This project focuses on creating high quality sculptures and paintings that reflect the input and diversity of residents, artists, community members, and business owners in and around Little Africa in St. Paul’s Hamline-Midway neighborhood. By using multi-disciplinary techniques, fabrics, patterns and colors, artists will lead an interactive community-based process leading up to and during the fifth annual Little Africa Festival in August 2018. The artists’ goal is to find different ways to look at the world and reflect on African cultures’ rural and urban life through artistic expression. The project will be held in Hamline Park, which is located along the intersection of Snelling Ave. and Thomas Ave.

About the artists: 

Sara Endalew is a multidisciplinary artist, photographer, and graphic designer. She received her degree in fine arts from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. Sara’s art defines time, place, and culture. She has worked with a wide variety of materials and mediums, including printing, painting, woodwork, graphics and more. Million G Tato worked on the first phase of this project and is a self-taught artist from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Drawing and painting since he was very young, he has been involved in many exhibitions in Ethiopia. For the past decade, he has worked as a studio artist focused on contemporary modern art, pyrography (wood burn), glass engraving and sculpture. Ephrem Mamecha joined the project in May 2018. Born in Ethiopia, he graduated from Addis Ababa University School of Fine Art and Design and has worked for different digital advertising agencies as a Graphic Designer. Ephrem has also had several group and solo art exhibition including at the Habesha Art Gallery and National Museum Addis Ababa Ethiopia. Ephrem moved to the US in 2008.