Ta-coumba Aiken creates art to “heal the hearts of the people and the communities by evoking a positive spirit.” Ta-coumba’s role as a public artist is that of community building and beautification; to listen, interpret, inspire, and be a weaver of ideas. He provides his audience a continuous experience, both subtle and dynamic. Ta-coumba’s painting. “Forever Saint Paul”, on permanent display in the Saint Paul Union Depot, holds the Guinness World Record for the most Lite-Brite pegs (over 598,000) used to create a painting. He currently serves on the Board of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. More information at tacoumbaaiken.com.
Nigel Parry—According to Yelp data from the end of August 2020, permanent restaurant closures have reached 97,966, representing 60% of closed businesses that will never reopen. The double-whammy, of course, is that many members of the Lowertown community rely on these businesses for income, both as employees but also as artists and musicians who rely on physical spaces to host their public shows and performances.
By Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—Tom Dunn is one of many artists affected by the cancellation of the Spring Art Crawl. A photographer and former St. Paul Art Collective president, Dunn know firsthand how important events like this are to local artists. He has participated in the Crawl for the past two decades and has many stories to tell.
As we’ve all been trying to get a handle on the Coronavirus Crisis, how it’s likely to impact our lives, and what we should be doing—the process of trying to understand the bigger picture has back-burnered the personal stories of our neighbors. This Lowertown Community Temperature Check features interviews with Brigette Anderson, Dianne Southard, Lisa Mathieson, Meredith Gear, Pam Krank, and Ta-coumba Aiken.
By Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—When Lisa Mathieson moved to Lowertown a dozen years ago, she quickly became involved in the arts community and has since made her presence known. She has served as a community arts organizer and St. Paul Art Crawl liaison for the Tilsner Artists’ Cooperative, a board member of the St. Paul Art Collective, and co-organizer of the Lowertown Drawing Circle, now approaching the end of its first decade of weekly Sunday meetings.
Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—Even if you’ve never met Ta-coumba Aiken, you’ve most likely seen his artwork around the Twin Cities. He’s the creator behind the iconic 117-by-33-foot-high Lowertown “Be Nice!” mural that greets those stepping off the light rail at Union Depot, as well as the beautifully decorated fireplace on the fourth floor of the George Latimer Central Library and the ceramic tile mural on the parking ramp at 7th and Robert. It seems his work is everywhere. I had been a patron at Wells Fargo bank in Downtown for two decades before it dawned on me that the 80-by-21-foot mural behind the teller station was his handiwork.
By Nigel Parry—The Lowertown Drawing Circle was founded around 10 years ago after a Sunday afternoon coffee bar conversation between Lowertown artists Ta-coumba Aiken and Lisa Mathieson. The good news is that, after a hiatus, the Lowertown Drawing Circle is back—at least through the end of February—meeting every Sunday from 1-3pm at Just/Us eatery and events, across from the Farmers’ Market in Lowertown.
By Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—In recent years, internationally acclaimed artist and Lowertown resident Desdamona has been working to inspire the next generation of poets and hip-hop and spoken-word artists by sharing her artform in a variety of settings, from schools to prisons. “I do a lot of teaching,” said Desdamona, who is a vocal promoter of her neighborhood. “I work with a couple of organizations that bring artists into community situations.”
By Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—After opening in downtown at the end of 2017, Just/Us took the St. Paul restaurant scene by storm with a rolling series of creatively themed prix fixe tasting menus. Following the sale of the building they were located in, the team of Lowertowners are reopening in the former Golden’s space this November.
Lowertown Ethos | ART LIVES HERE is a community art event celebrating the creative residents of St.Paul’s storied art district produced by the St. Paul Saints Art Program and sponsored by local businesses. The three day event features a fine art exhibit, live music and dance performances, screen printing demonstrations, and an interactive art game. Where: St Paul Farmers Market, located between East 4th and 5th streets, and Wall and Broadway streets. When: Fall St. Paul Art Crawl | Oct 11-13, 2019 | Friday 6-10pm, Sat 7am-8pm, Sun 8am-5pm.
Twin Cities PBS’s documentary about the development of Lowertown. It was the birthplace of St. Paul and the focal point of the railroad industry built by the like of James J. Hill that made Saint Paul and Minnesota a key hub in America’s rail system. Then it fell into decay and abandonment. How did Lowertown return to vibrancy in the last few decades of the twentieth century? (56 minutes, 40 seconds)
