by Maria-Elena Schambri
This article originally appeared in the Calaveras Enterprise August 2, 2022

A new mural joins its predecessor along the wall of the Blue Mountain Coalition for Youth and Families in West Point, both painted by Nedra Russ. Photo: Marie-Elena Schembri/ Calaveras Enterprise

Installation has begun for a community art project dubbed the “West Point Art Path” in downtown West Point.

The project is set to be installed and celebrated with a “grand opening event” on Sept. 10, featuring live music, “interactive arts projects and special exhibits.”

A statement about the project from project coordinator Terra Forgette reads, “The West Point Art Path will be a series of permanent outdoor art installations throughout the town. It will feature sculptures and murals at community spaces throughout town, including the West Point Library, BMCYF Community Center and West Point Community Garden. Participating local artists are: Nedra Russ, Suzanne Smith, Maryann Gravitt, Donna Guadagni, Susan Preece, Bonita Gill and Delilah Garcia. The West Point Art Path will also include a poem by Calaveras County Poet Laureate Linda Toren, painted crosswalks and other fun surprises.”

The project is coordinated by the nonprofit Blue Mountain Coalition for Youth and Families (BMCYF) and funded via an Impact Project Grant from the California Arts Council.

The project is “intended to physically mark the path that our kids walk from school to our downtown community spaces, while also creating unique points of interest in our town,” according to Forgette.

Modeled after “art walks” or public art paths seen in urban areas, the West Point Art Path committee hopes to enrich the community with a sense of pride and identity, as well as enhance quality of life for residents and visitors alike.

Forgette stated, “You see art walks and public art pieces like this in lots of urban areas. We are excited to work with local artists to bring that kind of vitality to our amazing little town.”

While the official opening party doesn’t happen until September, some artists have begun installing their works, and others are still in progress.

The first piece to be installed was a mural, painted by West Point Resident Delilah Garcia. Possibly the youngest member of the committee, Garcia began painting just five years ago and has never studied art. Instead, she attended California State University, East Bay, in hopes of becoming a teacher. Now three years later, she has painted her first public art piece, under mentorship from long-time artist and West Point resident Nedra Russ.

Garcia said the experience of painting her own mural sent her “into a state of awe.”

“Many people passed me while I was painting. I can't tell you how many community members came to observe, encourage me, compliment my work, and for a moment we were all part of that mural,” she said.

Artist Delilah Garcia’s mural speaks to “the resiliency that our little town has withstood” and hopes to “inspire continued resiliency for generations to come.”The artist statement for her piece, titled Resilience Blooming, is as follows:

“Littered throughout California, the brilliance of wildflowers shine. Of them, thriving amongst drought and fire-ridden areas, Lupine's resilient purple flowers bloom. May this painting symbolize the resiliency that our little town has withstood, and inspire continued resiliency for generations to come.”

Garcia’s mural sits near the end of the path on the wall outside the West Point Market, at the intersection of Main Street and Spink Road.

A few hundred feet up Main Street, another mural adorns the bright blue wall of the BMCYF center. Painted by long-time BMCYF volunteer and employee Nedra Russ, the new mural sits next to a previous one painted while the center was shut down due to Covid, and carries on its theme, “We are all pieces of the puzzle.”

The murals are painted on thin sheets of metal that have been sanded and made to look like puzzles with pieces “flying off” according to the artist, an idea that was brought to her by BMCYF director Forgette. Russ painted the first one with themes specific to the center. The new mural, however, is based on the theme of the abundant wildlife in the area and “why we all want to live here,” said Russ. The center of the puzzle features a large painting of a tree, symbolizing the “deep roots” of the area. Additional elements include symbols of water, which Russ says represents creativity, and an acorn at the bottom of a knot of woven tree roots, referencing the history and culture of the Miwok people of the area.

Surrounding the central image, 16 “puzzle pieces” are arranged, each with a different painting of some element of nature that can be found locally—a delicate hummingbird, the rushing river, a fierce-looking mountain lion.

In addition to Russ’ puzzle pieces, the artist had an additional 16 made up for the community to paint. These puzzle pieces will be placed around the building or even throughout the rest of town.

A third mural is still in progress, which is being painted on a wall at the West Point Community Garden, the last stop along the walk. Here, West Point elementary school students have been hard at work painting fields of flowers to be the backdrop for the garden.

Also in the garden will be two sculptural elements. One is created by Wilseyville resident Susan Preece and is also nature- inspired. The sculpture features painted wood poles with rocks at the base, which form a stylized forest.

Preece’s artist statement is as follows:  “Our small town of West Point California stands as a monument… a monument of history to those who carved a life out of the tall pines and flowing Mokelumne River in the upper Sierra Foothills. It stands as a place of inspiration to those longing for the natural beauty and peace that fills this area. This sculpture represents the majestic scenes, the ongoing challenges, and the continued resilience of the people that call it home.”

Artist Susan Preece is hard at work on her sculpture, which will be installed in time for the Sept. 10 opening. Photo Susan Preece

The second sculpture, which is still being completed, is designed by artist Suzanne Smith. The sculpture features an antique fire truck hose reel and speaks to anxieties and hope in the wake of the devastation caused by the Butte Fire of 2015.

Suzanne Smith’s sculpture features an antique firetruck hose reel and speaks to anxieties and hope in the wake of the devastation caused by the Butte Fire of 2015. Photo Suzanne SmithSmith writes, “ I have been interviewing people about their feelings about the fires. Sadly some are leaving because the fear is great. Others are unable to afford the new high fire insurance premiums. Some expressed sadness over the destruction of our beautiful environment and the deaths of wildlife. Surprisingly others expressed more optimism.  They felt they could see dark clouds with a silver lining. They found that they only lost things and they still had each other and many good friends and that was what is important.”

Smith’s design includes 12 paintings that will be inserted between the spokes of the reel. The entire reel will be mounted on a stand and will be able to be turned in place so that the viewer can interact with the piece and see each painting.

Another major feature of the art path will be a poem written by West Point resident and Calaveras County Poet Laureate Linda Toren. The poem written specifically for the path will be etched on plaques anchored in stone along the way. Other contributions to the path will include decorated benches, painted crosswalks, window art, and stacked stone trail markers.

The grand opening event for the West Point Art Path will be held Sept. 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. The path begins at West Point Elementary and progresses down Pine Street to Main Street, and ends in the West Point Community Garden.