St. Croix River residents with stories about the river near Marine on St. Croix are asked to share them with artist Susan Armington. Armington is currently an artist-in-residence at the Pine Needles cabin, and is seeking inspiration from the river and its people for a big new project.

Armington is working on a project called “River Maps,” which will explore the geography and human connections to three Minnesota rivers: the Mississippi, the Lac qui Parle, and the St. Croix. A similar project in 2004 resulted in a 6′ x 9′ map of the Twin Cities, featuring the Mississippi River.

I talked with Armington and her collaborator Bonnie Ploger at Pine Needles yesterday afternoon. They will be working at the cabin through next week, and have already fallen in love with the place. Because of the unique nature of the St. Croix, Armington is still developing her concept for what this area’s map might include. But she knows it will need the stories of the people who know and love the river.

Stories can include childhood memories, wildlife encounters, canoe adventures, and many other types of memories focused on the river.

Collaborators and the public will be invited to a hands-on event along the river this fall to create art (no experience required) and otherwise celebrate St. Croix creativity. Stay tuned for more details about that event.

Share your story

Susan is requesting 1-2 page handwritten stories on white paper for the project. By sending them to her, submitters give her permission to include them in her work. Please include your name and contact information. Send to:

Susan Armington
5005 16th Ave. S
Minneapolis, MN 55417

Alternatively, handwritten stories can be scanned and emailed to her at armington007@gmail.com.