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What are you using for materials?
What are you using for materials?
We are using thinset mortar to adhere tiles, plate shards, objects and a variety of donations that we have received for this mosaic. We then use sanded grout to fill in the cracks, paint, and polyurethane on anything that is painted or objects with porous surfaces. We first sealed the wall with a strong sealant, Ardex AM 100 and Ardex 8+9, which will help ensure a long lasting future for this mosaic.
Public art always comes at a risk. Mortar is a resilient material, as we see it used with brick in buildings that have lasted many years. However, some of the lifespans of the objects included have different life expectancies. We anticipate this mosaic lasting many years to come, outlasting many of its painted mural companions, and also evolving some within the objects themselves.
Will it “last”?
Will it “last”?
Public art always comes at a risk. Mortar is a resilient material, as we see it used with brick in buildings that have lasted many years. However, some of the lifespans of the objects included have different life expectancies. We anticipate this mosaic lasting many years to come, outlasting many of its painted mural companions, and also evolving some within the objects themselves.
Can I add an object?
Can I add an object?
We are so moved and grateful for the contributions we have received in support of this project. We are at our grouting stage at this time, and are no longer accepting object donations. However, we understand that for many people, this mosaic was an opportunity to commemorate a loved one or a moment in time with their donated object. We want this piece to continue to speak to the broad community, and can make some exceptions on a case by case basis. If you have a special object you feel is important to include, please reach out, but know that at this stage in our process, there is no guarantee that we can include it.
Did you have a plan, or did you make it up as you went along?
Did you have a plan, or did you make it up as you went along?
A little of both! We held several visioning sessions [ link here ] where we solicited ideas from community members about what the park means to them, the history of the park they would like to see highlighted, and what they would like to see included in the mosaic. From these conversations, we identified an overwhelming theme of water and a general desire for the mosaic to reflect a sense of place. We pulled our tying visual theme from the landscape of the Connecticut River, which drove so much of Brattleboro’s founding commerce, but is not visible from Pliny Park. You can see other themes which came up in our community conversations, including references to the Dunkin Donuts which once stood there, repetition of the circles which appear in Pliny Park, and wildlife. But much of the design was guided by the donations we received, so our original design was always loose enough to make room for new visuals.
Yeah, but what is it of? Is it all abstract?
Yeah, but what is it of? Is it all abstract?
Especially pre-grout-lines, the image is pretty abstract! And we enjoy a level of abstraction. However, we do have a general design. You can read about our community engagement that led us to this visual on our Project Story page. Here is the design that we are working from! Some of this was drawn in advance, and some was drawn after we began working with the donated objects and on the wall.
How long did it take?
How long did it take?
There are several phases to this project, from planning, to workshops, to fundraising, to wall prep, to actually putting the pieces on the wall. We have been planning this project for a year, hosted four preliminary events, and it took us three days to get the wall ready for the mosaic (prep work). Putting the objects on the wall with the thinset mortar took a little less than two weeks. We have scheduled a week to grout.
Who is funding this?
Who is funding this?
Epsilon Spires invited us - Mary and Corrine - to lead this project in the summer of 2023. We launched a campaign through the Better Places Program on a platform called Patronicity. The community - perhaps including you - pooled their funds to reach one third of the budget, which was matched 2 to 1 through the Better Places Program. The wall is provided through the generosity of the Brattleboro Chamber of Commerce. We - Mary and Corrine - are both independent artists who have individual art practices. Epsilon Spires has continued to host us locally, and all our thousands of objects, as we create this massive artwork.
How do I get involved?
How do I get involved?
We have had a variety of very successful community events and workshops. Thank you to all who came! At this time, we need to buckle down and get the grouting completed. We invite all who are interested to join us for the celebratory event on Friday, September 6th. The best way to support this effort is to spread the word of our funding gap, essential funds we need to get back down there and tie off this project. If you have grouting experience and/ or have spent time with us working at the wall, feel free to reach out directly to plug into our grouting schedule. Please note, we do not have the capacity to train additional volunteers at this time.
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