RRR: Pollinator Pathway workshops starting soon

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Tara Nielson (left) is one of the two mosaic artists who will teach the community workshops at Mosaic on a Stick. Lori Greene (right) will design the mosaics. The monarch design for the first container is shown here. (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)[/caption]

An eight block stretch of North Snelling Ave. will be transformed this summer, connecting Allianz Field to Pierce Butler Meadows with pollinator friendly plantings. Hamline Midway Coalition Executive Director Kate Mudge has secured funding from the Allianz Foundation for the creation of a pollinator pathway. The pathway will be marked by 10 three-foot-tall, mosaic-tiled containers filled with annual and perennial flowering plants.

The public art/environmental project is aimed at both beautifying and unifying the neighborhood.

“The opening of Allianz Field brought a great deal of excitement and energy to the Hamline Midway neighborhood, and we’re eager to continue that momentum by working with the Hamline Midway Coalition and Mosaic on a Stick,” said Allianz Life President and CEO Walter White. “We are dedicated to making a difference in the community, and welcome the opportunity to provide financial and volunteer support for this project.

"We believe that, as the naming rights sponsor of Allianz Field, it’s crucial for us to have a strong connection with community leadership in Hamline Midway. This will help us to have a better understanding of their priorities for the neighborhood and provide support for different initiatives that connect with our company values.”

Lori Greene, owner of the art studio Mosaic on a Stick, will host a series of mosaic-making workshops to bring the large scale containers to life. Her studio address is 1564 Lafond Ave. The workshops are being offered at no cost and are open to the public. Residents and non-residents are invited to learn how to make mosaic art with local artists Tara Nielson and Juliette Meyers.

According to Greene, “Mosaic is an art form available to everybody. No previous art experience is needed.”

The first two workshops will be “Train the Trainer” workshops, offered Thursday, Jan.16 from 6-9 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 18 from 3-6 p.m. Participants only need to attend one of these to become a trainer. Workshops are open to anyone who has made an RSVP. Maximum attendance is 15; minimum age is 11 years. The workshops will continue every other week into the month of May, depending on how long it takes to finish all of the containers. Call Mosaic on a Stick to reserve a spot at 651.645.6600, or visit the Hamline Midway Coalition website at www.hamlinemidway.org.

The inspiration for the first container design came from Greene’s home garden. She said, “I was lucky to find several monarchs on Father’s Day last year, eating away at our milkweed plants. They stayed in the garden all summer, and I loved watching them. These community workshops will be a great opportunity to learn to make mosaic.

“The art form is peaceful and uncomplicated; our studio is a wonderful art-making space. We are hoping to have a diversity of art makers join us!”

Interested in a two-year grant?

The Allianz Foundation is funding the Pollinator Pathway that will be installed along N. Snelling Ave. this summer. Their mission is to promote financial literacy, independence and self-sufficiency of senior citizens, and youth development/inclusion in the Twin Cities area. The organization values sharing their financial resources and expertise with organizations that make a positive impact in communities. Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America makes two-year grants, which typically range from $15,000 to $25,000.

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