Middletown
Water Basket Mural Project
Client/Company
Middletown Art Center in collaboration with Callayomi Water District and Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians.
Role
Lead Designer / Project Coordinator
Services
Art Direction
Design Development
Mural design
Community collaboration
Industry
Public Art, Arts & Culture, Community Project
OBJECTIVE
After the 2015 Valley Fire, two water tanks on Rabbit Hill remained a highly visible reminder of loss for the Middletown community. The Water Basket project set out to transform them into meaningful public art inspired by Pomo basketry traditions, local culture, and the surrounding environment. The goal was to create artwork that honored the history of the area while turning everyday infrastructure into something the community could connect with and take pride in.
RESULT
The completed murals transformed the two water tanks into large-scale public artworks inspired by traditional Pomo basket patterns and regional flora and fauna. The final designs were shaped through cultural guidance, artist submissions, jury review, public exhibitions, and community voting. What had once been a reminder of devastation became a recognizable landmark representing culture, resilience, and renewal.
Personal Connection + Cultural Context
I discovered the Water Basket project through a call-for-artists flyer at a local café during a period when I was questioning my direction and confidence as a designer. The deadline was only a few days away, but something about the project pushed me to take the chance. I developed a concept, submitted it, and was selected to move forward. Before the open call, the project had been shaped through workshops with Pomo artists and cultural practitioners. These sessions explored traditional basketry patterns, symbolism, and the natural environment of the region, creating the cultural framework artists would work from.
Selection + Community Input
Hundreds of ideas and sketches were submitted through the open call. A jury of tribal representatives, cultural educators, water district members, community advocates, and Middletown Art Center staff selected six designs for public consideration. The semifinalist concepts were displayed at several community locations with 3-D models and visualizations showing how the artwork would wrap around the tanks. Residents, tribal members, and local stakeholders were invited to review the designs and vote for the concepts they felt best represented the community.
Design Development + Final Installation
The selected designs were refined for the scale and cylindrical shape of the tanks, with careful attention to pattern, spacing, repetition, and visual flow. The goal was to make sure the artwork remained clear from multiple viewing distances while wrapping continuously around each structure. Professional muralists then translated the final designs onto the tanks as full 360-degree murals. The completed Water Baskets were unveiled during a public dedication attended by tribal leaders, artists, project partners, and community members.
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