Rendering of the new rainbow mural to be painted near the Millbrae train station.
A massive rainbow will be painted onto a corrugated wall near the Millbrae BART Station in an attempt to attract visitors and beautify the city, making it one of multiple public art installations at the newly constructed multiuse hotel and workplace hub.
The city has already installed an aluminum dog statue, a rearing horse statue, a water fountain and mural, a Harriet Tubman tribute statue and several other modern art designs in and around the BART plaza. The last remaining art project for the area — a 400-foot rainbow mural conceived by Lila Gemellos — was unanimously approved by the City Council during a March 28 meeting.
The mural will color a beige-colored corrugated wall at the base of the Millbrae Avenue overpass, bordering a dog walking area including in the Gateway at Millbrae Station development, a newly constructed residential complex.
“What it is going to do for the dog park is really engage the space in a simple and beautiful way. ... It is going to be something to come and see,” said Gemellos, a San Jose resident.
Gemellos said she will be using some of the same paint specs from the building to create a harmony between the wall and Gateway at Millbrae Station. And a natural dripped paint effect will work well with the ribbed wall, Gemellos added.
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Gemellos also plans on applying an anti-graffiti sealant that will allow for a solvent spray to be applied afterward to remove any unwanted markings from graffiti. She plans on sending the city the details of how to use the graffiti remover in a detailed description, she said.
The artwork is a part of the Gateway at Millbrae Station’s public benefits to the multiuse transit-oriented development. The developer behind the housing complex will pay for the installation and upkeep of the piece.
Gemellos has been professionally painting murals for more than 10 years. Her bold use of colors is rooted and inspired from tie-dyeing with her mom when she was young. Now it translates into colors that she hopes are whimsical and joyful to those who see her work, according to the staff report.
Mayor Ann Schneider proposed the artist allow the community to come and watch her create the mural during a community event next month as a way to engage the community. The City Council anticipated the project to be done by April 20 and Schneider said the city was trying to get this approval item on the agenda for a few months but other items got in the way.
“Los Gatos had a neat way of doing public art. They actually had the artist do their work as the public can view it,” Schneider said. “The way the event is designed to have people walking through the entire Gateway area and it would be pretty cool to watch you doing art but it is entirely in your hands.”
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