Fiat Lux

2024, Nicole Beck

Fiat Lux sits atop a berm in Sycamore Park, erected to honor the life of Karim Abou Najm. The piece is made of stainless steel and colored dichroic glass. 

For more information about Fiat Lux, click HERE. 

Balance Beam

1999, Cedric Wentworth

Balance Beam was formerly located at the corner of 5th and Pole Line, and is now installed in front of the Veterans Memorial Theatre in Community Park. Measuring 6’ x 21’ x 5’ and built from steel and bronze, this piece is an example of the postmodern sculpture work Wentworth is known for that combines abstracted figurative subject matter with industrial structures. Balance Beam was donated to the City by James Kidd in 2018.

Save the Frogs / Salva las Ranas

2008, Mary Fuller McChesney

Save the Frogs/Salva las Ranas can now be found at South Davis' San Marino Park patio on the edge of the Open Space trail area. The roughly eight foot tall concrete composite piece is a whimsical tribute to our natural environment — the artist intentionally created this piece to promote wildlife conservation in her hometown of Petaluma. The Civic Arts Commission selected this work because of its universal appeal to all ages, especially children, and its playful nod to the renowned Davis legacy of celebrating and protecting our frogs and other wildlife. The artwork was selected in 2019 by the Commission, approved by City Council in 2020, and purchased in 2021. The work was unanimously recommended for this location by the Open Space and Habitat Commission in 2021.

Elmwood Street Mural

This community art project was started in the Elmwood neighborhood in 2019 and was brought to life with the help of the greater Davis community. The project was led by local artist Judy Catambay, and Elmwood neighborhood lead Joy Klineberg, and supported by the many neighbors who helped with the design and all of the logistics to make it happen.

"The most beautiful thing about these community art projects is is the wealth of every unique contribution from every single person and the magic that happens when you bring that together. So many people contributed: measuring the street, raising funds for paint, donating supplies, creating and printing a grid plan, setting up barricades, making detour signs, chalking gridlines, drawing the design, mixing paint, greeting volunteers, helping each other, carrying paint, baking snacks, entertaining with live music, taking photos, and ultimately painting together!" reported Catambay.

2021, Susan Shelton

Located at Dresbach-Hunt-Boyer Mansion, 604 2nd Street, Davis.

Read all about the Seal's meaning and associated Storytelling Project HERE.

Think Outside the Box

The 2019 Think Outside the Box project is part of a continual effort to transform necessary structures into lively pieces of art while supporting emerging and established local artists. 

Thirteen different artists worked directly with the City of Davis to create designs that were transferred to vinyl and wrapped around a City of Davis traffic control box. Box locations include corners in front of City Hall, International House Davis, and Davis Arts Center.  

In the past, City of Davis has carried out similar projects in which artists were commissioned to design and then paint a utility box on site. The Think Outside the Box project allowed artists to complete work from their own studios in a wide range of creative mediums including ceramics, mixed media collage, abstract digital art, and graphic design.  The City encouraged submission of artwork from artists who had not created public art in the past.  Each selected artist received a $500 honorarium upon completion of their final design. Selected applicants were chosen based on their bodies of past work and proposals that showed strong potential to enhance the surrounding areas of the boxes. 

Below is a list of the participating artists and the location of their pieces:

• Angela Tannehill                    3^rd & B
• Brian Alexander                     Covell & Sycamore
• Ianna Frisby                             F & 8^th
• Jennifer McGuire                   Cowell & Lillard
• Jessica Eastburn                    Russell & Sycamore
• Kent Smith                              Covell & Anderson
• Kerri Warner                            Russell & Anderson
• Lily Therens                             Russell & A
• Melissa Uroff                           Cowell & Valdora
• Phillip Hua                               Russell & College Park
• Sandy Fong Whetstone       Cowell & Drew
• Susan Silvester                       Covell & F
• Will Durkee                             Covell & Poleline

 Press Release

To view a similar project in our region, please see the Capitol Box Art Project in Sacramento.

 Elemental

2018, Danielle Fodor and Community.

Located at Hacienda Court, it covers much of the greenbelt pathway of the Senda Nueva Neighborhood in North Davis.