Northern Leopard frog

After more than 300 hours of fabrication, the Northern Leopard Frog installation arrived in Fridley in early August 2025. This vibrant, six-foot-tall public artwork, created by Jessica Turtle, the founder of Treehaus Studio, found its permanent home at Moore Lake Park, surrounded by native plants.

As a public artist based in the Midwest, Turtle has embraced the region's folk traditions of mosaic art in her large sculptures. She takes pleasure in crafting vibrant, textured, and narrative-driven mosaic artworks, meticulously making and placing each tile used in her creations.

The sculpture represents Minnesota's state amphibian, the Northern leopard frog, a species that thrives only in areas with high water quality. Its presence at Moore Lake serves as a reminder of the vital connection between clean water, wildlife, and healthy communities.

This project was made possible by the Rice Creek Watershed District and the Fridley Public Arts Commission.