By Seth Boyes,
The second Postage Stamp installation was created by artist Maggie Schwarz, who also participated in the Empower Decorah classes. Her painting, entitled "Rooted Connections," was installed in October of this year and is affixed to the rear of the business suites at 110 Washington Street — near the offices of the Decorah Leader and Salú Sauna and Wellness Spa.
Few likely spied the small group celebrating in a downtown alleyway this fall, but some may have noticed the addition on the cinderblock wall.
A small scale ribbon cutting was held in the alley last month for the third in an ongoing series of public art displays. The installments are partly organized by participants in the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce’s Empower Decorah classes.
The local chamber has been offering the course for about eight years, according to executive director Jessica Rilling, and the class was revamped approximately two years ago. Rilling said the Empower Decorah class series has always put an emphasis on fostering community leadership skills, but she said staff placed a greater emphasis on content specifically related to the Decorah area in recent years, proposing small-scale public art installations as a way for the area’s often-busy professionals to partake in a compact local service project — Rilling’s idea drew inspiration from her own stamp collection.
“It was a way to connect public art to the series at a scale that was sustainable and that the class could feel like they played a role and participated, while also giving something back to the community,” she said.
The first in the Empower Decorah Postage Stamp art series was installed in the fall of 2023. The work, entitled “Backstreet Blossoms,” was created by artist and Empower Decorah participant Hannah Tulgren. It is displayed on the brick exterior of Impact Coffee.
The second Postage Stamp installation was created by artist Maggie Schwarz, who also participated in the Empower Decorah classes. Her painting, entitled “Rooted Connections,” was installed in October of this year and is affixed to the rear of the business suites at 110 Washington Street — near the offices of the Decorah Leader and Salú Sauna and Wellness Spa.
Full article in the November 28 Decorah Leader.
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