BOUNTIFUL—Requests for proposals have been sent to a number of local artists for creation of a mural to grace the north side of the Bountiful Davis Art Center. The BDAC was awarded a grant from Discover Davis, the county’s tourism division, for artwork to be completed at the center. The proposed location along 100 North has both strong visibility, and protection from direct sunlight that would limit sun damage to the mural.

Rebecca Hatch, community outreach director for the city, told city council that “the design concept is wide open – it’s not necessarily locked into Davis County,” she said. “We’re wanting to find a local artist because murals take a long time to complete and it might be best time and commute-wise if they lived close by.”

Alysa Revell, executive director of the BDAC, said proposals will be due back by Dec. 3. They will then be reviewed by the exhibitions committee and forwarded to the Bountiful Public Art Advisory Board, with the top one or two proposals sent to the city council for final selection.

In a staff report given to council members, it said “there have been concerns shared in the past regarding the quality of mural art and perceived length of life. There are a few factors to consider to understand this process. Deterioration and fading are results of either pigment breakdown, binder breakdown, and/or varnish breakdown. To best combat these issues, the location must be properly prepared, cleaned and treated before painting, and correct mediums or paint must be used (it can’t be just any outdoor house paint or craft acrylic). Also, the location of the mural should receive minimal direct sunlight. However, even when the artwork is prepared and intended to last years, it is expected that touch-ups may be necessary or potential new artwork/designs could be proposed over the years at the proposed location.”

“We’re quite excited about this, as it’s the intent of the Public Art Advisory Board to provide more public art for the city,” Hatch said. “We’re anxious to be able to come back to you in a few weeks with recommendations.”

No specific theme was suggested or given for those making proposals, though council member Chris Simonsen expressed his feelings that “we don’t want to lose the traditions of our community, and I’m hoping the artwork will reflect that heritage.” Council member Kate Bradshaw said “we want to keep the door open to artists, that they’ll be encouraged to use their creativity.”

The BDAC is located at 90 North Main Street in Bountiful.