Students from the Refugee Youth Project worked collaboratively to create six 1.5’ x 3’ mosaics that will be permanently displayed at the Baltimore Resettlement Center. In order to determine the theme for each mosaic, students considered their own experiences coming to America, talked about the help their families receive at the Center, and created designs that welcome incoming refugee populations.
Participants from each site created their own designs (Upton Community: Welcome, Love; Milbrook Elementary: Community, Culture, Family, Home), and students at each site worked together to create a layout for each design, place the tiles, and grout the final mosaics. In addition, all of the students painted tiles that pertain to each theme. These tiles were used as borders or frames for each mosaic. Supplies for the project are made possible by the Walters Art Museum and a grant from Susquehanna Bank.
Showing off mini-mosaic made of buttons and small stones at the Walters!
Close up of tiles placed for Family mosaic
Students and volunteers placing tiles on the Love mosaic at Upton
Home, design on paper
Love, design on paper
Initial drawing for the school in Welcome panel
MIlbrook students placing tiles on the Culture mosaic
Upton grouting tiles on the frame on Love mosaic
Welcome, design on paper
Welcome, mosaic before grouting stage
Welcome design based on students' initial drawings, before creating color schemes
Deciding where to put hand-painted tiles for the mosaic frames at Upton
Wiping grout off the final mosaic - last step!
Family, design on paper
Culture, design on paper