In addition to a new Point Dume Fire Station, Malibu residents will also be able to enjoy a large mosaic tile art mural on the outside of the new station at 28722 Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).
Matt Doolin of Topanga Art Tile was selected to design the mural.
“It incorporates the vibrant colors found in nature,” Harkey wrote. “The carpet is a tribute to the great tile carpet done by Malibu Potteries at the nearby Adamson House.”
The cost of the mural and its installation will be paid by LA County’s Civic Arts program, which requires one percent of the county’s design/construction costs on capital projects be allocated to creating new public works of art. The mural is expected to be completed by spring or summer 2014.
Erin Harkey, the county’s civic arts project manager, explained that the idea of using tile for the artwork came from Malibu’s history of tile production. During the selection process, Harkey worked closely with ex-officio Cultural Arts Commission member Graeme Clifford, as well as the fire department, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky’s office and other members of the Malibu art community, to sift through submissions and proposals from 50 or 60 local tile artist before ultimately selecting Doolin’s proposal.
“Matt is a local boy. His inspiration evolved from the natural landscape of the mountains and the sea,” Harkey explained. “He has art in the Topanga Library…He will offer a contemporary perspective on this traditional art form.”
The mural Doolin proposed depicts the sky, mountains and sea of Malibu’s landscape rising from a rolling carpet and will be on the front of the new fire station, visible to people driving past it on PCH. The work of art will be 55 feet long and 9 feet tall it its highest point, wrapping around to the right side of the building.
Members of the Malibu Cultural Arts Commission were impressed with the proposed mural and gave it their blessing. “It’s beautiful, and thoughtfully and carefully done,” said committee member Scott Hosfeld.
“It captures the feeling of the community,” Chair Daniel Stern added.
The station has been undergoing construction since last summer and a temporary fire station has been set up at Zuma Beach for the interim.