The Reno City Hall parking garage at First and Center streets last week received an artistic facelift by artist Charly Malpass, who adorned the exterior with her murals entitled Bluebirds and Among The Sage.
The Truckee-based artist was commissioned by the city to paint the murals. City Council members approved up to $70,000 for the project after recommendation from the Public Art Committee. The City Hall Parking Garage is now valued at over $4 million according to city records.
The call for artists was open for two months and the city received more than 35 applications for the Project, according to the city’s Arts & Culture Manager, Megan Berner.
Berner said the response was highly competitive and the criteria for approval was high. The artists must meet specific requirements including:
- Appropriateness of the design for the space.
- Artist’s past experience, including their ability to carry out the project.
- Appropriateness of proposed materials, including whether they can withstand the weather, the urban environment, graffiti and other elements.
Berner said that in addition to in-depth conversations about the applications and whether they meet the criteria, the Public Art Committee “also look[s] at the diversity of artists, styles, and themes in our collection when selecting new artwork.”
After several challenges and mishaps on the first day of work, including snow and improper equipment, Malpass along with her sister Sam were able to get the project underway optimistically.
“We didn’t get the right booms and we were fearing it was going to rain, but the first day is always kind of gnarly,” she said. “But I hope it just beautifies the city just a little bit more. This is just such a cool artist community; I’m happy to be a part of it.”
