 |
Mayor Kelly unveils design for "LINUS BLANKETS SAINT PAUL," the 2003 summer-long public art initiative in Saint Paul
February 14, 2003 Saint Paul, MN -- Mayor Randy Kelly today announced that ever-endearing philosopher, "Linus", one of the primary characters of the famed PEANUTS comic strip, created by Charles M. Schulz, will grace the streets of Saint Paul during the summer of 2003. "Linus Blankets Saint Paul," will include 104 creatively designed statues placed throughout the sidewalks, plazas, parks and streets of Saint Paul (similar to the past three years with the Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Lucy statues). The Linus statues will be painted at the Artist Paint-Off scheduled for May 21 - 26 at RiverCentre where there will be designated public hours. The Linus statues will reach their destinations on the streets of Saint Paul during the first few weeks of June after many of them take part in the Grand Old Day parade.
Design plans unveiled today at TivoliToo Design & Sculpting Studio show a classic posed Linus, holding his beloved "security blanket," which will be inviting for visitors and will encourage children to get a hug. Linus Van Pelt, Lucy's younger brother, is the intellectual of the gang who flabbergasts his friends with his philosophical revelations and solutions to problems. He is a paradox: despite his age, he can put life into perspective while sucking his thumb. He knows the true meaning of Christmas while continuing to believe in the Great Pumpkin.
The Schulz Family chose Linus as this year's character with a unanimous vote. Mentioned in the last panel of Schulz's final strip, along with the characters from the other three past Saint Paul tributes (Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and Lucy), Linus was the next logical choice for the yearly tribute.
Also proposed today was a possible 2004 conclusion of the yearly statue program for Saint Paul's Tribute to Charles M. Schulz. Which character will be chosen as the last and final character in 2004 remains under wraps.
Statues will once again be painted by local artists and sponsored by area businesses, ultimately being auctioned off at the end of September at the Mall of America. Auction proceeds are funding the Charles M. Schulz Fund that was established to create and maintain permanent bronze sculptures of the PEANUTS gang and funding scholarships for artists and emerging cartoonists at the Art Instruction School where Schulz attended and taught and at the College of Visual Arts. A special unveiling ceremony of the bronze PEANUTS statues will be held in Landmark Plaza later this summer after its official opening in May.
Last year's summer art celebration brought visitors from virtually all fifty states and from sixty countries around the world. Nearly 1 million people from all corners of the globe visited Saint Paul last year to see the Lucy statues. Many events are planned surrounding the "Linus Blankets Saint Paul" initiative and the Snoopy Dog House Information Center will again be located at the Science Museum of Minnesota in downtown Saint Paul and will be open from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily.
"Saint Paul is proud to continue this tribute and Linus will be a great addition to the streets of Saint Paul. I look forward to another great summer filled with visitors that help foster community pride in our city. This is a very special initiative and we are happy to be able to enjoy the magic of it in Saint Paul," said Mayor Kelly.
"The highlight of my year is to return to Saint Paul each summer and witness the interaction of children with the PEANUTS statues. This year, Linus will bring a sense of security to the streets, long with his profound wisdom. The Schulz Family is proud to continue this tribute to Charles M. Schulz and wishes to thank all those who helped make it happen," said Craig Schulz.
The Capital City Partnership and the City of Saint Paul in partnership with the Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau, and TivoliToo Design & Sculpting Studios present "Linus Blankets Saint Paul."
Additional "Linus Blankets Saint Paul" information can be found on the www.ilovesaintpaul.com website or via the Linus Hotline at 651-291-5608.
This program carries a TV-G parental guideline.
|
|
|
 |
.gif)
.gif)
