The making of Blue Ma-Quette movie

Santa Cruz artist Kirby Scudder talks a lot about "building community" in his role as co-director of the Santa Cruz Institute of Contemporary Art.

Who knew he meant it so literally?

For the next month, Scudder will be involved in an offbeat construction project: a plywood-and-foamcore scale model of downtown Santa Cruz.

The project is called "Blue Ma-Quette," in which Scudder will work around the clock at the SCICA’s gallery on Cathcart Street (behind the UC Extension building facing the parking lot). He’ll be building the "sculpture," which will depict Pacific Avenue from Laurel Street north to the Town Clock, flanked on each side by Front and Cedar streets, a district that’s become known colloquially as SoWat (South of Water Street).

On Friday, Scudder will begin work on the model, which will measure 8 feet by 32 feet. The buildings will be built out of foamcore on a plywood base, painted with cobalt-blue latex paint and sprayed again with polyurethane.

On Dec. 31, at the First Night Santa Cruz celebration, the finished product will be unveiled.

The project marks the first-year anniversary of the SCICA, under the stewardship of the energetic Scudder and his single-named co-conspirator Chip. The duo refer to the project as a kind of "open call to
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SANTA CRUZ INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS