12 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
SITTABLE ART By Kevin Fitzgerald
SEPTEMBER 2020
Artists beautify another round of benches along Palm Canyon Drive
“I wasn’t that challenged in creating the design,” Calindas f you’ve been in downtown Palm Springs said. “I was inspired by Palm Springs. My design is called ‘The recently, you may have seen—or even sat Roadrunner.’ In that design, I incorporated the roadrunner, the on—one of the 10 newly painted public windmills and the basic landscape of Palm Springs. benches now adorning the downtown “As for the physical challenges—yes, it is the summer, and I sidewalks on Palm Canyon Drive between wondered, ‘Why would they even have a project like this in the Amado and Alejo roads. summer out here?’ I was there from 7 a.m. to 12 noon, and I This collection of formerly drab thought that I could finish the bench in one day—but I almost benches has just been re-imagined passed out. I was with my husband, and he was helping me. He via the beautiful artwork of was holding an umbrella, and I’m so lucky that he was there, nine local artists who applied but I couldn’t take the heat. So, I continued the following day— to the Palm Springs Public Arts which was my birthday. Even so, I just wanted to finish that Commission for the chance to bench so badly. People were asking me, ‘Marconi, what are you participate in the Palm Springs doing on your birthday?’ ‘Eating the sun,’ I told them. Main Street Bench Project’s Phase “But those were really all the challenges that I had, because 2, which concluded on Aug. 5. That we had an amazing overseer for the project, Tysen Knight. He talented group included Ernesto Ramirez knew how to handle all of the problems, so it was really almost (who painted two benches), Marconi Calindas, smooth. Without him, it would have been more challenging, Shanah Chomsinsub, Zach Fleming, Michael Marconi Calindas: “We are so glad that the Palm Springs Public Arts Commission is definitely.” Foss, Kylie Knight, Rich Rodriguez, Patrick doing this project, especially artists like me. Even before the pandemic, artists have Degree of difficulty aside, Calindas expressed appreciation for Sheehan and QWestOwen. always struggled to get our art out there, to get our pieces to be recognized. When the project. The very next day, the commission issued the pandemic happened, it was even more challenging.” “We are so glad that the Palm Springs Public Arts Commission another call for artists to transform 16 more is doing this project, especially artists like me,” Calindas said. benches, this time located on Palm Canyon “Even before the pandemic, artists have always struggled to Drive between Alejo Road and Tachevah Drive. get our art out there, to get our pieces to be recognized. When Each artist will receive a grant of $1,000 per the pandemic happened, it was even more challenging. So the bench; all the required art materials, including grants the PSPAC has been giving out for benches in this project the paint, will be provided by the commission. (enabled me), first, to stay busy during this crisis, and secondly, The Main Street Bench Project is to get my art out. Personally, I have my studio in the Backstreet supervised by local artist Tysen Knight. In Art District, and normally we would have our First Wednesday 2019, Knight was tapped by the Public Arts Art Walks, and I could invite friends and others to come see my Commission to paint 10 benches along Palm art, my new creations. So I’m very thankful for Palm Springs Canyon between Arenas Road and Museum Public Arts Commission right now—and I’m doing another Tysen Knight: "I’m able to help other people find themselves as artists, and I’m Way—and he created a series of eye-catching project through them. It’s not a bench, but a wall or fence at the blessed enough to still be working in the midst of this current climate. So that’s tributes to a variety of celebrity icons. Village Pub, and I’m excited for that, too.” pretty good. Everyone needs to look at things positively, if you can—and I think we’ll “I did do those first 10 benches by myself, Knight also expressed gratitude to the Palm Springs Public get through this somehow." so I think they’re sick and tired of seeing Arts Commission. my work,” Knight said with a laugh. “When I first started this process, there were things I had “Right now, you know, being an artist is pretty tough, because of how the economy is and the to learn by trial and error. I had to figure out the proper way to paint the bench, and what the pandemic,” Knight said. “So we got a really good turnout of artists who want to be involved in this proper sealer was, because we needed to have longevity. After I finished that first round of event. Now that (the Public Arts Commission) extended the project, we can give more artists the benches, (the Public Arts Commission) asked if I would become the supervisor on the project, so opportunity to secure some type of work.” I stayed to work on the second phase of benches. We had such a great turnout, and everything Knight discussed what else he is doing to stay busy. went so smoothly, that the PSPAC asked if I would manage another round. … Then we’ll “Since the pandemic hit us in March, I had some solo wall-mural projects that got put on hold,” probably move over to the airport and do some benches over there as well.” Knight said. “But now that school is getting back into the swing of things via socially distanced Knight explained the process, from concept to completed bench. learning, I’ll be mentoring through a program called BAM (Boys Arts Mentoring). That program “First, (the PSPAC commissioners and I) will sit down and go through all of the submissions and goes throughout the Palm Springs Unified School District, and I work with six different middle pick the ones that we think are super-cool,” Knight said. “Then we’ll kickstart the process again. schools. We’re coming up with a program where I’ll be able to teach the boys through Zoom. I’ll We supply all the materials for the artists. That’s where I come into play, because I know all of the get 9-by-12-inch canvasses and sketch out whatever theme they come up with on the canvas. ins and outs. I’ll meet with (each artist), and we’ll get the paints from Dunn-Edwards, and go from They’ll be delivered to each kid at his home. Then I’ll be doing structural painting with them there. I’ve got a really good relationship with Dunn-Edwards, and they sponsor a lot of my wallonline, so that we can keep our mentorship program going. mural projects, so I was able to (arrange) for the PSPAC to get the paint through Dunn-Edwards. “I’m signed with the Redwood Art Group, which is one of the biggest art dealers in North That’s the paint I used on the first set of benches, and it’s holding up really well. America. Usually, I’d do all the different major art fairs around the country, but due to the “Now, after the artist paints the bench, I’ll come back with a high-grade sealer like they would pandemic, everything is online right now. So, I mean, life’s good, and I’m blessed. I’m able to use on handrails and stuff that gets used a lot. I wanted a nice clear coat which protects the bench, help other people find themselves as artists, and I’m blessed enough to still be working in the for the most part. You know people will be standing on them, sitting on them and spilling ice midst of this current climate. So that’s pretty good. Everyone needs to look at things positively, cream on them. I mean, they’re outside public benches, so we just want people to use them and if you can—and I think we’ll get through this somehow. Things will get back to some type of enjoy some beautiful art at the same time.” normalcy.” Marconi Calindas was one of the Phase 2 artists. What challenges did he confront along the way? For more information, visit pspublicarts.com. CVIndependent.com
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