Mosaic Projects

How Clayworx Community Mosaic Projects Got Started

Visiting Philadelphia

In the summer of 2010, a dedicated group of volunteers and our first employee took a road trip to Philadelphia. They toured Philly’s The Clay Studio and met with its Executive Director.

Walking the streets of Philadelphia, the group was captivated by the city’s many mosaics and its world renowned Magic Gardens. The experience opened up new creative possibilities for members of the LPG at London Clay Art Centre.

The Mosaic Seed was Planted

On the way home in the van, the group discussed the possibility of creating a similarly impressive mosaic at London Clay Art Centre. A member of the travelling team placed a photo of one of Zagar’s mosaics on her fridge. It was a constant reminder of the possibility for something grand at LCAC. Six years later the opportunity presented itself, the postcard sprung to mind, and...the rest is history!

The postcard that started it all!

In 2016, a year in advance of Canada’s 150th birthday celebration, various levels of government offered grant opportunities to fund projects related to the sesquicentennial. While attending an information session about funding through the Government of Ontario, the memory of the postcard morphed into the vision for a monumental mosaic on the northeast wall of London Clay Art Centre - the idea for the Canada 150 mosaic was born. Two successful grant submissions allowed us to hire Artist Coordinators, Susan Day and Beth Turnbull Morrish in 2017 who fulfilled the vision set out in the grants. Eight months after the official project start date LCAC's Canada 150 mosaic was unveiled to the public.

Turnbull Morrish and Day in Philadelphia learning mosaic installation techniques.

In 2017, artists Beth Turnbull Morrish and Susan Day, went to Philadelphia to attend a mosaic installation workshop with Isaiah Zagar, the artist behind The Magic Garden in Philadelphia where our vision originated. The technical information they learned from Zagar was critical to the structural integrity of LCAC's finished piece, taking into consideration the severe temperature fluctuations we experience in Southwestern Ontario.

A Legacy Community Art Installation

We are proud of the contribution we are making to London’s public art landscape and will continue to develop community art projects that reflect the uniqueness of its many members.

Photos of Canada 150 Mosaic by photographer Preston Gervais