Apollo-Ridge Education Foundation awarded grants for student public art program

The Apollo-Ridge Education Foundation received grants totaling almost $9,000 from the Grable Foundation and Allegheny Ridge Corp. for an artist-in-residence program and the district's special arts program for public murals.

Apollo-Ridge art students will continue to work with artists to create two murals this spring. One is 20 by 40 feet and other is expected to be larger.

The artwork will be installed on buildings in Apollo this year near the intersection of First Street and Astronaut Way.

The project is a collaboration between Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Artspath program and the Apollo-Ridge Education Foundation.

The grants will pay for artist fees and mural project supplies with the foundation picking up the balance of the expenses, said Cristine Kostiuk, president of the education foundation.

Apollo-Ridge students will soon set up a Facebook page with Shaler Area students who are also working on a mural through the IUP program.

“We're getting a lot of collaboration from a lot of areas,” Kostiuk said.

Last year, local artist Laura Jean McLaughlin worked with seventh- and eighth-grade students on seven mosaic murals made of tile.

They depicted historic people and places of Apollo. Some of all of those pieces will be incorporated in at least one of the murals.

Mary Ann Thomas is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-226-4691, mthomas@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MaThomas_Trib.