of
English on Reading Shakespeare in Jewish Theological Frameworks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGkAnCTXjLI
11/04/2022 Jackson Public Radio (an affiliate of NPR)
Than A Caricature https://www.ijpr.org/show/the-jefferson-exchange/2022-11-04/mon-9-am-how-
to-view-shakespeares-shylock-as-more-than-a-caricature
PUBLICATIONS
2024 pending article the Perplexed forthcoming in Shakespeare and Religion
(Vernon Press).
2022 Reading Shakespeare in Jewish Theological Frameworks: Shylock Beyond the Holocaust,
https://www.routledge.com/Reading-Shakespeare-in-Jewish- Theological-Frameworks-Shylock-
Beyond-the/Lion/p/book/9781032121376
2012-2013 12 six hundred-word essays in DOVray TORAH, a journal of Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins,
author of Chicken Soup for the Soul.
2010 Ashlandia, full-length novel, Endorsements from poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Tom
Robbins.
ORGANIZATIONS (membership past and/or present)
Shakespeare Association of America
British Shakespeare Association
British Association of Jewish Studies
American Academy of Religion
The Havurah and Temple Emek Shalom in Ashland, Oregon
PRODUCTIONS and OPTIONS
1996 To Die in Provence, screenplay adapted from the full-length novel (unpublished) optioned
to a filmmaker. Examines antisemitism and Islamophobia in post-war France.
1990 Money is Fun, full-length play, festival reading, The Magic Theater, San Francisco. Several
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staged readings of other plays at the same theater.
UNPUBLISHED PLAYS AND FICTION
I have written seven plays and four full-length novels.
THEATRE EXPERIENCE
Magic Theatre, San Francisco, California.
*assistant to John Lion (artistic director).
*literary manager (under dramaturge Martin Esslin).
*actor (understudy and readings).
*playwright.
VOLUNTEER WORK
*First-ever Interfaith Passover Seder at the Shakespeare Institute, Stratford upon Avon with
minister Paul Edmondson and special guest Sir Stanley Wells.
*Lectures at the University of Birmingham, UK extra-curricular events on Jewish holidays
*Holland America cruise ships, five cruises, leader of High Holiday and Shabbat services as well as
Passover Seders.
*Leader of several High Holiday and Shabbat services, southern Oregon and Northern California.
*Volunteer for victims of the Alameda fire, 2020.
*Volunteer, Ashland Food Project
Please ask if interested as I have volunteered often within the Ashland, Oregon community.
Fluent in French and Biblical Hebrew, widow of John Lion (founder of the Magic Theater, San
Francisco), loving mother of our four grown children. I love hiking, rafting, running, nature. I
practice yoga and have traveled extensively, originally from New York, onsite student at the
Shakespeare Institute, Stratford upon Avon for three years, resident of Ashland, Oregon.