Wednesday, January 4, 2012

CANS FOR TILES

A mosaic project that was originally planned to be
10' X 10' has grown to almost 12' X 40'.  Tiles are the most expensive material and we need a lot of them, so we have been collecting cans to help curb the cost. Many of our students are very eager to collect as many cans in as short amount of time as possible, thereby helping to clean up their community.

When the wire mesh container in the photo is full, I take them to Flagstaff and cash in.  If the cans are crushed, we earn almost $40.  If they're not crushed, we earn about half that.




 The front of our school building used to be a giant wall of plain gray cinder blocks.  Now it serves as a brilliant backdrop for different events that are held in our sandy front yard throughout the school year. At times, it is an interesting conversation piece for visitors during various extracurricular events, and children are often seen slowly meandering along the wall as they are captivated by the many dazzling colors and textures.






Weather dictates how frequently we can work on our mosaics. It can be too cold, too windy, too hot and dry, or too wet. And getting set up to work on the wall takes time, so it's important to get a reliable forecast and some good weather.
Creating public and permanent artwork can be very memorable for young students, and they can visit the piece for years to come.