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Student Art Adds Life to Downtown Doors
Nine of 59 entries selected from four San Jose High Schools, Mayor and City Council commend San Jose Downtown Foundation on Oct. 19
Fun, irreverent and eclectic images painted by local high school art students will beautify nine sets of utility doors in downtown San Jose until May 2005.
Artwork for the San Jose Downtown Foundation’s “Downtown Doors” project was installed May 13-14, 2004, on double- and triple-panel doors outside the Fairmont San Jose, Pavilion building and San Jose Repertory Theatre. A reception honoring the artists was held May 20 in the lobby of the Knight-Ridder Building, near all the “doors” locations.
And at the San Jose City Council meeting Oct, 19, Mayor Ron Gonzales and Councilmember Cindy Chavez honored the san Jose Downtown Foundation with an official commendation for the foundation's "commitment to our San Jose community and especially to nurturing young students into successful artists." Foundation President Jackie Rose accepted the commendation.
Urban and pastoral scenes, an image of a jazz combo and bright mosaics add color, interest and vibrance to major walkways in the city’s core area. Several thousand pedestrians are looking at the art pieces while they pass by.
In March, a San Jose State professor and student, representative from the San Jose Museum of Art, and two foundation board members judged the 59 entries. The process to digitize, enlarge and transfer the artwork onto vinyl adhesive decals occurred in April.
The winners are:
- “Walking Home,” by Tejas Bafna (Downtown College Preparatory)
located on a three-panel door on the First Street side of the Fairmont
- “Sunday,” by Carolina Alvarado (Lincoln High School)
located on the First Street side of the Pavilion
- “Shades of San Jose,” by Carolyn Cuykendall (Lincoln High School)
located on a three-panel door on the First Street side of the Fairmont
- “Gateway to Garden,” by Erek Daves (Lincoln High School)
located on the north side of the Fairmont near the reflecting fountain
- “King Oliver’s Creole Band,” by Justine Marshall (Lincoln High School)
located in the Paseo de San Antonio Plaza on the Rep Theatre
- “Masked Minority,” by Sara Montes (Lincoln High School)
located on a three-panel door on the First Street side of the Fairmont
- “Access Nature,” by Nancy Thai (Mount Pleasant High School)
located on the north side of the Fairmont near the reflecting fountain
- “Hands of Diversity,” by Bao Tram Nguyen and Saleha Pirzada (San Jose High Academy)
located on the Second Street side of the Pavilion
- “Folklorico,” by Mitzi Ochoa (San Jose High Academy)
located in the Paseo de San Antonio Plaza on the Rep Theatre
All of the winners expressed their pleasure at the way their artwork transformed from canvas into the public domain. They all look forward to having friends, family and the public at large view and enjoy their work.
Downtown Doors is funded by private contributions and is placed on private property. Sponsors include Forest City Commercial Management; The Sharks Foundation; Comerica; Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel, Inc.; Rotary Club of San Jose North; SBC; Willoughby, Stuart, Bening, Inc.; P.F. Chang’s China Bistro; and Silicon Valley Capital Club.
A request for entries for the third year of Downtown Doors will occur in January and February 2005, Rose said, adding that she hopes the foundation can enhance more doors in 2005. Four pairs of doors were used in 2003, the first year of the program.
San Jose Downtown Foundation is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization supported by San Jose Downtown Association staff that seeks to foster art and culture Downtown.
2003 Downtown Doors Project |
