City of Dana Point Mosaic

Twenty years ago I could not have done this. Not because I had to work, more that I lacked the patience, confidence, and even vision for a creative life. Yet this is the direction my later years are taking. I don’t know what’s better: living it or witnessing it. There’s a certain amount of awe that comes from witnessing it. Like wow, I manifested this. These pieces are all coming together. But of course, living it is always better. Especially when living it includes working side-by-side with a group of artists on a public works project.

Mia Tavonatti, a local but world-renowned artist, is building a mosaic for the risers of the staircase in Lantern Bay Park, Dana Point. Community art projects such as these often don’t exist without a team of volunteers. When I first met Mia, at a meeting about the conception of a book club of all things, I was intimidated. When I started to get to know her I thought, she’s going to take me further into the creative world. When she asked if I wanted to be one of her volunteers, I said YES! So now, and well into the New Year, I’m spending 2 days a week with her and her team making this gorgeous mosaic.

So what does the mosaic look like and how do we build it? A small scale watercolor of the design, shown here, was submitted and approved by the Dana Point Arts Commission. The mosaic is being built top down in 4’ x 8’ sections. Each section contains 9 stair risers. Later the sections will be cut into individual risers. When you stand at the bottom of the staircase and look up you’ll see the design in its entirety. Cool, huh?

The mosaic is ceramic, for durability, with other fun pieces such as fused glass sprinkled in. Ceramic pieces are being made by hand so my days are full of rolling clay, shaping pieces, drying, sanding, bisque firing, glazing, and glaze firing. And that’s all before the pieces can be added to the mosaic. Later, I may work on constructing the mosaic itself.

In the summer of 2021, after a few years of trying to put myself on a creative path, I set an intention. Build a local creative community for myself. I had no idea the how, what, and who. I became impatient and a bit frustrated thinking it would never happen. But now, looking back, I realize my days have been full of small baby steps, all moving in the direction of this intention. And wow, 15 months later, here I am.

Photos courtesy of Mia Tavonatti Productions