How LCAC's Community Mosaic Projects Got Started
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London Clay Art Centre (LCAC) first opened its doors in September 2009. At that time, only the first floor had been renovated. It accommodated all of our programming from the open studio for London Potters Guild (LPG) studio-users and a few small rental spaces to classes and workshops and a modest office space where the LCAC retail store now resides. The same year, we hired our first staff person who organized many aspects of the day-to-day operations at the building with guidance from the Board of Directors. At that time, it was an operational board; every person who sat on the board provided hours of functional input to run our many educational programs, outreach efforts, partnership development, special events, grant writing, fundraising initiatives, etc. |
First classes at LCAC, Oct. 2009
Original office, now LCAC store
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Before the LPG purchased 664 Dundas Street and renovated it into London Clay Art Centre, groups of volunteers took it upon themselves to visit ceramic art facilities in the U.S. and gained inspiration from places in New York, North Carolina, Virginia, and California. They met with artists and organizers, took photos, and brought their learnings and enthusiasm back to London. Every exploratory adventure helped us formulate the vision for what LCAC has become.
Visiting Philadelphia
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In the summer of 2010, another dedicated group of volunteers and our first employee took a road trip to Philadelphia. They toured Philly’s The Clay Studio and met with its Executive Director. The Clay Studio was and still is the model for many of the things we do at LCAC.
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The Clay Studio, Philadelphia
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Walking the streets of Philadelphia, the group was captivated by the city’s many mosaics and its world renowned Magic Gardens. The experience opened up new creative possibilities for members of the LPG at London Clay Art Centre.
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Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) is an immersive mixed media art environment that is completely covered with mosaics. The creator, Isaiah Zagar, used handmade tiles, bottles, bicycle wheels, mirror, and international folk art to chronicle his life and influences. The space is made up of two indoor galleries and a bi-level outdoor sculpture garden.” |
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The Mosaic Seed was Planted
On the way home in the van, the group discussed the possibility of creating a similarly impressive mosaic at London Clay Art Centre. A member of the travelling team placed a photo of one of Zagar’s mosaics on her fridge. It was a constant reminder of the possibility for something grand at LCAC. Six years later the opportunity presented itself, the postcard sprung to mind, and...the rest is history!
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The postcard that started it all!
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In 2016, a year in advance of Canada’s 150th birthday celebration, various levels of government offered grant opportunities to fund projects related to the sesquicentennial. While attending an information session about funding through the Government of Ontario, the memory of the postcard morphed into the vision for a monumental mosaic on the northeast wall of London Clay Art Centre - the idea for the Canada 150 mosaic was born. Two successful grant submissions allowed us to hire artist coordinators in 2017 who fulfilled the vision set out in the grants. Eight months after the official project start date LCAC's Canada 150 mosaic was unveiled to the public.
Turnbull Morrish and Day in Philadelphia learning mosaic installation techniques.
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Surrendipitously, in 2017 LCAC's two Canada 150 artist-coordinators, Beth Turnbull Morrish and Susan Day, went to Philadelphia to attend a mosaic installation workshop with Isaiah Zagar, the artist behind The Magic Garden in Philadelphia where our vision originated. The technical information they learned from Zagar was critical to the structural integrity of LCAC's finished piece, taking into consideration the severe temperature fluctuations we experience in Southwestern Ontario.
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A Legacy Community Art Installation
We are proud of the contribution we are making to London’s public art landscape and will continue to develop community art projects that reflect the uniqueness of its many members. Please visit LCAC's:
Photos of Canada 150 Mosaic by photographer Preston Gervais
