St Paul Public Library - Public Art Project at West 7th Branch Library

Date, location and attendance;
Project ran from February 17, 2010 to June 30, 2010 @ West 7th Branch Library with 60 elementary and middle school students participating in the project.

W7th Neighborhood artist, Nance Derby Davidson, working with W7th Branch Library Manager Lisa Hage and Public services Manager pat Gerlach, managed the creation of a unique public art project located in the W7 Branch Library, as part of its 2010 renovation. This project was funded by the State Legacy Fund, as administered by MELSA and the Friends of the St Paul Public Library.

The library collaborated with two neighborhood schools, Monroe Arts + Magnet School and St Francis-St James United School. St Francis-St James United School teacher Kathy Clark (who also volunteers at the W7th Branch Library) and her students chose the books and paragraphs to be illustrated. Art teachers Alice Stahlmann (St Francis-St. James) and June Elliott (Monroe Arts+Magnet School) worked with their middle school art students to create scenes from juvenile fiction written by Minnesota authors. Over sixty students participated.

Nance Derby Davidson, owner of Acme Scenic Arts and cordinator of this public art project, visited both schools and discussed artistic process and the materials to be used. Ms. Derby Davidson supplied each student with a pre-cut, primed wooden tile and the students painted their tiles with passages from the chosen books, From here, the student-artists took over and created 78 plaques.

The painted plaques were installed as a wall border in the renovated W7th Branch Library. Installation was completed prior to the grand re-opening. The art teachers, representative students, and Nance Derby Davidson were featured guests at the grand re-opening ceremonies.