Blog
New Project: Maple Ridge Community Mosaic
Thanks to the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadow News for their recent article about our upcoming project at the renovated Maple Ridge Leisure Centre. We’re looking forward to the community workshop series with local groups this November.
TTC Sherbourne: Fabrication Complete
The 39 mosaic panels are complete! A huge thank you again to Mike Hauner and the whole team at Interstyle Ceramic + Glass for their help and expertise. We look forward to working with them again soon.
Loaded onto a pallet for transportation to TTC Sherbourne the artwork weighs in at 1500 lbs.
Archiving spare tiles in the tile vault
TTC Sherbourne: Fabricating Mosaic Sections
The production of the Sherbourne Community Mosaic panels has gone really well and we have now nearly completed the fabrication phase of the project.
The design of each panel was created by blending together different geometric patterns that we collected from around the Toronto’s Sherbourne community over three weeks in March and April, 2018.
We are very grateful to the ~450 people of all ages (who live, work and go to school within a 5-10 min walk of TTC Sherbourne station) for participating at one or more of the 24 pattern-making workshops. Over 700 amazing triangular tile patterns were contributed to the project – Thank you everyone!
You can find a photo of every pattern on the Sherbourne Community Mosaic Facebook page. ‘Like’ the page to get future project updates.
Approximately 14,000 equilateral triangle ceramic tiles are needed for the Sherbourne Community Mosaic and each one has been hand-made from Earthenglass™, a blend of 100% recycled glass with clay and porcelain.
Twelve different colours of tiles have been specially crafted for this project. These colours were inspired by the paint palette of Canadian painter, Tom Thomson, who at one time had his studio in the Rosedale Ravine, near TTC Sherbourne before the station existed.
Each of the thirty-nine Sherbourne Community Mosaic panels has been fabricated and will be installed in smaller sections. The mosaic panels will be located throughout TTC Sherbourne and cover a total of 400 square feet.
There are up to forty-eight tiles in a section and each tile is laid by hand. We use a template to help copy from the original designs and a special jig that spaces the tiles evenly.
The tiles at the top and bottom rows of each panel are cut in half with a wet saw so that they will fit square.
After each section is face-taped together, it is given an identifying number that references a map of each panel.
The final stage of the fabrication is to carefully pack each section into boxes ready for transport to TTC Sherbourne for installation.
We give our special thanks to Judy Bayer for her generous support. Her hard work, helping to count tiles and piece the panels together, has been greatly appreciated!
The Sherbourne Station Community Mosaic public artwork has been commissioned by the Toronto Transit Commission as part of the Easier Access and Second Exit Program.
TTC Sherbourne: Custom Tile Production Almost Complete
Over the last few weeks we’ve been completing the fabrication of the approximately 14,000 custom ceramic tiles needed for the Sherbourne Community Mosaic. The final artwork, to be located throughout Toronto’s TTC Sherbourne station, will total 400 square feet in area. The equilateral triangle tiles are hand-made from Earthenglass™, a blend of 100% recycled glass with clay and porcelain and are produced by Interstyle Ceramic + Glass in Burnaby, BC.
We’ve developed 12 bespoke colours for the mosaic tiles that have been inspired by the paint palette of Canadian painter, Tom Thomson.
Thomson once had a studio in the Toronto neighbourhood where the mosaic will be located.
After the tile bisque has been fired once in the kiln the coloured glazes are carefully sprayed onto the triangles. The tiles are weighed to ensure the correct amount of glazing has been applied.
The glazed tile bisque is loaded onto trays ready to be feed into the giant kiln
The giant kiln.
Even though they look delicious these tasty treats are not for eating.
Grey and Red tiles lined up to get fired.
The glazed bisque tiles are then re-fired in the kiln at temperatures over 1,200 degrees Celsius – that’s HOT!!!
The beautiful new ceramic tiles are now ready to be assembled into the Sherbourne Community Mosaic!
TTC Sherbourne: Custom Tile Production
Mike Hauner, Partner at Interstyle Ceramic + Glass presenting the first batch of tile bisque.
After months of planning, the Sherbourne Community Mosaic has entered the fabrication phase. The 39 mosaic panels that will form the Sherbourne Community Mosaic will cover 400SF of the TTC Sherbourne Station.
The approximately 14,000 custom ceramic tiles are being produced in Canada by Interstyle Ceramic + Glass in Burnaby, BC. The equilateral triangle tiles are hand-made from Earthenglass™, a blend of 100% recycled glass with clay and porcelain.
In partnership with Interstyle Ceramic + Glass we’ve developed 12 bespoke colours that have been inspired by the paint palette of Canadian painter, Tom Thomson. Thomson once had a studio in the Toronto neighbourhood where the mosaic will be located. The 12 colour glazes match the coloured cardboard tiles that we used in the Sherbourne Community Mosaic pattern-making workshop series held around TTC Sherbourne in April.
To make the tile bisque the clay mix is rolled flat and then cut into equilateral triangles using a custom die.
Unglazed tile bisque.
Inspecting the freshly baked tile bisque.
Custom colour test samples in the glazing ‘kitchen’.
Interstyle Ceramic + Glass, Burnaby, B.C. Canada.
Newly Planted: GIANT
We are very pleased to announce the recent installation of ‘Giant’, a 71’ tall artwork commissioned by PC Urban for the newly rebuilt Lightworks Building, located at 22 East 5th Avenue in Vancouver’s Mt. Pleasant neighbourhood.
At 71′ tall, ‘Giant’ represents a juvenile Douglas Fir tree, standing at the approximate height a real Douglas Fir might be in 2018, had it started from seed when the original Lightworks building was first built in 1942.
Our special thanks to Gerald Nimchuk and his great team at East Van Vinyl for their expert printing and precision installation. East Van Vinyl are located on 6th Avenue, only one block away from GIANT! Thank you also to Wade Girgulis, Project Manager at PC Urban and Jan Ballard and her team at Ballard Fine Art for this opportunity.
GIANT installation half way. The installation took place in two phases and took four days to complete.
On the doors at the main entrance to the Lightworks Building the GIANT image is fritted inside the glass panes for added protection
TTC Sherbourne: Tom Thomson Colour Palette
On 13, Jun 2018 | In Inspiration, Make, Place, Project, Research | By Admin
The Sherbourne Station Community Mosaic will use a set of 12 colours that are inspired by the palette of iconic Canadian painter, Tom Thomson.
Colour testing by Interstyle Ceramic & Glass of the twelve colours chosen for the TTC Sherbourne Community Mosaic
Thomas John Thomson, painter (born 5 August 1877 in Claremont, ON; died 8 July 1917 in Algonquin Provincial Park, ON). An early inspiration for what became The Group of Seven, Tom Thomson was one of the most influential and enduringly popular Canadian artists of the early part of the twentieth century. His paintings The West Wind (1917) and Jack Pine (1916-1917) are familiar Canadian icons. Thomson was a master colourist.
Thomson was one of the first artists in residence at the Studio Building, located at 25 Severn Street, in the Rosedale ravine immediately east of the above-ground Ellis portal that brings subway trains into and out of the north end of the Bloor-Yonge subway station, a short walking distance from Sherbourne Station. His studio’s site and positioning takes advantage of the northern exposure that illuminates the artist’s canvas with very even, neutral light. Completed in 1914, the nonprofit facility was financed by Lawren Harris, heir to the Massey-Harris farm machinery fortune, and Dr James MacCallum.
Thomson would spend the summers in Algonquin Park and winter at the Studio Building in a refurbished a workmen’s shed on the east side of the building that MacCallum had converted so Thomson could work in an environment closer to his beloved wilderness settings.
TTC Sherbourne: Community Workshops
On 09, May 2018 | In infrastructure, Inspiration, Make, News, Place, Project, Research, Space | By Admin
Over three weeks in March and April, 2018, we led 24 community pattern-making workshops at seven different venues located within a 5-10 min walking radius of TTC Sherbourne Station. We met with approximately 450 local community members, from kindergarten children to senior citizens, who contributed over 700 unique triangle patterns to this public art project. We are amazed!
Check out all of the pattern design galleries on the Sherbourne Station Community Mosaic Facebook page!
After a brief introduction to the project, participants were invited to create their own triangular patterns by arranging colourful cardboard tiles on special templates. Twelve different colours reference the bold palette of Tom Thomson, a famous Canadian painter who once had a studio in the nearby Rosedale Ravine. When completed, every pattern was photographed and catalogued, and the individual or group of artists were given the opportunity to provide their name to be included on the public artwork plaque as a contributor.
Later this year, ceramic tile mosaics will be installed at multiple locations around TTC Sherbourne Station. The mosaics will be assembled from custom-made tiles, manufactured in Canada from recycled glass. Each tile will be twice as large as the cardboard tiles used in the workshops.
The final mosaic pieces will be inspired by the patterns collected from community members. Parts of individual patterns will be woven together to form new and complex patterns representing the creativity and interconnectivity of the local community.
We greatly appreciate the hospitality, enthusiasm and support that we have received. We would like to give special thanks to those who assisted in hosting the workshops: David Crichton, Rose Avenue Junior Public School; Shabana Sohail, Community Matters Toronto; Simon Storey, Rosedale Junior Public School; Allyson Payne, Branksome Hall School; Suja Selvaraj, St. James Town Community Corner; Suzanne Fernando, Toronto Public Library – St James Town Branch; Rick Lee, Wellesley Community Centre; Jaymie Sampa, 519 Space for Change. Individual pattern-making participants will be acknowledged on a plaque that will be located near the station entrance.
The Sherbourne Station Community Mosaic public artwork has been commissioned by the Toronto Transit Commission as part of the Easier Access and Second Exit Program.
Calder Community Mosaic: Grand Opening!
On March 1, 2018 we were delighted to attend the Grand Opening Ceremony for the new Edmonton Public Library’s Calder Branch. It has been three years since our proposal to create the Calder Community Mosaic was selected by the Edmonton Arts Council to become a piece of public art to be integrated with the architecture of this new construction.
Representatives from the City of Edmonton, the Province of Alberta, Edmonton Public Library Board of Trustees, Six Nation Elders, the Edmonton Arts Council and the people of all ages from the local community gathered for dedication speeches, ribbon cutting (complete with over-sized scissors) and a special Calder Branch cake.
We were very pleased to present the Library with copies of the book publication that we had prepared that describes the community participation in the Calder Community Mosaic and how it was created and installed. Please ask the branch librarian if you would like to see a copy.
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Calder Community Mosaic: Installation – part 5. Finishing Touches
The Calder Community Mosaic was designed to fit the entire wall of the Community Room, just inside the main entrance of the new Calder Branch Library by MBAC Architects. Illuminated by special lighting above the artwork and also open to the daylight through the floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap around almost the entire exterior of the LEED® Silver building, the mosaic is clearly visible from the street and library forecourt. 
After a year and a half of preparation, the Calder Community Mosaic was given a final wipe, polish and an inspection and then it was finished!
In the first weeks of 2018 the Edmonton Public Library will take occupancy of their newest branch and complete their fit out of the space. Stay tuned for an official opening date in the New Year!
Our thanks to Craig Lemiski from Ellis Don for keeping us all safe on his construction site. His team has done a great job building the new library and it will be a public space that the whole community will be proud of. We also would like to thank the support and assistance from Robert Harpin, Andrea Bowes and Eva Marie Clarke from the Edmonton Arts Council.
This project is supported by the Edmonton Arts Council on behalf of the Edmonton Public Library and the City of Edmonton.
Calder Community Mosaic: Installation – part 4. Grouting the Tiles
At the end of a busy week the last major step was to apply the grout that fills in the gaps between each tile. We chose a middle grey colour that would continue to look good over time and would unite the complete mosaic design together while also giving each unique art-glass triangle tile definition. Thanks again to Csaba and Adam from the Tile Setting Company for their great work!
This project is supported by the Edmonton Arts Council on behalf of the Edmonton Public Library and the City of Edmonton.
Calder Community Mosaic: Installation – part 3. Setting the Tiles
Watching the mosaic come together in its final form up onto the Community Room wall was an exciting process. Each part of the overall pattern that forms the final mosaic design was sourced directly from members of the Calder Community who attended one of the community pattern workshops held in June 2016.
In the spirit of the project, the installation team worked together and over one full day we unboxed and prepared each numbered panel before Csaba Bereczki, Journeyman Installer and owner of The Tilesetter Company and his assistant Adam set the patterns in place up on the wall. There is positive energy and everything is looking good!
This project is supported by the Edmonton Arts Council on behalf of the Edmonton Public Library and the City of Edmonton.