This project was inspired by Isaiah Zagar’s Magic Gardens in Philadelphia, PA and the inclusivity of the PHA community, which includes students whose families originate from all over the globe. We represented this diversity by stamping the word for “peace” into the clay, in as many languages as possible. The art class was small and each of the 11 students was assigned a segment of the mural. The individual segments needed to slide together fluidly and seamlessly, to create the finished mural. This required great teamwork, both aesthetically and technically. We created the large dimensional tree as a group and cut it into pieces, dividing it up amongst the students. They then worked to sculpt additional imagery, bringing their personal segment of the mural to life. The mural was completed with mosaic shards, rolled, glazed, smashed, glued and grouted by the students. It was a very exciting, pride-filled day, when we installed the mural on the wall and got to see the success of their hard work.

Funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) STARS Residency Grant