Featured Enamel Works
PUBLIC ARTIST • STUDIO MASTER • EDUCATOR
VISUAL AND STUDIO WORKS
PUBLIC ART
In partnership with Gail Katz James, the two artists decided to use the theme “Flock of Houses” to celebrate the migration of both birds and people through St. Paul Minnesota, centered in Wheelock Parkway, a long span of natural, green space.
The artists researched numerous species of birds that live and migrate through the state of Minnesota by consulting websites including the Department of Natural Resources of Minnesota and the National Audubon Society.
Three Birdhouses with bird legs and MN bird wings, featuring images of St. Paul (Wheelock Parkway) families on the front and back. Powder-coated steel and enamel painted images of the families and the houses on Steel. Also painted bird feathers within the “wings” on each side.
Each house is inspired by a specific bird: Great Blue Heron, Eagle, and Loon.
IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS:
This unique public art installation captures the vibrancy and diversity of families residing along Wheelock Parkway, intricately crafted in enamel on durable steel panels. The artwork portrays three distinct families – Hispanic, Asian, and African American – who have embraced this neighborhood as their home, celebrating their diverse heritage and shared experiences. Each painting vividly illustrates the families within the comforting embrace of their homes, engaged in the joyful tradition of sharing a meal specific to their cultural background. The richness of colors and details in the enamel work highlights the warmth and intimacy of these moments, conveying a sense of belonging and community. The paintings are affixed to both the front and back of striking large-scale sculptures that creatively embody Minnesota's native birds. These sculptures symbolize the migration narrative, with the addition of fantastical elements: each bird boasts a neighborhood house as its base, complete with bird wings and legs. This imaginative design underscores the concept of movement and settlement, mirroring the families’ journey to Wheelock Parkway. The blend of familiar architecture and avian imagery invites viewers to reflect on the themes of travel, homecoming, and cultural integration, celebrating both the individual stories and collective tapestry of the community. This installation not only decorates the parkway but also fosters an appreciation of cultural diversity and cohesiveness among its residents
The Big Book - is a large-scale metal sculpture located at Nellie Stone Johnson School, a K-8 school along the 26th Avenue North Bikeway. Designed to foster family literacy, the sculpture serves both as a community gathering place and a way to raise awareness around reading and shared storytelling. Its two open pages were developed in partnership with the school's 4th graders through a writing workshop addressing bullying, during which students also worked with the artist on character development. The two pages feature enamel illustrations by the artist, bringing the students' text and characters to life in a permanent public artwork rooted in the surrounding community."
Enamel-Patchwork-tapestry- "Designed with the community alongside artist Ta-coumba Aiken, this collaborative mural welcomes visitors in both the north and south vestibules of the Webber Park Library. Composed of layered enamel tiles — coated, fired, painted, and fired again — the mosaic's rich surface reflects the many voices and stories the artists gathered from community members throughout the design process. This dynamic, multi-layered mosaic invites viewing from multiple angles and perspectives, revealing new details as natural light shifts throughout the day and illuminates recurring motifs, including the river that runs through the piece. Swirling and transforming across the surface, the river becomes a metaphor for the community's changing narratives and the cultural currents that continue to shape the neighborhood surrounding the library."
Funded by the Hennepin County Library One Percent for Art Program
The John Biggers Seed Project was a public art and collaborative design effort. It engaged renowned African American artists in mentoring emerging artists in placemaking by: educating them about African American art and community history and creating a sense of place that speaks to the Minneapolis Northside.
Celebration of Life
John Biggers, a major African American artist of the twentieth century, created the design for Celebration of Life art. He died shortly after it was completed. Celebration of Life was installed on a MNDOT sound wall at the intersection of Olson Memorial Highway and Lyndale Avenue South, adjacent to the new proposed public art location. It was destroyed along with the sound wall by the City of Minneapolis in 2000 under a permit with MNDOT to make way for a new housing project, Heritage Park.
Seed will create a vibrant link between the Northside and Downtown by transforming the Olson Bridge spanning I94 and replacing the existing chain link with a new artistic railing. The base railing, which will be galvanized steel, has been designed and engineered by SRF Consulting Group. Inserted into the railing will be over 300 enamel panels, designed and fabricated by the Seed artists. The enamel coating and design will be applied on both sides of steel panels, making it visible on both the freeway and pedestrian sides of the bridge.
Christopheraaron Deanes facilitated the fabrication of the enamel panels - he continued his practice as an artist and educator for years and started training as an enamelist through a large public art project, with the City of Minneapolis. He says, “It has been an honor to learn how to fabricate and create enamel (glass frit also known as vitreous enamel), which fuses glass on metal through high temperatures in a kiln to create amazing images. The vibrant hues, patterns, scraffito, and painting in enamel are special. I aim to evoke a sense of connection and introspection. The act of layering enamel, much like layering our experiences, invites viewers to engage in a dialogue with the work, encouraging them to reflect on their narratives and the human experience.”
Partners
