Creative Placemaking is partnering with local artist Sandy Spieler and Dakota cultural educator Tara Perron (Tanaǧidaŋ To Wiŋ), to create a stunning four-sided mural and install a living Indigenous Garden at the Old Cedar Avenue Bridge trailhead shelter. This mural is part of the Creative Placemaking's initiative to bring beauty, identity, and community spirit to the South Loop District. The mural’s theme invites us to think about the word “bridge” not just as a structure, but as something we can be—a connector across time, cultures, and relationships.
Each wall of the building will reflect a different part of this story:
- Home: Honoring the Dakhóta land and the passage of time
- Kinship: Celebrating the connections among all living things
- Water: Recognizing water as a source of life and connection
- People: Healing through the spirit of cedar, a sacred plant
Community voices and insights from a July 2024 engagement event will be woven into the artwork, along with imagery such as flowing water, egrets, Dakota words and other languages, and symbols of cultural significance.
As part of the community engagement surrounding the mural project, an Indigenous garden will be established near the Trailhead building. This garden will feature native and culturally significant plants, offering a living space to learn about the deep connections between land, culture, and healing. In partnership with local Indigenous knowledge keepers, the project will also include educational programming to teach traditional seed saving techniques—practices that preserve biodiversity, honor ancestral wisdom, and support food sovereignty for future generations.
Meet the Artists
- Sandy Spieler is a long-time community artist known for thoughtful, place-based public art.
- Tara Perron (Tanaǧidaŋ To Wiŋ) brings important cultural and historical grounding through her Dakota heritage and storytelling.
