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MENUCHA
PEBBLE MOSAIC PROJECT
Hera International continues to create real life learning opportunites for students in Clackamas/Multnomah counties. |
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MENUCHA PEBBLE MOSAIC PROJECT
Anna Meyrick is a professional mosaic artist. She was invited to teach at the Menucha Retreat Center for Creative Arts Community,an adult art camp in existence since 1966. www.creativeartscommunity.org
Anna was the first mosaic artist invited to teach there. At the end of the camp, Anna was approached by the director and asked if she would look at the labyrinth Menucha was constructing. The labyrinth was in need of a 10 foot diameter center and they were interested in having Anna help design it. Anna is always looking for ways to include her students with hands-on projects, so she agreed to take on the challenge as long as she could include students. The staff at Menucha enthusiastically agreed. Curriculum and lesson plans in the areas of geography, geology, mathematics, history, social studies, English and stone masonry were created to accompany the project. The students worked in design teams and gained an understanding of the process of creating a large scale installment for a client. The pebble mosaic includes 6 pebble mosaic petals and the center as 5 foot mosaic of the Menucha symbol. The labyrinth design was patterned after the "Chartes Labyrinth" in France. |
Scott Crane, the Program Director at Menucha,
explaining to the students the process
involved in creating such a large labyrinth.
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A group of 10 students were picked by Anna the beginning of May. After some research, practicing on stepping stones, the design team was ready to take on the challenge of creating a large installation piece.
Anna and her students worked 4 hours a day, 4 days a week until the project was complete. It was quite the learning process. Rocks had to be sorted, diagrams and templates created, mortar mixed, concrete set, fences created, patterns worked out and teamwork had to prevail. We soon discovered who had what skills and fell into a work routine that was productive and entertaining.
The project was completed June 11, 2008, it was delievered to Menucha on June 27, 2008 .
It is all about learning the PROCESS.
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One final check with the template before we begin construction. |
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After we fiqured out how to make our one inch sample design into a 10 foot pattern, we were ready to cut the forms. Cutting through cement board was challenging. Scott did an excellent job. |
 The pattern had to be exact. We had to cut off the overlapping parts. |
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The base of our pattern laid out and ready to go.
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We used Montana river rock. It comes in a bag of mixed colors and shapes. We spent some time sorting out the rocks so we could create a pattern.
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We had to create a 2 inch fence to go around each petal. We had to problem solve to fiqure out the best material and method. A student had a cardboard box from a new T.V. Perfect! The students had to cut 2 inch running strips, cover them with black plastic and use duct tape to keep it all together. |
Creating a center pattern with some old posters and doing some clean-up. |
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Each petal design was laid out before it was set in the concrete.
We had 6 petals to complete and had to sort and search for enough rocks to complete them.
Plenty of fun was had during this part! |
Once we started putting the rocks in the wet concrete, we had to work together as a team. It was important to pay attention to detail and the process of the pattern. Not as easy as it sounds with 5 sets of hands applying stone. |
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 After the stones are set, we had to remove any concrete that was higher than the rock level. We are preparing the mosaic for grouting. |
One of the problems facing us during this project was how to get the Menucha symbol in the wet concrete and still have the ability to see the design. We came up with creating an overhead projection and tracing it on paper. |
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The 6 completed petals. The center laid out and ready to be transferred to concrete. The paper stencil was cut out so the black lines could be seen. The pattern was then cut in half, so we could fit it to each form. |
We had to put the concrete in and have it perfectly flat and straight so we could lay the pattern on top. |
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Centering the pattern. |
We put the black outline rocks in first. Then we removed the template and filled in the color according to the pattern laid out on the floor. |
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Filling in pattern. |
Students grouting first half of Menuch symbol. |
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completed center |
Resting and waiting to be installed at Menucha |
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Bringing mosaic from truck. |
One final measurement before we install. |
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.  Putting in center. |
Grouting the seams |
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Center in. |
Just add water! The negative space will be filled in before the
July 20th, 2008 dedication ceremony. |
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It was over 100 degrees when we installed! The work crew got to cool off in the pool when we were finished! |
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Dedication Day
Sunday, July 20, 2008 |
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The foremen |
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