by Madison Evans
Sartell High School art teacher Erin Phillips of Sartell and her students organized a temporary public art project called “Fill Your Cup” that runs through mid-January.
The goal of the project is for students to see how their art can spread joy by encouraging people to “fill their cups,” a metaphor for engaging in self-care and random acts of kindness.
For the project, Phillips’ art students made and designed ceramic mugs with positive affirmations. They then hid them in places throughout Sartell and St. Stephen. Residents are encouraged to find the hidden mugs through hints posted on the school district’s Sartell-St. Stephen ISD 748 Facebook page.
When lucky participants find cups, they will also see a note describing the project and a QR code directing them to fill out a form online. The form asks the mug finder to share an image of their newfound mug and describe ways they fill their cup. Then the content is shared on the district’s Facebook page.
On social media, the Fill Your Cup project has already had a noticeable positive impact. Pine Meadow Elementary first-grade teacher Cris Drais found a mug in St. Stephen, and her following comment was posted on the district’s Facebook page.
“First graders fill my cup when they share kindness through a hug, hand-drawn picture, help a classmate or do random acts of kindness when they think no one is looking!” Drais wrote. “What a fun project. Thank you to the art class for the new mug.”
Other Facebook comments share appreciation for a creative idea, with some people saying they love the notion of the project.
To create these mugs, art students learned ceramic hand-building techniques. Then they painted their mugs with positive messages, words of affirmation and artistic designs. Finally, they hid the cups outside mainly in local parks and near public buildings.
Art student Kiara Makarrall, 14, of St. Cloud participated in the project and connected to the deep meaning behind filling your cup.
“Fill Your Cup is an event where you get to think about how you fulfill your life and how you make happiness,” Makarrall wrote. “Fill your cup is basically (that) you are the cup, and you are trying to fulfill your life and live to the fullest.”
Makarrall, an aspiring artist, designed her cup with the words “I see you” and a delicately drawn realistic eye that she hopes makes viewers feel seen.
Sartell and St. Stephen residents can participate by checking the district’s Facebook page for hints and looking closely outside for the cups. The future of the event is still yet to be determined, but Phillips can see this being an annual event for students and residents to look forward to each year.
Sartell High School art student Kiara Makarrall, 14, of St. Cloud hopes the person who finds her mug feels seen by her thoughtfully designed artwork for the “Fill Your Cup” public art project.
As part of the “Fill Your Cup” public art project, on Dec. 16 the Sartell-St Stephen School District 748 Facebook page posted a carefully worded hint and picture of a hidden mug in efforts to direct area residents to find the cup at the inclusive playground of Sartell’s Lions Community Park.
This is a close up of the “Fill My Cup” mug created by student Kiara Makarrall.
