The John R. Lawrence Pioneer Park Project is one of Dunedin's most active green spaces and holds regular events, concerts, movies, and markets. As one of the most used spaces, the park needed enhancements to update features and improve accessibility. In an effort led by the City of Dunedin and Community Redevelopment Agency and funded by the CRA, the park underwent renovation planning in early 2021.
The Community Redevelopment staff and Parks and Recreation staff retained consultants Cardno/BDG to develop concepts for enhancing the park and choose the plan which reflects the curvilinear shape of the recently renovated stage. The park construction began in July 2021 and was completed in late October 2021, with a park ribbon cutting held on November 9, 2021. Improvements to the park included brickwork on the stage steps and inset lighting, updated plaques at the entrance, brick pavers, stained concrete, sitting/knee walls, trees, landscaping, and a public art feature. The public art component is the last to be completed at the park.
The Arts & Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC) created a sub-committee to review the Public Art project as part of the park's renovation project. The Project Subcommittee was chaired by ACAC member Jackie Nigro, with representatives from the Neighborhood, the Arts community, the Project Planner, a Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Committee (CRAAC) member, and a member from the ACAC.
One Virtual, and two in-person meetings, were timely posted and conducted in compliance with Florida' Sunshine' Law and the City's Public Art Master Plan (PAMP). The subcommittee reviewed seven applicants' proposals and selected three semi-finalists to move forward with presentations to the subcommittee.
On August 8, 2021, two artists gave the Subcommittee presentations on their proposed art selections, with one applicant withdrawing from consideration.
The project and selected artists by the subcommittee were endorsed by the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee on September 24, 2021, and by the CRAAC on October 7, 2021. From the two applicants, the subcommittee selected Suzi K. Edwards and her "Below the Wall" theme for applying mosaic panels on the newly installed knee walls. The artists' images, background, and experience were presented to the City Commission on October 19, 2021. The motion to award the $18,500 contract to Suzi K. Edwards was approved and passed unanimously at the October 19 Commission meeting.
Suzi K. Edwards is an accomplished mosaic artist with works across the United States ranging from private to public applications up to $100,000.00. Suzi has had numerous workshops, residencies, and has been featured in several publications. She works out of her studios in New York and West Palm Beach. Suzi developed the theme "Below the Wall", a concept depicted in the mosaic murals installed on the knee walls show a variety of Dunedin-centric images -- people and activities from "the knees down" -- a ball player sliding into base, the legs of beach goers walking on sand, the kilt, shoes and socks of a Scottish lass and lad, and more. The colorful images were handcrafted, designed, painted, and kiln-fired tiles made by Suzi in her studio. The field tiles used are a mix of colorful 1" tiles.
The mosaic public art application is now complete in Pioneer Park, with an artist recognition scheduled for March 10 at 3:00 pm.
Be sure to stop by and see these new pieces of Dunedin's Public Art Collection. To find more Dunedin Public Art, visit an interactive art map.