Please welcome the two latest pieces of utility box art to River Falls.

RF city workers attached two exciting pieces of pollinator art to their permanent homes by shrink wrap procedure recently. They can be seen as you enter and leave River Falls’ DeSanctis Park. The park is a pollinator garden park, so the new art fits right in with the landscape theme. The city’s utility department specified that any art put on the utility boxes needed to be light and colorful. Both artists chosen used markers and crayons for their designs. There were 22 young artists in all who participated in thinking about what different pollinators might look like and what kind of native plants they pollinate.

On entering the park from West Division Street to Dry Run Road look to your right for Caden Schuman’s “Bee City Pollinator Garden” artwork. Schuman is a fourth grader who helped his mom with a table at Earth Fest last year where he picked up an application for the pollinator contest. Schuman said he went home and started working on his pollinator garden art right away.  

As you exit the park look to your right to see Josie Huppert’s “Zinnias and Sunflower.” Huppert said, “Many zinnias make a happy place for pollinators.” Huppert is a first grader in the River Falls School District.

The Pollinator Garden Coloring Contest started last year on Earth Day and ended this year on Earth Day. It was open to K-5 artists and was judged by the River Falls Bee Committee. The Bee Committee plans another contest in the coming year. Look for applications downtown at Art’s House or through your art teachers in area schools. This is the first opportunity for children’s art to share some of the city’s utility box spaces.

Pablo Picasso famously said: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”