Middle School Studio Lesson
MOSAIC
MESSAGES
Through the generosity of a Lowes Toolbox for Educa- tion Grant and a grant from the Bill Graham Foundation,
we were able to create and install
an interdisciplinary mosaic mural
at our school. In
anticipation of this
effort, my principal at Riverview
Middle School first
sent me to a mosaic
workshop at the
Philadelphia Magic Gardens, where
we actually made a mosaic mural as
part of the workshop. I could not have
completed our school mural without
Annemarie Baldauf
Continued on page 48.
having taken this workshop.
The first step for our mural was
to have the plan approved by vari-
ous district administrators, includ-
ing the district building and grounds
department. There
were forms to be
filled out, liabil-
ity concerns to
be addressed, and
a drawing of the
project to be sub-
mitted. The actual
mural, which fea-
tured a theme of nurturing students
through music, art, sports, science,
and math, took about three months
to complete—one month to make the
It was gratifying to have
the place where I worked
show an appreciation of
the arts and be willing
to send me off to learn
a new skill.
Materials
clay •
assorted glazes •
buckets •
sponges •
gloves •
assorted stamps •
assorted cookie cutters •
tile adhesive •
grout with sand •
slab roller •
