Williamstown school Mosaic mural (2020)
This mosaic mural was commissioned by Artsbridge, Inc. and installed in the cafeteria of a new elementary school in Williamstown, WV. It was made from glass, ceramic, and porcelain that was donated by the community over the course of several months. Being that the school was built on the former site of the Fenton glass factory, several Fenton glass pieces were used in the mural to pay homage to the town’s industrial past. Community members helped break down donated objects into small pieces and sort them by color.
The design process began by giving the students a set of questions about their school and educational experience. They were instructed to respond with a drawing or a short paragraph. Around 100 submissions were collected from 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. The submissions were then categorized into several different overarching themes. The three most common themes were: spending time with friends, school subjects, and the school mascot and slogan. Three different designs were created based on these themes and the students voted on which design would become the mural. They ultimately chose the design that incorporated friendship as well as the mascot and slogan.
