The idea for Encinitas Public Art Sculpture Loan Program originated in 2017; it wasn't until 2024 that the first installations took place, as the city was figuring out how it wanted the program to look.
Five sculptures were supposed to be placed, but only three made the cut when public officials and residents couldn’t agree. This raised the question: Who gets to decide what qualifies as art and where it belongs?
Artist Bella Bowman and another anonymous artist were among the first applicants to be rejected.
Her piece features two mushrooms with faces hanging off a flower, painted in greens, pinks and reds. She calls it “Fun Guys,” a play on the word fungi.
She said her sculpture met all the initial criteria to be considered a finalist, but that did not guarantee a spot.
“It was already installed in the city of Vista a few years prior by a city arts commission as well. So I thought, 'hey, let's get Encinitas on the map.'”
Both of Bowman's parents are from Encinitas, and she said she thought her art would be a good fit for the city’s colorful, beach-town vibe.
When it came down to the final vote at a council meeting, the piece was rejected using a five-star rating system similar to Amazon reviews. Bowman received three stars.
Encinitas Mayor Bruce Ehlers, then a council member, opposed the piece.
“It's right next to a beautiful native oak tree that's within 10 feet of it, and that's the back backdrop to this — sculpture, I'll be polite. In this case, the colors wrong; it doesn't belong there,” Ehlers said at that meeting.
As an artist, Bowman wasn’t new to rejection, but she said the comments were unconstructive.
“I think sticking to these are the criteria we (the council) put, this doesn't align with that, and leaving all sort of emotion out of it, because a lot of personal comments were made, like discarding it even existing as a piece of art," Bowman said.
Sun Vista Park is where Bowman's art would have been installed for three years, and she would have also been given a stipend.
Today, Ehlers said that regardless of his views on a piece, he doesn't think the location of the pedestal at Sun Vista was a good choice to begin with.
“I quite frankly think this is set too close to the road. It kind of detracts from the artwork, so it's kind of hard to enjoy it out here.”
Back in 2024, when the council rejected Bowman’s sculpture and couldn't agree on another piece, the pedestal remained vacant for 10 months, according to the arts commission.
Ehlers said it was better to leave it empty until the right fit came along.
“I know a lot of people say that art's there to provoke thought and controversy, but it's not the job of the city to provoke citizens. It's the job of the city to maintain the city, improve the city,” Ehlers said.
If you pass by Sun Vista today, there is a colorful abstract piece called “Wingman,” by Mike Conlen.
Katy Fox, chair of the Encinitas Arts Commission, said when installations were first proposed to the public, officials collected open comments.
They soon found that the original survey focused too much on likes or dislikes, which led to unreliable feedback, according to survey methodologist Mary Jo Schumann and consumer insights specialist Kathryn Johnson, who the commission consulted.
To get more constructive responses, they began asking the public broad questions about what role art plays in the community. From those responses, a mission statement was created.
“Public art in Encinitas tells a story that shifts the moment in an uplifting way that unifies us in new perspectives and reflects Encinitas’ unique culture,” Fox said.
Another change to the sculpture program is how the public will interact with proposed art. Fox said the city will place blown-up images of the sculptures around Encinitas, such as municipal buildings or city movie nights.
“So that people can interact with them a bit over time and then send their comments into the city,” Fox said. “And it's not just open comments. It's really saying, 'Here's the mission statement. Do you think that these are fit?'”
Fox said the artist will also no longer be anonymous, giving them a chance to explain their work at a council meeting before the final vote. She said she hopes this new process will encourage more people to apply and allow those previously rejected to try again.
“If you've ever felt like the doors have been closed to you, the doors are really wide-open right now,” Fox said.
Bowman said she would submit to the program again. Until then, “Fun Guys” currently stands at Carrillo Pottery in Oceanside.
She advised other artists not to be discouraged by rejection. “Don't let it make or break you. A loss shouldn't make you, a win shouldn't make you. You just keep going in pursuit of something that is bigger than you as an artist. That's why we create.”
