Making Progress Mural

At the October 28^th 2021 PPAC meeting, staff presented the Public Art Committee (PPAC) with top-scoring proposals as ranked and reviewed anonymously by the Committee prior to the presentation. The Committee selected two (2) artist teams to be invited to further develop their proposals by working with staff and an assigned subcommittee for each team. These two selected teams were Rough Edge Collective from Santa Rosa, CA and Calderón-Delgado from Los Angeles, CA. Both artist teams were invited to work with the City to develop a final proposal for an awarded contract and were paid an honorarium to complete this work over the next few months. The artists presented their proposal to the PPAC at the March 24, 2022 meeting and were unanimously approved for a $25,000 contract to commission the artwork as proposed and have the final design, fabrication, and installation complete within twelve (12) months of signing the contract with the City.

Rough Edge Collective proposes a mural entitled Making Progress for the Petaluma Swim Center located at 900 East Washington Street. On the northeastern, northwestern, and southwestern exterior façades of the main building that parallels East Washington, the mural would cover the entire wall franking the parking lot entrance to the facility and round the two adjacent walls on both sides of the parking lot-facing wall. The walls of the building are cinderblock, which would allow the artists minimal issues with the walls’ texture and application.

Making Progress’s design is a narrative read from left to right, intending to welcome the community and describe its self-growth in its composition. The artists describe Petaluma as a community in pursuit of similar passions and goals, which the mural content interprets in its elements as becoming friends, comrades, and even family building a second ‘home’ together. Using motifs that embody motion, the artists portray this forward transition using bold shapes and color, inspired by the Swim Center’s original paint color, to bring vibrancy and warmth to a location that hosts friends and families alike.

Rough Edge Collective is comprised of MJ Lindo-Lawyer and Joshua Lawyer, who are the founders and executive directors. MJ and Joshua are local artists based in Santa Rosa, California and are a married couple with over 20 years of professional experience specializing in fine art. Rough Edge Collective is committed to advancing mural art to higher levels by dedicating impactful artwork to enrich the community’s landscape and its members.

The Petaluma Swim Center is city-owned and operated by the Parks and Recreation Department. The artists and planning staff will be working closely with Parks and Recreation to share the design concept, working timeline, develop a general maintenance plan, and any other arrangements necessary for site access and logistics.

The mural was completed in September of 2022. Staff and members of the Public Art Committee celebrated the new mural and artists at an unveiling celebration, hosted at the Petaluma Regional Library (150 Fairgrounds Dr) on Saturday, November 12th from 4:00-6:00PM.