Artist Selected to Make Public Artwork for San Lorenzo Library

Stephen Galloway has been recommended to create the public artwork for the San Lorenzo Library Expansion project, according to The Alameda County Arts Commission.

Galloway was selected by a committee including five San Lorenzo residents, a regional art professional and a library staff member.

Five artists were interviewed and had their proposals on display for public comment at the library, online and the San Lorenzo Village Homeowners’ Association. Comments were collected from 134 community members.

The committee will forward their recommendation to the following bodies for review and approval: members of the Alameda County Arts Commission on Dec. 18 at 4 p.m. (1401 Lakeside Drive, Oakland). All meetings are open to the public. The recommendation to the Alameda County Public Art Advisory Committee was given Friday morning.

As part of the expansion project, the public artwork includes images printed onto the glass of 16 tall windows in the new construction as well as other surfaces in the existing part of the building. The artwork on the windows will be viewable from both inside and outside of the library. 

Galloway’s artwork is made from photographs of San Lorenzo and the neighboring areas.

In his proposal he says the images are “impressions and ideas, reflections of what this place feels like.”

The imagery includes vistas and landscapes and references to the area’s agricultural past. The compositions are tied together through images of a sycamore tree canopy, which is continued throughout the windows. 

Galloway’s proposal can be viewed online here. This is a preliminary proposal. The artist will undergo a design development phase where he will have more time to thoroughly develop his concept and design and to incorporate feedback from the community, the selection committee, and the Alameda County Public Art Advisory Committee.