One of my favorite activities is working with people, and helping those new to art find moments of self-discovery. The feelings of accomplishment, collaboration and confidence make for successful projects and strong communities.
I’ve also done a number of projects with schools, click the button below to view.
ArtWorksLBC — Healthy Neighborhood Initiative
I have been working with the Rose Park Neighborhood, serving as the Healthy Neighborhood Initiative Liaison. We use art as a conduit to creating community and connection. Projects created in the community go back into the community, either being displayed in public spaces or going to local nonprofits and businesses that support neighborhood activities. Follow this great group on Instagram: @artworkslbc
Piece by Piece
I am happy to be a part of this program that brings mosaic art training to under-served areas of Los Angeles. Founded by Sophie Alpert, Piece by Piece builds both self-confidence and community pride by bringing people together to create mosaic art.
Visit the website: piecebypiece.org
This incredible project revitalized a neglected garden area in one Piece by Piece’s workshop sites. Initially started as lessons on cutting techniques, the project soon took on a life of its own, inspiring over 300 volunteers! Over 500 flowers were created by local participants, mosaic artists across the US, and five different countries. The flowers were composed on mesh and set onto two block walls. The project won Best Community Project at the Mosaic Arts International exhibition during the Society of American Mosaic Artists conference in 2016.
I facilitated two Mosaicathons at the now retired Contemporary Mosaic Arts Summits in Ashland Oregon. Along with the help of new and experienced mosaic-loving friends, we created two wonderful projects for the community. The Ashland Food Bank mural is hanging in the Food Bank which serves the local at-risk and homeless community. The stepping stones are for the Ashland Nature Center, an organization that supports the preservation of the breathtaking scenery and native wildlife in Ashland and the surrounding area.
For two summers, my mosaic partner Luz Mack and I facilitated a series of community mosaic workshops, free to the public. Each month, we would have an environmental/nature theme with a guest speaker. Participants created their own work as well as contributed each month to a community project which was donated to a local nonprofit. See more photos here.
Collaborative Mosaic with members for St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center. I teamed up with fellow pique assiette artist and friend Jolino Beserra to facilitate the annual mosaic marathon project. St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center is a nonprofit that educates and empowers individuals with development disabilities to realize their full potential. We worked with the Center’s artists as well a members of SAMA to make a fun and fanciful entry to the building. Design by Jolino Beserra.
In the summers of 2009 and 2010, I facilitated mosaic workshops through the Summer Night Lights program, where community is fostered through arts, music, dance, and other activities. The Summer Night Lights program is a public and private partnership undertaken by the City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction & Youth Development (“GRYD”) and The GRYD Foundation. Mosaic was wildly popular – workshops sometimes swelled to over 50 participants, and we created some incredible friendships, art, and community. Many thanks to all my friends and colleagues who supported, especially Luz Mack and Bea Jones.
Hillcrest Festival of Fine Arts. It is one of the rare events that has live demonstrations in addition to an exhibit and artists selling their work. A true gem. Visitors to the Festival in early 2020 joined in this project and created this mosaic flower garden using mostly recycled materials.
The First Presbyterian Church of San Bernardino celebrated its 150th anniversary by replacing a missing dove above their church entryway. Luz Mack, Gale Sorensen and I led a community engagement with the congregation on site.
See more here.
