For ages I have had this idea of using mosaics as a way of promoting a sense of community and belonging…
The idea has rumbled in my head for years…to create a mosaic trail round a neighbourhood, inviting people to make a mosaic that depicts a community symbol…
…and for the mosaics that are made to be displayed in people’s porches, front of houses, windows..so that over time, a trail develops and people walk around seeing the community mosaics here and there and wondering “Why do I keep seeing that, what is it about?” or feeling “We have a community around us, we are part of something bigger“.
Then it struck me, not only do we have a thriving community right here in our neighbourhood, which boasts its own Yahoo group 1500 strong, an annual Festival and Fun Day (coming up this Saturday!), but we also have a symbol! If you draw a line around the boundary of our ward (the smallest political division of land in the UK), it makes the form of a kite. For years, the Furzedown Kite has been used as a symbol of the neighbourhood.
So…for the last 4 weeks, past Glittering Shards students from the neighbourhood and myself have gathered in in my studio to cut glass and tiles in preparation for the first Furzedown Mosaic Trail!
I advertised it for the first time this week and immediately, people started to book and email to say how they thought it was such a wonderful idea.
The mosaic trail comes out of feeling passionately that art (making and owning) should be a communal, not just individual, experience. This is just a small way of contributing to that.
If you are local, all the details are here.
If you are not local, why not start one in your neighbourhood?
10 responses
BRILLIANT! I love this!
Thank you Laura 😉
I love that. I think that mosaic is a particularly good symbol too, like patchwork it is made up of tiny pieces coming together to make a whole. I totally LOVE your mosaic trail – its like a coming together, and it willl bring magic with it. (not that you are lacking magic! – but more is always awesome!!)
Thanks for the encouragement Moyra and more magic is grand – send it my way!! x
I am very proud of you! Will be nice to have a trail map out to follow and hope you become a cult figure like the Gromits in Bristol!
Thank you Anya! Yes, we are planning a map at some point!
Beautiful idea Concetta – lovely to do community work – so uplifting ! X
Thanks Mel 🙂
Hello. Great Idea. I would love to join in the kite trail. I coordinate a couple of groups in Perth Western Australia including the State branch of the Mosaic Association (MAANZ). We are planning a workshop in the next few weeks and will make kites and start a trail in Perth.