Regula Russelle, 2011 Minnesota Book Artist Award Recipient
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St. Anthony Park Park Falcon Heights Lauderdale Como Park Buglewww.parkbugle.org February 2011 Missing Meet the 2011 Two years after a Minnesota RegulaRegula Falcon Heights man disappeared, no body Book Artist has been found and no arrests have been Award winner RusselleRusselle made. Page 3 By Natalie Zett egula Russelle can’t remember Rexactly when she took her first letterpress class, but one thing this year’s winner of the Minnesota Book Artist Award is sure of, bookmaking changed her life. “It was either 1996 or 1997, and I was at Hamline [University in St. Paul] to get my M.A. in liberal studies,” says the longtime St. Anthony Park resident. “I was also taking bookmaking “Being from an older culture like Europe, you grow up surrounded by things that have been made slowly classes, which included papermaking, with great care and they communicate over centuries.” letterpress and bookbinding, at the —Regula Russelle, 2011 Minnesota Book Artist Award recipient. Minnesota Center for Book Arts Photo by Lori Hamilton [MCBA]. During that time, our granddaughter was born, and I Relax felt like I was in the right city, knew bookmaking is very slow-paced. A from an older culture like Europe, wanted her to be a person in the right people, and was open to this professor friend said that people you grow up surrounded by things possession of a story from the start of Local writer Adam direction,” she says. “At certain times naturally gravitate toward the that have been made slowly with her life, so I made her a book. My Granger looks for the in your life, you become like a medium that goes at the right pace great care and they communicate husband, Michael, wrote the text and mini-moments when magnet and things come together.” for their thinking and feeling, and I over centuries,” she says. One of I did the illustrations and created the She paces and gestures as she think this is true for me and Russelle’s earliest memories is of her he can stop and smell physical book.” talks. Kinetic, yes, but not frenetic. “I bookmaking.” grandmother. “My parents owned a those proverbial Russelle’s speech is lightly feel sometimes that I’m slow-paced Russelle came to the United peppered with purred R’s and her roses. compared to most Americans—and States in the early 1970s. “Being Regula Russelle to 12 Page 5 voice is mellifluous with lots of rises and falls. The accent is hard to pinpoint. “It’s Swiss-German,” she explains. “I was born in Zurich.” L COR For her final graduate school A R R I project, Russelle completed a T D Strong Schools, handmade book. Soon she was N O lecturing to other classes about the E R Strong Communities bookmaking process as she C continued studying at MCBA in St. Paul school district’s proposed plan would move to a downtown Minneapolis. grade 6-8 middle-school program and limit citywide busing “The book arts community is quite inclusive and similar to the city into six attendance areas and end tradition of the old apprenticeship By Kristal Leebrick citywide busing for many of the models,” she says. “When I was Are sixth-graders ready for middle district schools in hopes that students learning how to do it, I was at the school? will attend schools closer to home. center five days a week, working with Get ready for The jury’s out among parents at The district claims that data other people. I wouldn’t be where I lane changes: St. Anthony Park Elementary show low-income and students of am without the Center for Book School, according to Principal Ann color do better at their neighborhood Arts.” Light rail is here Johnson. Families at the school have elementary schools than at magnet Those who have never seen a given a mixed response to the St. Paul schools outside of their community. handmade book are in for a visual Xcel Energy, Qwest and St. Paul Public Schools’ proposal to move Schools in the Como Park and and tactile treat. Too diverse to Regional Water will begin pre- sixth-graders out of elementary St. Anthony Park neighborhoods categorize, these books are various construction work on the west end of school and into middle school would be part of Area E, which shapes, patterns, textures and colors, University Avenue in the coming programs in the district. includes five elementary schools that Hat Trick! but the centerpiece may be the type weeks in preparation of the Central “Some are happy about it,” would become “community” K–5 that’s pressed into the paper, making Corridor light rail transit project. Johnson said, and some are not. schools. Students at those schools (St. the text part of the design, as well as Implementing middle-school Anthony Park, Chelsea Heights, We’ve got scenes Xcel will begin relocating util- the vehicle of the message. ities in mid-February. programs across the district is one Como Park, Galtier and Hamline- from the Langford Russelle established Cedar Fence The work is in advance of heavy part of Superintendent Valeria Silva’s Hancock) would move on to Murray Park Winter Classic Press in 1999, which publishes construction work, which is expected proposed plan to reorganize the Middle School in sixth grade and and a backyard limited-edition books and prints. For to start in mid-March and last about district in an effort to cut costs, Como Park Senior High in ninth hockey tourney. her, bookmaking became both a four weeks, according to Laura increase student achievement and grade. passion and a calling. “I just fell for it Page 10 Baenen, communications manager create greater consistency among Jill Gebeke, principal at Chelsea and knew early on that I could do for the project. schools. Heights Elementary School in Como this for the rest of my life.” She spent Here is a description of the work Called Strong Schools, Strong Park and a former middle-school a year learning all aspects of the art Communities, it would divide the and soon grew proficient in it. “I just Light rail to 8 Strong Schools to 16 2 PARK BUGLE n FEBRUARY 2011 CITY FILES Como Park council with limited resources. She rich website and added the council’s Hall. Nominees need to live in more at CTVNorthSuburbs.org The 2010 Como Park Honor Roll contributed hundreds of hours, never weekly eNews. He has played key Falcon Heights or have done (click on NSCC) or by calling 651- recipients are Marcy Micek, Matt asking for recognition, while showing roles in the Como Water Festival, the volunteer work in Falcon Heights. A 792-7500. Schmitt and Sharon Shinomiya. The remarkable patience with both Como Woodland Outdoor Class- nomination form is available at three neighborhood activists were people and paperwork. Her expertise room, the Como Buckthorn Busts, www.falconheights.org and nomi- St. Anthony Park has professionalized District 10, and honored at a special event Jan. 21 at neighborhood cleanups and National nations are due by March 4. It’s not too late to save money and her cookies are legendary. the University of St. Thomas. Night Out. energy this heating season. Come to Matt Schmitt has contributed Marcy Micek served on District Sharon Shinomiya has made Spice up your Valentine’s Day one of several workshops to learn to the Como Park community for 10’s board from 2007 to 2010. the Como Park neighborhood a celebration at Valentine Couples about the Energy Squad and sign more than 20 years. A District 10 Micek helped build organizational better place in many ways, including Yoga, Saturday, Feb. 12, from 2 to 3 up for a visit. Area workshops board member from 2007 to 2010, capacity by encouraging sound organizing Poet-tree Workshops for p.m. include: Schmitt implemented an outreach financial policies. Her experience in 139 children and planning the The class includes couples yoga • Tuesday, Feb. 8, 6:30-8 p.m., strategy that revitalized the council accounting was valuable to a small rededication of the Kilmer Fireplace, and refreshments following the class. St. Anthony Park Branch Library newsletter, designed a new content- tutoring Chelsea Heights Elementary Bring a yoga mat and a towel. • Saturday, March 12, 10 a.m., students, maintaining the Como Beginners are welcome. Cost is $40 Como Park High School library Steam shoreline and three public gardens, per couple. Pre-register at Falcon • Thursday, March 31, 7-9 p.m., monitoring the Como Park bluebird Heights City Hall by Feb. 4. Call Central High School auditorium melting snow ICE DAM REMOVAL trail, participating in bird surveys, 651-792-7617 for more infor- SAFE • INSURED • SAP RESIDENT launching a tree-appreciation pro- mation. RSVP for the Feb. 8 workshop pooling water gram, and researching and writing a to [email protected] or 651-649- ice dam Saint Anthony Park Como history tour for District 10 Spring-Inspired Messy Art, a class water gets under 5992. shingles causing MASONRY and Como Woodland Outdoor for preschoolers and early elementary leaks and damage Classroom’s websites. students, will be held Saturday, Learn how to be an energy-efficient gutter March 12, at Falcon Heights family at our after-school Energy Falcon Heights Community Park, 2050 Roselawn Carnival Monday, Feb. 28, from CALL MATT / 612-840-4511 AARP volunteers will provide free Ave., from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. 3:30 to 5 p.m. at St. Anthony Park tax-preparation assistance to senior Register by March 7 by calling 651- Elementary School, 2180 Knapp St.