Resolution Accepting Donation of Community Roots Mural
Wabasha Main Street to donate Community Roots Mural to the City of Wabasha.
The Community Roots Mural was created by Sue Mundy, with support from Wabasha’s Artist on Main Street program.
Image: Wabasha Main Street Board of Directors
Back row: Annette Hedquist, Lori Glomski, Janet Runions, Mary Flicek, and City Public Works Director Tony Johnson.
Front row: Board members Craig Falkum, Dave Wogen, Mayor Emily Durand and Artist Sue Mundy.
Not Included: Poet Pamela Larson and Board Members Kathy Geraghty and Laura Fredrickson.
“Wild in the City” Book Reading – December 11th at the Wabasha Public Library
Janet Runions will be presenting her book, “Wild in the City,” on Saturday morning, December 11, at 10:00 in the public library.
As this years Artist on Main street Initiative project, following the theme, “Healthy Community,”Janet designed a nature book to color which encourages people to get outside and exercise. She wrote the narrative in a rhyming fashion and drawn all the illustrations based on her personal experiences of life in Wabasha.
Come and join this informal gathering while you’re in town shopping. A short presentation will be given with a reading. One free book will be given to each family that attends. There will be colored pencils available if you wish to stay and color your book and talk to the artist.
Ribbon Cutting for the Community Roots Mural
Parties in the photo include: Mayor Emily Durand and Lead Artist Sue Mundy cutting the ribbon. Posed to the left and behind Sue are the Wabasha Main Street Board and steering committee, local artists and volunteers. To the right of Mayor Durand is the Food Share Board and directors. We also invited stakeholders/funders to the photoshoot which included: WKACF- Wabasha Kellogg Area Community Foundation , SHIP – Wabasha Public Health, Wabasha Main Street and RETHOS Project Funds and Artist on Main Initiative, SMIF- Southeastern MN Initiative Foundation, Durand Dentistry and Blandin Foundation. All logos are on the wall, along with the individuals who volunteered at Sue Mundy’s Studio to paint the Mural. Over 400 hours were put into this endeavor including both Lead Artist and community volunteers.
When the Food Share moved to its current location on 142 2nd St, some people in the community, including Sue Mundy saw its long blank western wall as the perfect spot for a mural. This had the protentional to connect several ongoing challenges, food insecurity, revitalization of the downtown on this block, and a message of health and wellness. This idea became a reality with the generous support from the Wabasha Main Street and their Artist on Main funds to create a Capstone Event. These funds were used annually to support local artists with events, programs, and permanent installations.
Local Wabasha Main Street Director Mary Flicek was quoted “This was the perfect project to create a final permanent Artist installation that would send a message of healthy community.” Both Mary and Sue Mundy found multiple grants that could assist in this endeavor in a timely matter. SMIF provided the paint with their “Paint the Town” grant. SHIP provided funds to bring attention to the Food Share location and send a healthy message. WKACF provided funds to support the Mural and supplies that helped fund the project and Blandin gave a generous Community grant to the local Wabasha Cohorts that assisted in this project, along with Wabasha Main Street RETHOS funds.
The photo on the right is of Artist, Sue Mundy and Poet, Pamela Larson- who wrote the poem – Community Roots. She was inspired by the giant vegetables and interconnected roots system, bugs, and multiple sponsors. It takes a community to pull off such a large endeavor. The Mural measures 110′ x 8′ and was painted on 28 4′ x 8′ sheets of Poly metal which then were attached to the wall. The boards needed to be primed before painted, then sealed for weather protection.
Sue started to dream this dream early spring and worked for the next 4 months along with her installation team to place it on the wall of 142 2nd Street for all to enjoy. The Food Share is located at this location and highlighted on the wall, along with the Farmers Market for all to enjoy.
The project was made possible through Artist on Main Street 2021, a partnership between Wabasha Main Street, RETHOS, Springboard for the Arts with support from the Bush Foundation.
Check Out the Community Roots Mural
Sue Mundy has been hard at work completing the Community Roots Mural on the wall outside the Wabasha Food Shelf. Drive by and check out her amazing work!
