Oak Tree Native California Animals School Mosaic Mural
Oak Tree and Native California Animals, 10’x11′, this community built mosaic mural was made with handmade ceramic tiles created by hundreds of students at Marin Country Day School (MCDS) in the Spring of 2018. All students in grades K-12 participated in the creation of the mural by making ceramic tiles or piecing small mosaic elements to be integrated into a cohesive whole.
After months 6 months of work the mosaic mural is installed on the LRC (Learning Resource Center) wall!! The mosaic mural is ready for students to come back to school in September and see their gorgeous and epic handiwork. You can really see in the mosaic that an entire school participated in its creation. You can tell that each handmade ceramic tile was the creative effort of one student.
Mosaic Mural Elements
In this community built mosaic mural art project – over 600 hundred of students assist with creation of tile and piecing mosaic mural of oak tree and native California animals. Mosaic artist Sophia Othman was facilitated this school based community built mosaic mural art project. Mosaic of handmade ceramic tile, glass gems, stone, mirror, and broken ceramic tile. The mosaic mural includes many design elements including California native oak tree, quercas lobata, western mule deer with two fawns, native gray squirrel and gray foxes, red tailed hawk, horned owl, butterflies, mosaic moths, bees, oak leaves, California poppies, and mosaic tree bark.
Oak Mosaic Mural Backstory
The mosaic mural is a parting gift dedicated in honor of the school’s retiring Head Of School, Lucinda Lee Katz. We estimate that over 600 students (Kindergarten to Eighth Grade) and staff were involved directly in the making of the mosaic. The project started in December, 2017 and was permanently installed on a wall of the Learning Resource Center building (LRC) on August 2nd, 2018. For more about how we designed the mosaic and which grades created which mosaic design elements read this post.
Here are some photos from the installation process recently completed.
Mosaic Mural Completed Installation in August 2018
These photos of the installation process showing the progression from bare cement board frame and how we install one mosaic fiberglass section at at time like a giant puzzle. The metal frame and cement board backing was fabricated by Don Carlson, who has been incredibly supportive during the installation process.
Installation team included Siram and Carol Bevilacqua. Mosaic production assistance by Siram.
The Library building with the mosaic mural frame ready to go. The scaffold, loaned to us by Don Carlson, was essential to getting the job done.
Mosaic work in progress during the in studio phase of the creation of the mosaic mural.
Handmade ceramic tile created by students along with mosaic elements pieced by groups of students are combined to create the larger mosaic mural. In my mosaic studio in progress pics of the mosaic making process.
After the in studio mosaic piecing for the mural, I have 33 mosaic mural sections that fit like a puzzle ready to be installed on the library building’s wall.
Our mosaic mural installation team included artists Siram, and Carol Bevilaqua. The first two mosaic sections are mortared in, 31 sections more to go!
Lower quarter of the mosaic mural is mortared installed.
The last two sections of the mosaic mural are left to be installed.
The last “keystone” mosaic section left to install. I love the soaring red tailed hawk mosaic which was pieced by a group of students.
The install team is tired but happy. All sections of the mosaic mural are mortared and ready to grout. Much thanks to install team mates Siram and Carol Bevilacqua.
School Mosaic Mural Installation Process – Grouting All Done – I’m one tired and happy mosaic artist!
School mosaic mural is finally installed, grouted, sealed, and job site cleaned up.
Detail view of the mosaic mural showing the mosaic quails and jackrabbit. The California poppies were handmade tile created by second grade students. The butterfly handmade tiles were created by third grade students and some adult staff and parents. The oak leaf handmade tiles were created by kindergarten students, first grade students, and 4th grade students.
