SwiftWater Mural Creation - Cheyenne "Morning Dove" Reel (Ho-Chunk youth council president) & Sophia Karris (daughter of Martha Karris mosaic artist) are the inspiration for the 2 painted figures in the mural. Two figures painted by Bonnie Dhein, ceramic artist.
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SwiftWater Mural Creation - A collaborative adventure involving the Nekoosa School District K-12 student body, area business owners, community members, artist & teacher, Laurie Tenpas, mosaic artist Martha Karris & ceramic artist Bonnie Dhein. The mural is 50 foot long & 2 stories high and is located downtown Nekoosa, Wisconsin on the side of the Kolar Eye Building. The mural is a creation of ceramic tile, mosiac, mirror, & cement board panels that portrays the historic connections of the Nekoosa community, Ho-Chunk Nation & the environment.
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"SwiftWater Mural - 30' 50' Two story building, downtown Nekoosa, Wisconsin. Landscape design by Mary & Pat Casey, & execution by Sandy Capek, and Hasely & Hasely Excavating.
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"Mosaic Table Top" - Ceramic Tile, Mirror, grout, Resin - Community members names were created in the ceramic tile for this table which was donated in memory of Bob by Al's Lawn Ornaments.
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"The Heart" - Community members working on the center heart panel. 65 words that describe a strong community are written in 4 languages, English, Ho-Chunk, Spanish, & German on the stoneware pieces.
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"Working Together" - Nekoosa community members, Laurie Tenpas, & students installing central quilt panel mosaics.
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"Stepping Stones" - Stepping stones with quotes & plant markers naming plants and doners.
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"Before" - Kolar Vision Center building, downtown Nekoosa, Wisconsin
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"Glass Center of Ho-Chunk Mandala" -
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"Completed SwiftWater Community Mural" - July, 2009 Thank you to all who made this community mural possible. It is truly breathtaking!
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The Ceramic Quilt - - Laurie Tenpas and community member volunteer, Phyllis Sternitzky
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Historic Images of Community - - 68 words that make up a strong community are written in 4 languages, English, Ho-Chunk, Spanish, & German on the ceramic heart. Images from Nekoosa history are inlayed with glass for the background.
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"The Dancing Sandhills" - Alexander Middle School Students worked with Martha Karris & Isabel Goetz to mosaic the pair together....Nekoosa High School students under the direction of Laurie Tenpas finished the grouting. Installation was done by Dan Dhein, Tom Rogers, & Toby Hoefling & Bill Warner
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Glass Mosaic Sandhills - Isabel Goetz with Sandhill Crane, ready to be set into thin set motar for Nekoosa Floral Mural.
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Nekoosa Floral Mural Building - "Before" The newest downtown Nekoosa mural composition is based on circles that are connected by a meandering line. These circles offer a microscopic view, enlarging...the elements in our life that we are connected to and at times may take for granted. Threatened or endangered Wisconsin native wildflowers, birds and life are highlighted by sparkling bits of mirror and glass.
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Creating The Sandhills - AMS Middle School students create a pair of 16' foot Sandhill Cranes with the help of Martha Karris & Isabel Goetz. They were finished by NHS high school students and installed by community member volunteers.
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Mural In Progress - Laurie Tenpas directing community members of all ages in the mural creation process.
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"Budding Picasso" - A young community member helping paint water for the mural.
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Greater Prairie Chickens - NHS high school student David Goffin puts finishing touches on the pair of "booming" Prairie Chickens. The chickens sac's fill with air and puff out during courtship & mating season. These prairie chicken's sac's are elevated by a stoneware form that is covered with glass mosaic.
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Cranberry Marsh - NHS High school student Katie Sawyer creates fireflies complete with mosaic eyes and glow in the dark paint!
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It Always Takes Longer Than You Think! - Laurie Tenpas & student Kyrea work on the American Lotus,Hines Emerald Dragonfly, & Trillium portion of the mural.
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Ben & The Magic Tire Swing - My son when he was 5 years old...now 18 years. The real one is still in our backyard! The tire was cut in half by a community volunteer and mounted onto the block wall with tapcons & lumber support.
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SwiftWater IceCream - Taking a much needed break to decide what flavor of ice cream cone to have!!!!!
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Landscaping - Plants, benches, planters,and table were made possible by donations from Ho-Chunk Gaming and community members. Master gardeners mulched and planted, while Haesley & Haesley Excavating donated their expertise to level & install a brick patio!
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More Landscaping - Master gardener Joy Hendricksen takes a break while Sandy Chopek from Nekoosa Port Edwards State Bank and another volunteer mulch the new plants.
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Stepping Stones - 4 foot stepping stones forms were engineered by independent multi-media student Toby Hoefling and ceramic words were added to the concrete to create one of a kind artworks for the landscaping around the mural.
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Floral Mural - The finished mural on the Nekoosa Floral building is 120' foot long and 16' foot tall including the SwiftWater Ice Cream building.
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Northern Cricket Frog - 5'foot by 4'foot ceramic mosaic with glass mosaic eyes. The Northern Cricket frog is the 2nd smallest tree frog in North America and is a threatened species in Wisconsin.
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Blue Lupine & Karner Blue Butterfly - The endangered Karner Blue Butterfly depends on the Blue Lupine plant for it's survival. Ceramic "flower fairies" can be found throughout the mural and were created by young and old community members to protect the flowers!
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Karner Blue Detail - The front wing of the butterfly pops out from the wall about 6 inches. It is complete with metal legs and door springs for antenae!!! All major components of the mural are surrounded by mirror which was recycled and graciously donated by Rapids Glass of Wisconsin Rapids.
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Cardnial Flower & Ruby Throated Hummingbird - The Cardnial flower is a rare native Wisconsin wildflower that is mainly pollinated by the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. The Cardnial flower was created from stoneware clay and has community members names stamped or carved into them. Community members were invited to work at the Nekoosa High School on Wednesday evenings to create the mosaic portions of the mural that were mounted on cement siding and later installed onto the building wall.
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Pink Lady Slipper - Also know as the "Moccasin Flower". Colored glass for the mural was purchased and donated by the Vinery of Madison from grants secured through the Community Foundation of South Wood County.
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Ben On Tire Swing - Complete with stoneware rope and 3-D ceramic Ninja Turtle sandals! Remember when you were swinging on that tire swing, and chasing fireflies!!
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More Stepping Stones -
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David Goffin & Completed Prairie Chickens - David was also the main painter of the walleye panel on the first mural. A very talented young artist in our community!
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Laurie & her Dad by Grandma Jean - My grandmother inspired the love of wildflowers in me as a young child. She taught me all the names, uses, and unique characteristics of them. Every time I see a wildflower I feel her spirit strong in me. She was painted by local artist Dawn Olson.
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Nick's Dog Chalupa - My son Nick's dog Chalupa....forever in our hearts. Painted by NHS student Kaitlyn Kleiber who also painted the other Chi, big dog with red collar, and red fox on the mural. Thank you Kaitlyn!
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Joe Just - Did we have fun finding Joe, one of the oldest members of the Nekoosa community. We drove to his house with ice cream cones and camera...Ricky, Dani and I, had a wonderful photo shoot with Joe, plus learned many things from him regarding "life" . If you ever need a story concerning Nekoosa & it's history, Joe can tell you "just" about anything, and then some! Likeness of Joe was created by NHS student Sergio Meza and mentored by Dawn Olson.
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Dani & Her "Double" - Dani comes from a family of artists. Her older sister & grandmother Roxie Karbowski both contributed in the creation of the first mural. Dani & her grandmother put in many hours on this one!!! That's Ricky Rogers looking over her shoulder...watch out Ricky, you might drop your cone!
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The "Trio" - Dawn Olson, Bonnie Dhein & Isabel Goetz take a break from painting the people panels & other details of the mural done at the high school with the students. These working artists from our community, came to the community work nights and mentored the community members and high school students.
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"Woori" Foreign Exchange Student from Korea - Woori spent her year in America at Nekoosa High School as a foreign exchange student. She experienced many of the wonderful things a small community has to offer, and we in the art department will truly miss her......especially Sergio!!!! Woori, we love you!
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"Anhinga" - Charles Hindsley of the Ho-Chunk Nation painting Anhinga, the waterbird, a symbol of "the spirit" which comes from the creator. It also represents the direction of south, and the water of life where all things originate from.
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Mural Sinage by Graphic Xpress - Beautiful sinage created by Graphic-Xpress of Wisconsin Rapids adds an education component to the mural. Thank you Mitch!
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The Dynamic Duo! - Roxine Karbowski and "Stub" Herman Steinert work on cutting and laying the glass for the Trillium mosaic pattern. Both Roxine and Stub worked on the first mural and are now seasoned mural veterans! (Hey Stub, did you see any monkeys riding a bicycle on main street lately!!!)
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Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - Heart Of Wisconsin Business Alliance Ambassadors attend the ribbon cutting event July 21, 2010 for the "Celebrate Nature's Web - Taking Care Of Our Corner Of The Earth" Mural.
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Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - A heartfelt THANK YOU to all the community members who helped to make this mural possible. Great things happen for all when we each bring our special gifts together in the creation process!!!!
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