Art Scoop at the Rice Street Festival

On a cool autumn evening last October the North End community held its first-ever Rice Street Art Scoop at Dar’s Double Scoop Ice Cream Shop. Kevin Barrett, owner of Dar’s, served pumpkin ice cream. Local artisans displayed their creative works including jewelry, pottery, paintings, and fresh floral displays. Uniquely decorated “arts cars” parked along Rice Street.

Art Scoop at the Rice Street Festival

Saturday, July 26, 2008,Noon to 5 p.m.

Washington Middle School fields

Rice Street, between Lawson and Cook, in Saint Paul

This Saturday the second Art Scoop will take place as part of the 2008 Rice Street Festival. For the North End, interest in the arts is seen as a way to build community that will contribute to the efforts to revitalize the neighborhood. Supporting the arts in the North End is written into the District 6 Planning Council’s large area plan and the Art Scoop is one of several arts activities planned for 2008 that are funded, in part, by a STAR Cultural grant from the city.

Nathan Steigman, president of the North End Business Association (NEBA) sees the Art Scoop as “ a natural progression around community involvement.” He says, “This year’s Art Scoop … pulls from the Twin Cities arts community and welcomes everyone who supports art, fun and positive expression.”

Beth Loraine Bowman, an American painter, and Julie Bowen, jewelry artist, live in the North End and are participating in Art Scoop . Bowman,who has shown her work throughout the United States and Europe, says her mixed media images “explore the subjects of memory, place, color experience, shelter/architecture, maternity and forgiveness.”

Calling herself “something of a Renaissance woman” Bowen creates jewelry in her North End studio . Her jewelry designs have been sold nationally and she has plans to begin teaching her techniques locally.

Bowen says, “The Art Scoop attracts many local residents, creating an opportunity for communication and interaction- two essential elements for creating and maintaining a vibrant community. I believe it is this vibrancy, or excitement, which is the key to drawing broader interest and investment into the area so that we can continue strengthening the North End.”

The Rice Street Festival was first held in 1910, and is one of the oldest community celebrations in the state of Minnesota. Theme of this year’s festival is ! A Gemtastic Time!
For full details of all events go to [www.ricestreetfestival.org]