Soquel Bridge Middle School Mosaics Celebrated Friday

In 75 years maybe they will hold a celebration for the Soquel Avenue Bridge like its gold-painted counterpart saw last weekend.

Well, maybe not quite that big. But Friday Santa Cruzans will be out in force to celebrate the work of Mission Hill Middle School students who designed and built 90 mosaics to decorate the once-plain crossing over the San Lorenzo River.

The project was organized by artist Kathleen Crossetti, who last year did the same for the Water Street Bridge. The theme of the art on the Soquel Bridge is the agriculture of the Santa Cruz area and includes 14 inch by 41 inch colorful mosaics displayed along the entire structure.

The official opening will be 4-5 p.m. Friday and everyone is invited to meet the artists.

Crocetti used the public sponsorship website Kickstarter.com to raise $5,686 starting in February from 87 contributors, including Santa Cruz Patch, to pay for the art.

Last year the theme on the Water Street Bridge was endangered animals. See a video of the project here.

rocetti also got the students involved in government, holding meetings to pick a theme and to narrow down the mosaics that would make it into the display. The meetings included donators, students and Vice Mayor Hilary Bryant, giving the kids a real chance to understand the processes by which public decisions are made.