RIVER FALLS — During 2025 Earth Fest, artist Erin Ward set up a booth that allowed attendees to pick out pieces of recycled glass and add them to a mosaic piece that was then wrapped around a garbage can at Ostness Park.

The project was an absolute hit, with community members continually telling Ward how much they enjoyed being a part of it. Ward wanted to keep the momentum going, with the next target being a garbage can near Rocky Branch Elementary School. Ward reached out to the Rocky Branch Parent-Teacher Organization, working with art teacher Audrey Johnson to come up with the idea of a student-designed school of fish.

Every single student in the school got to work, coming up with their best designs. One design was then selected from each class to be included on the garbage can to make a “school” of 22 total fish. Ward worked some magic to bring each design to life with glass pieces.

“There was a garbage can very conveniently located nearby, so I suggested we do a mosaic wrap of the garbage can. I talked with the art teacher, who was so supportive and interested in this project,” Ward said. “We came up with the idea of a fish for the classrooms, like a school of fish.”
The students also had the chance to place background pieces onto the art before it was applied to the can.

“The students really loved it, and the art teacher did an amazing job,” Ward said. “Everybody was really involved and excited, and a lot of the kids were coming out with their classrooms to see where their fish ended up.”

Despite the competition to have their design be selected for the garbage can, the students were all supportive of each other. Many classes have already taken a class walk to the garbage can to see the fish they contributed.

“One of the things I loved the most about this project is the kids didn’t seem competitive or upset if their fish wasn’t chosen. Everybody was just so excited to see the fish out there,” Ward said.

With the Rocky Branch project in the books, Ward is not going to stop there. Next up, Ward is talking with Greenwood Elementary and Westside Elementary staff to look into mosaic projects with their students.
“I would love to do all of the garbage cans in River Falls. We’ve got a bunch of naked garbage cans that could use some pzazz,” Ward said.

Ward said the garbage cans are already there, so why not make them look good.

“Every artist thinks their art form is the best, but I think, for me, mosaics is just such a… you’re using something that’s broken and you’re remaking it into something beautiful,” Ward said after Earth Fest 2025. “I just think there’s something so powerful with that.”