Mosaic Sculpture Wall at Riverside Park
From Arts in Guelph - May/June, 2006
by Anna Contini
It has brought together people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, and will culminate in the creation of a legacy art piece dedicated to the City of Guelph. A large mosaic sculpture wall is currently being created and will be installed at the Guelph Enabling Garden (GEG) in Riverside Park. It is a fine example of a community-wide project reflecting diversity, creativity and co-operation.
Spark of Brilliance is a program that brings together individuals and offers opportunities to "connect with one's creative spark" within a community milieu. At the helm is Spark of Brilliance Founder Judith Rosenberg, who first conceived of the sculpture project along with local artist Barbara Guy Long. The pair had visited Scotland in 2002 and became inspired by a mosaic sculpture on the outer wall of a school where Barbara's granddaughter was attending.
Shortly after returning, Rosenberg set the wheels in motion to design, create and install a mosaic on the outer wall of the new tool shed at GEG. Spark of Brilliance was already a partner of GEG with two ground beds at Riverside Park. This past fall, Rosenberg brought together a committee of ceramic, stained glass and mixed media artists, in addition to a cross-section of individuals from the business, arts and mental health communities. Spark of Brilliance formed partnerships with groups such as Action Read, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Guelph, Aids Committee of Guelph, Stonehenge, Homewood and the Glass Guild of Guelph. Local sculptor Goldie Sherman has acted as Project Manager offering workshops throughout the winter and spring in her Vessels Studio as well as at the Evergreen Seniors Centre.
A skeletal concept for the design of the sculpture was developed incorporating artistic expression of all cultures and peoples living in the community. The wall will be eleven feet wide by seven feet high. The final design will depict the garden environment including the elements of water, air, living creatures, floral and fauna, earth, rock, trees, and sun and will incorporate glass, shells and other elements of nature. "We felt it was important to honour not only the natural environment but also the native and multicultural communities of Guelph," says Rosenberg. The body of the wall will be made up of six-inch square tiles, bordered by seven-inch square multicultural cultural tiles.
Rosenberg is grateful for the community support that the project has received such as the donation of 500 pounds of stained glass and mirror. She anticipates that the project will take a full year including assembly, grouting and installation. "We live in a most amazing, diverse and welcoming city and it is our desire to honour and celebrate the beautiful aspects of all of our cultures and groups by joining together in a creative project as this," she says. In addition to creating their own tiles, individuals can donate $20 to commemorate a deceased person or a newborn by having a clay tile inscribed.
The Mosaic Sculpture Wall is a project of which we call all be proud, and another reminder that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts!
For more information about the Mosaic Sculpture Wall please call Judith Rosenberg, Spark of Brilliance (519) 766-4450, ext. 237.