Art where it matters: Two of Kristina Young’s projects to beautify Napa

Photos by Israel Valencia

Napa artist Kristina Young, (left) lead artist for a mosaic on the Chrysler dealership on Soscol Avenue and murals and wayfinding pieces for the Heritage House-Valle Verde housing complexes. (Above) Details of treestops, which Napa artist Kristina Young plans to include in the welcome mural for the Valle Verde housing complex.

Napa artist Kristina Young’s sketch of the south end of the Napa River, which she may recreate in a mural or wayfinding piece for the Heritage House complex.

Art where it matters

Two of Kristina Young’s projects to beautify Napa

JESSICA ZIMMER

Napa artist Kristina Young is using our natural environment and familiar landmarks to bring art to the community.

“All of these art projects are Napa; and a group of nature-themed artwork and wayfinding pieces for Heritage House and Valle Verde. Young said the Hanlees mosaic will feature a female driver in a 1950s Chrysler, meant to bring unexpected joy to the audience. These are pieces that allow the viewer to say, “That’s my home. This art connects me and makes me feel a part of Napa,”” said Young.

Her current projects include a mosaic of classic cars for the south side of Hanlees Chrysler at 473 Soscol Avenue; an interactive sculpture for the Soscol Square development at 333 Soscol Avenue, to be built by 2022; the Napa Quake Mosaic, a community-built project commemorating the 2014 Napa earthquake, which will be sited in downtown motoring by a parade of Chrysler models dating between the 1920s and 1970s. The background will showcase several black and white Belted Holstein cows in green pastures. Far beyond will be blue peaks similar to the Mayacamas Mountains. The Heritage House-Valle Verde complexes will contain a variety of natural landscapes from the valley floor, featuring native Napa flora and fauna such as oak trees and local wildflowers. Large pieces may encompass murals in common spaces such as lobbies and hallways. Small pieces will include markers to denote different floors of the complexes as well as a unique tile featuring an animal or plant by each resident’s door.

“Those signifiers will let residents know which is their unit,” said Young.

The Heritage House-Valle Verde complexes, which will be built at 3700 Valle Verde Drive, will become a connected development that will offer affordable housing for families on one side. There will be permanent

Trees near the Heritage House and Valle Verde site in Napa that inspired Kristina Young’s sketches for a mural.

Photos by Israel Valencia

Napa artist Kristina Young photographs a leaf-covered stream to help her create murals and wayfinding pieces for the Heritage House-Valle Verde housing complexes.

supportive housing for individuals who formerly experienced homelessness on the other.

Young, who served as the executive director for Arts Council Napa Valley from 2011 to 2016, said the Heritage House-Valle Verde complexes will be on the 2.9 acre site that is formerly housed Sunrise Assisted Living. That facility closed in 2004. Burbank Housing, the developer for the Heritage House-Valle Verde complexes, will also manage these complexes after construction.

Young said a local production crew will be hired to assist with the creation of pieces for Heritage House and Valle Verde. She is excited that the Peter A. & Vernice H. Gasser Foundation, the developer with which she is working, is doing things “the optimal way.”

“The Gasser Foundation has made art an integral part of these projects from the beginning. They understand art should not be a random sculpture “plopped” down anywhere. Cass Walker and Joe Peatman are working with me to make sure the artwork fits with the buildings and tells a story for local residents,” said Young.

Young said the COVID-19 pandemic has caused multiple types of delays for both projects. It has taken time to get permits from the city as well as figure out what materials will be needed.

“Right now we’re picking up where we left off in spring 2020. We are moving forward as permits are approved,” said Young.

How developers work with artists

Joe Peatman, trustee of the Peter A. and Vernice H. Gasser Foundation, said the members of the Foundation care about these local

Artist Kristina Young works on window art at now-closed Alexis Baking Company in Napa. The art encouraged people to vote in the November 2020 general election.

projects.

“We want the artwork to reflect what is going on with the buildings today. Everyone at the Gasser Foundation is into art. We like seeing art on the projects we build, especially pieces that are attractive, lasting, and colorful,” said Peatman.

The Gasser Foundation, the developer behind the South Napa Marketplace and South Napa Century Center, is required by Napa’s Public Art Ordinance to either install public art on the site of its developments or pay the same amount as an in-lieu fee into the city of Napa’s Art Fund. The art constructed must be equal in value to 1 percent of the construction costs of the development project.

“You have the option of paying a fee to accomplish this or working with an artist to install the art yourself. We always want to work with the artist to create art that’s pleasing to the eye and lifts spirits,” said Peatman.

Cass Walker, housing consultant for the Gasser Foundation, said Young was a top pick from the beginning.

“We knew Kristina from her prior art projects. She really brings an understanding of the community. Kristina also knows how to work within a budget. We started talking with her in 2018 about the design process and concepts for the art pieces,” said Walker.

Walker said the Gasser Foundation will begin to renovate the Heritage House-Valle Verde complex by January 2022. The artwork will be installed at a later point, after the buildings are completed.

The Chrysler mural will likely be installed starting in fall 2021. Young said the city of Napa approved the final mosaic design in mid April 2021.

Architects and robots are involved

The Chrysler mosaic can move forward first because the dealership has been completed and is now open. Young said robots will assist with creating the artwork for the 960 square foot wall space.

“I am partnering with a mosaic company in Boston called Artaic. They will be fabricating it there using robotic technology they invented and then shipping it here for installation,” said Young.

Young said she created the design for the mosaic after doing a great deal of historical

Kristina Young

(left) Napa artist Kristina Young stands in front of the wall of the Chrysler dealership on Soscol Avenue. This wall will be the location of a mosaic celebrating classic cars made between 1920 and 1980. (Above) A mockup of the mosaic Napa artist plans to install on the side of the Chrysler dealership Soscol Avenue.

research.

“I love old cars. They’re beautiful to look at. I picked cars from all different eras and looked at photos of them from all angles,” said Young.

Young also spent time with her friend’s classic pink 1950s Plymouth.

“I went to go see it at her house and took pictures of it from behind the car. That’s how I perfected the dashboard and the perspective of the woman sitting in the driver’s seat,” said Young.

The Heritage House and Valle Verde artwork required a move away from machinery.

“Since the site is close to Salvador Creek, a tributary of the Napa River, I went to the area and looked at the terrain, the plants, and the animals,” said Young.

Young then used her sketches to create more detailed drawings for murals and tiles.

“I decided to place imagery on the first floor that will relate to the ground and the animals and plants that live there. The middle floor will relate to larger mammals, and the top floor will relate to birds and flying insects, like butterflies,” said Young.

In addition, Young talked about designs and colors to Jenna Bolyarde, who is a housing program manager at Abode Services as well as advocate for individuals experiencing homelessness. Abode Services is a nonprofit that operates the South Napa Shelter and the South Napa Day Center.

Bolyande recommended that blues and greens be used, which have a calming effect. Bright or bold colors, such as red and black should be avoided. In addition, Bolyarde suggested the artwork contains representational imagery, which is more realistic, rather than abstract images.

Brianne Steinhauser, principal at Gunkel Architecture in Emeryville, is the architect for the Heritage House and Valle Verde complexes. Steinhauser said she is still talking with Young about how the art can unify components of the site.

Kristina Young and Gunkel Architecture

A rendering of a lobby that artist Kristina Young is designing for the Heritage House complex in Napa.

“We are working to avoid having different kinds of art juxtaposing each other. It won’t be the best to have starkly modern art in one area and very traditional art in another,” said Steinhauser.

Steinhauser said she and Young are also working on creating art that lasts.

“This art won’t be temporary until the next renovation. We mean for it to be there for years,” said Steinhauser.

Steinhauser said this is why it is unlikely that there will be a large mosaic in the complexes.

“A large mosaic needs a frame, backing, and waterproofing. Whatever art we create, we want to bring it inside. We’re considering direct paint on a canvas or a wall. We are thinking about smaller mosaics to help people find their way around the complexes,” said Steinhauser.

Jocelyn Lin, senior project manager at Burbank Housing, said the smaller signs and tiles will help to tie different elements of the buildings together.

“The environment Kristina plans to create is thoughtful and soothing. We see it as one that will resonate with the themes of recovery and hope,” said Lin.

Young, who also keeps a working studio and makes her own art, said in the early stages of the pandemic, it was frustrating to put two large projects on hold.

“Yet over the course of the year, I have developed patience. I have come up with new solutions to move both pieces forward,” said Young.

Steinhauser said she is not surprised that Young is taking creative steps with the projects. She added working with Young has taught her more about Napa and communities in the city.

“What she’s done with the Heritage House-Valle Verde site in particular is brainstorm with me, allowing the ideas we come up with to grow and fully develop. We can see there’s excitement from the city and Napa residents. I hope to collaborate with her reignite interest when we are done,” said Steinhauser.