The Significance of the Metamorphosis Community Mosaic Mural

 As I've been applying for grants, seeking donations and promoting the Metamorphosis mural project, I've been describing the theme and message as a celebration of diversity and inclusivity, personal and societal transformation, and of individuals becoming their most authentic selves.

That's the nutshell version. Yesterday, I was asked to further elucidate the message of the project for someone interested in organizing a group butterfly-making event. I've been trying to organize the miasma of my thoughts on the subject, but I find it impossible to condense it into one clear statement.

This is in large part because I do not believe in hitting people over the head with art, especially community-based projects. I feel it is my job to amplify the voices of the participants, and to do my best to include marginalized perspectives. This is not a project that was commissioned by an entity to make a particular statement; it is a grass roots project that I felt motivated to offer my community. 

A mock-up of the mural concept on the wall at 425 4th Ave. Olympia, WA

The foundation of the concept is rooted in my conviction that a diverse society is stronger, richer and more fun than homogeneity. When we embrace each other's differences, we all benefit from the unique strengths that we collectively bring to the table. In the current climate of culture war, I am gravely concerned for the safety and well-being of my LGBTQIA, BIPOC, and Jewish friends and family. 

It is not my place to position myself as a spokesperson for any of the above-mentioned groups. My hope is to include as many voices as possible of those who are marginalized and those who support them in a message of solidarity.

An early sketch of the central figure, showing a nondescript figure emerging from a chrysalis, proudly spreading their new, colorful wings.

My design features a central figure that is humanoid, rising up from a chrysalis, spreading brightly colored butterfly wings. The person is is not flesh-toned and non-gendered and is meant to be a holding place for visitors who will have their picture taken in front of the mural. The actual figure is being rendered in mirror with any features being subtle suggestions. My hope is that the viewer will see themselves reflected back. It represents personal transformation: becoming our most authentic selves.

Freedom of Expression is an important foundation of American values, and it is currently under attack. How and whom we love, how we dress, how we perform - as long as we are not harming or inhibiting others, it is no one's business. 

That sums up the foundation of my intention when designing this mural. But I also feel the butterfly symbolizes more metaphors that are relevant to current events. For instance, for Mexican culture, the butterfly/mariposa is believed to be the spirit of ancestors coming to visit. This is reinforced by the timing of the annual Monarch migration, when swarms of Monarchs return to Central Mexico near the Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead holiday. My spouse is half-Mexican and we have traveled quite a bit throughout central and southern MX. 

That's my kid at a Monarch Sanctuary in Michoacan during the 2016 migration.

All of the giant clusters hanging from the trees are masses of butterflies!

The butterfly (usually a Monarch) is a ubiquitous symbol in Mexico and for Mexican Americans, representing the act of migration. Immigration policies in the U.S. are extremely problematic, and the results are devastating. It is impossible for me to facilitate this mural without acknowledging this layer of meaning and metaphor.

The significance of the butterfly for the Indigenous community is connected to that of Mexican tradition by nature, in that this continent was originally inhabited by Native people, without a dividing line where one stopped and the other began. For Pacific NW tribes, the butterfly is an important part of storytelling; a character representing transformation, metamorphosis, beauty, balance, and grace. The butterfly is often depicted in Pacific Northwest Coast Native mythology as the companion, scout and spokesperson for the raven. Some of my closest friends (more like family) are part of that community, and I know how important the butterfly symbol is to Diva (member of the Kuruk tribe/Polynesian, but raised Skokomish and a gifted Native storyteller.) Diva is a treasured member of our chosen family, so I can't facilitate this mural without recognizing that connection.

That sums up my own personal thoughts on the message in this mural, but I feel strongly that everyone should bring their relationship with the butterfly symbol to the project. I hope it will resonate with people near and far, instilling a sense of shared experience and mutual support.

A participant.

Priscilla and Em with Christi on the right.

Christi helping a young participant.

The big wings on my deck.

One of many butterflies already received.

Another butterfly from Joan Pliska.

Transition and Transformation

I officially launched my art business back in 2007 after taking a 3-month business class from Enterprise for Equity, a local organization that helps low-income people become entrepreneurs. At the time, my business was called Cosmic Blue Monkey Designs and the focus was on recycled art. I used gleaned materials to make new arts and crafts of all kinds and I sold them at recycled art fairs, bazaars and at Matter! Gallery, which sold only artwork made from reclaimed components. E4E students graduate from the program with a business plan, and my goal at the time was to earn $500/month. We were living on just one (teacher) income while our daughter was little and $500 was about how much more we needed to cover expenses. At the end of 2007, I had earned exactly $500/month. 

My first studio sign.

And naturally, my aspirations began to increase. I sought more business coaching, took business workshops focused on art/craft, and by 2010 I decided to pursue site-specific mosaic (where it is installed permanently in an architectural setting) for homes, businesses and public spaces. Feedback I had received suggested that I needed to re-brand. The whimsical name, which I loved, wasn't taken seriously by high-end clients, designers and architects. It was recommended to come up with something simple that referenced my own name and would be easy to remember. I went with JK Mosaic.

From there, I slowly increased my level of professionalism, building my portfolio, becoming an LLC, getting business insurance, setting up wholesale accounts, and becoming a licensed and bonded contractor. There were a lot of growing pains over the years, and income was very unreliable for most of the ensuing years. But I was relentless and never gave up, and my business steadily grew into the vision I had created in 2010. By 2020, I had installed mosaic art throughout the U.S., I was often booked for months out, and I was getting more public art projects. 

That's me on the scaffolding in Alpharetta, GA in 2014. 

Now it is 2023 and I've been working really hard for several years in a row. The work has been good, well-paid and exciting. But I feel another shift coming. I'm 53 now, I have osteoarthritis in my hands, shoulder impingement and rotator cuff issues. I don't have a team to help with installations, which are extremely intense. Everything is labor intensive and time-sensitive, so I often work for 11+ hours per day on an install without stopping for several days. I have to haul all of my supplies: ladders, scaffolds, art panels, 5-gallon buckets of water, 50 lb bags of thinset/grout. These get packed into my vehicle, unpacked on site and usually hauled across long distances because I can never drive them up to the spot I'm installing. On the last job, I entered the fenced construction site on one side of a city block and had to navigate through the building, up stairs and ramps, and around to the opposite side with my supplies. And I had to put everything away every night. Midway through an install, I usually find myself in the hotel room with numb, tingling hands, aching body, utterly exhausted, and I've had crippling back pain. Several installations had to be followed by months of physical therapy. 

That all sounds so miserable when I type it out, but I really love the outcome and I feel so lucky to be able to do this type of work. During the process, I wonder what I was thinking and why do I keep doing this, but then I see the finished product and it's such a thrill. It's an addiction!

That's me on a ladder on scaffolding installing a mosaic for L'Occitane in the Dallas Fort Worth Airport in 2015.

This winter, I began to think about setting new goals as I grow older. Before I know it, I'll be in my 60s and I want to be able to keep working, but in a different capacity. Going forward, I am going to slow down with commission work, being more selective and strategic with the projects I agree to create. I'll prioritize those projects where the contractor will do the install, or there's enough budget to hire a skilled installer. My main April project is going to be fabricated here, shipped to the job site, and installed by someone else in Nantucket, MA. That's perfect. 

I'm really aching to nurture my own creative inspiration. For many years, I felt that commissions were ideal for me because I'm inspired by the spaces and clients I work with, and like an art prompt, I often find it easier to develop a design based on someone else's needs. But lately, I've been feeling called to explore my own creative voice on a deeper level. I want to paint sometimes and work in mixed media, and I have some personal topics I feel an urgent need to delve into with my art. I feel like I've been floating on top of the ocean, barely looking below the surface, and it's time to put on the diving gear and find out what's down there. 

This is a Thai fishing boat and was the best pic I had of the surface of the ocean to help break up all the text.

By the way, I'm scared of swimming in large bodies of water on a phobic level. So the analogy works really well to describe how I feel about this next phase.

My hope is that I'll be able to continue earning enough income while pursuing my own creative projects, teaching others, and leading community projects. I'm not switching cold turkey, but I plan to schedule more time between commissions from now on and I'll see how things go. So often, we make a plan, but something unexpected comes along and the path leads into uncharted territory. 

In the interest of manifesting this new approach, I should remind you that I have five online courses through Mosaic Arts Online and I'm teaching at the SAMA/SGAA conference in Buffalo, NY September 2023. Information about my classes can be found here:https://jkmosaic.com/workshops/events-and-classes/

Also, I have a fiscal sponsor (The Field, NYC) to accept tax deductible donations for community art projects. Right now, I'm raising funds for a big mural in Olympia, WA to be installed in fall 2023. To find out how to participate and/or support this project go here: https://jkmosaic.com/metamorphosis-a-community-mural/

I have been dreaming for years of growing my community art practice into something bigger than myself, where I mentor young artists, bring in artists in other disciplines, and slowly cover all of the plain concrete in Western WA with colorful artwork. I even have a name: ACCESS - Artists Creating Community Engagement in the South Sound. Come on, someone out there must have the resources and enthusiasm to help me make this a reality! I'm really hoping to use the Metamorphosis mural and my platform as Olympia's Fall Arts Walk featured artist to generate a buzz around this effort. 

To see some examples of community mosaic projects I've led in previous years, here's a short slideshow: https://youtu.be/MmTRrDjSLvQ

Thank you for reading!!

Metamorphosis; a Community Mural...and then some.

In 2021, I put out a call for mosaic butterflies with a goal of creating something with and for Monarch Sculpture Park in Tenino, WA. However, multiple obligations took precedence, both for me and John, the caretaker of the park. He took two other jobs teaching ceramics full time. I was selected/hired for a steady stream of commissions. We both have had our hands full, and the mosaic butterflies that were received were kept in storage.

So, in 2023, I decided to pursue a different community project that uses the butterflies in a new design. Since I'm going to be the featured artist for Olympia's fall Arts Walk festival, I am coordinating a mural to culminate during the event. This mural will have a figure emerging from a chrysalis as the centerpiece, designed to be a photo-op where visitors can become part of the mural. I'm toying with adding stylized trees on each side with open cocoons on the branches, as if all of these butterflies have recently emerged. The message is about transformation of societies and individuals, and the idea of becoming our most splendid, magnificent selves.

As of February 2023, I have not secured a wall or funding. I have been awarded fiscal sponsorship by The Field NYC, an organization that accepts tax deductible donations to support individual artists through crowdfunding. I have just launched my first fundraiser: https://app.thefield.org/home/donation/crowd/view/185/Community-Mural-Seed-Fund?fbclid=IwAR3SxFVp0vSdESPqL7jCtPfVuCc3ibTrDzbCfn2K5Aj_cE-9uhR6-ycjWRo

My hope is that the 501C3 status will encourage businesses to partner with me on this. In fact, for years, I've been wanting to establish a program for community art in the South Sound region. I'm getting ahead of myself, but I have a vision for the future that includes creating art for neighborhoods, schools and organizations through community engagement that will grow into a larger endeavor. Community art is empowering for the participants, brings people together across all barriers, and helps to beautify spaces. We can accomplish more with less resources by using this approach, and there is so much plain concrete all around us, I think we should be adding colorful art to as much of it as possible.

But for right now, I'm going to take a leap and see if we can get this one mural made. Suggestions and leads are very welcome. I'll be seeking grants to increase my ability to offer hands-on activities in Olympia from May to October. In the meantime, You Be You!

April Update: We have a wall!

This wall is on the back side of Lloyd's Automotive, facing 4th Ave., next to McCoy's Tavern. It is set back enough that pedestrians will be safe to pose in front of it and it is a stone's throw from my first ever community project, the Artesian Well (2012). 

April 9 update: Honed design, superimposed on the wall:

My Procreate skills are clunky, but I did my best to show how the mural will look on the wall of 425 4th Ave. in Olympia, WA.

May Update: 

The last weekend of April, I was at Olympia Spring Arts Walk leading the initial activity, having participants make the wings of the figure with recycled glass tiles. Turnout was fantastic, as was the weather, and we finished the wings over 2 days. Since then, I've been slowly tidying and filling the mosaic and applying for any grants I thing I might qualify for. So far, I've been able to pay for materials and admin through the fundraiser, but in order to offer workshops through summer, I really need to raise more funds. Otherwise, I have to take on commissions to keep my bills paid. Either way, the central figure will go up, along with as many butterflies as I receive (I have about 10 so far.)

Councilman Dontae Payne and his family

A snapshot of the activity at Arts Walk. 

Hands working together...

Sunkissed participant

2023 off to a crazy busy start!

 Hello Friends!

So much has been happening recently in my world that I'm not sure where to start. So, I decided to write a blog post over here on this platform, rather than directly on my website.

Though I was selected for my current project in May, the proposal and contract process took through December, so I wasn't able to really start ordering supplies and confirming logistics until the start of the year. This project is for a new low-income housing complex in Port Townsend, WA being built through an organization called OlyCAP (Olympic Community Action Programs.) In Washington State, all publicly-funded construction is subject to a 1% For Art allocation, so a portion of their budget is dedicated to a creative component. The theme is a celebration of the Salish Sea, with emphasis on the vital relationship between sea stars and kelp forests. 

As I did research for this project, I learned more about how sea star wasting disease is decimating the kelp in our region, and here's why: Urchins feed on kelp and sea stars consume urchins. Without a strong population of sea stars, urchins are prolific and are "mowing down" the kelp forests, which provide essential habitat for all of the sea life, including salmon, harbor seals, orcas, anemones, etc. If we lose our kelp forests, we are in serious trouble. But all along the Pacific coast, that is exactly what is happening.

So, here is one frame from my proposal, which will embellish the child care center:

The sea stars along the bottom will be mosaic, made by local kids, while the kelp walls will be painted onto a special mural fabric called Polytab, then adhered to the walls when weather permits. The artwork extends around the building, connecting this entryway to another one for residents.

So, in order to engage local kids, I applied for a Centrum residency, which is an organization located on Fort Worden in Port Townsend. And to make the most of it, I submitted it as a group proposal, which would allow 6 regional mosaic artists to share the apartments and the cost while giving us the opportunity to enjoy each other's company and completely geek out on our shared medium. 

Left to right: Lynn Adamo (face covered), Karen Rycheck, Joanne Daschel, Mark Brody, Richard Davis, and me in the center.

During my week in Port Townsend, I spent 4 afternoons working with the kids at a YMCA after-school program. They made sea stars and a few urchins from recycled glass tiles. Joanne, Mark and Lynn each took it in turns to help out with these sessions.

Over the weekend, I visited the three science centers in Port Townsend. The aquarium was closed for winter, but the aquarist generously took Joanne and I for a private tour. I felt remarkably lucky because I was able to visit with the rescued octopus on site, which was released to the wild that very afternoon. This guy was found in a light trap for studying sea life as a tiny baby, but had reached sexual maturity. During our visit, he was pressed against the clear walls of a tank, and it was a special experience to take a close look at his tentacles up close.

At the flagship location downtown, artists Timbul Cahyono and Mariah Vane have created an experiential exhibit to demonstrate the importance of kelp forests. The docent there said she had been on a sea star count very recently and was happy to report increased numbers. That is hopeful news!

Our group also met with Rebecca Welti in nearby Port Hadlock to get a tour of her art installation in a public park, which happened to be created around the very same theme of the Salish Sea. She focused more on the importance of plankton, and had kids create ceramic elements that are embedded in concrete. She designed many interactive structures to inspire kids who visit the park.

It was a particularly chilly, windy day for our field trip.

Joanne, Mark and Lynn playing on a plankton structure designed by Rebecca Welti.

The six of us shared apartments and a large studio for a week. Here are some snapshots from our studio time:

I made a tiny bit of progress on a project I need to be a bit cryptic about for now.

This is Richard Davis's work space. So organized!

Karen Rycheck worked on hand-built ceramics in her unmistakable style.

Joanne Daschel made small mosaic studies based on observation in a plein air approach, but in the slow-mo medium of mosaic. 

Mark Brody worked on torch-burned and colorfully stained, large-format wood mosaic and Lynn Adamo is exploring assemblage with found objects, incorporating fiber. But I can't upload those photos. It is always a pleasure to spend time with what has become an extended family. We bounce ideas off of each other, discuss technique and materials, and work through the unique dilemmas of our creative life and work. This is our second year with a Centrum residency, and it has been a really wonderful opportunity.

One more thing I worked on in the evenings was becoming familiar with my new iPad and Procreate. I have been mainly working in analog for all of these years and my digital art skills are pathetic. About 2 weeks ago, I invested in the iPad and I'm struggling to learn how to use it for illustration. I have a proposal I need to refine asap in order to submit for some grant opportunities, so I spent time this past week honing the concept with Procreate. If you have any digital art skills, you will not be impressed, but I about jumped up and down a couple of times as I slowly navigated the program in the evenings. I have a basic design to present for the next community mosaic project, slated to go somewhere in downtown Olympia in fall 2023.

In 2021, I announced a project that would incorporate mosaic butterflies at Monarch Sculpture Park. However, things didn't pan out. A few people sent butterflies and I've been wondering how to shift gears and make use of them. Since I'll be the featured artist for Olympia's fall Arts Walk, I thought it would be fun to plan something big with local community. My idea is to have a figure emerging from a chrysalis with wings spread, life-sized so that visitors can pose in front of it for a photo op, becoming one with the art. The surrounding wall will be filled with butterflies made by everyone who wants to participate. The message of the design is a celebration of becoming your unique, authentic self. 

No, I do not yet have a wall or funding for this project, so it feels really scary. But I was just approved for fiscal sponsorship and will be able to crowdfund and donations will be tax deductible, and I will be applying for grants and seeking corporate sponsors. I'm trying really hard to take this one step at a time, but I'm so excited about it, I've already gotten ahead of myself! This is one of my fatal flaws.

For right now, I'm still at the early phase of the project at hand, which is the Sea Star/Kelp Forest mural for the 7th Haven building in Port Townsend. That's my main priority. But I'll be sending out more information about the butterfly mural as details are confirmed. I already have some mosaic butterflies and a new one was waiting for me when I came home. This is from Aya Kinoshita in Pennsylvania:

*As you can see, the mosaic is completed, including grout. I'll be able to set it directly into mortar like a single tile. Not all butterflies need to be pre-grouted like this, but it sure will make it easier to install.

If you made it this far through another wordy post, thank you so much! I know I should write shorter posts more frequently. Ah well. I hope your January was as fulfilling and energizing and I'll catch up again in February!

Heart-Rainbow Diversity Mural Project

After the nightclub shooting in Orlando, I felt heartbroken.  I have many friends and students who identify as LGBTQ, and I was at a loss as to how to express my condolences, support and advocacy.  An idea came to me: filling a  wall with mosaic hearts made by anyone wanting to express these sentiments.

Initially, I reached out to some graduates of my mosaic program involved in Stonewall Youth to see if we could run the project through the organization.  But, it never got off the ground, and then the election sort of threw me for a loop and the project continued to germinate in my mind.

The most alarming aspect of last year's campaign and election, for me, was realizing the extreme level of divisiveness in the U.S. (and in  much of the world, actually.)  This project continued to nag at me, until I was chatting with the custodian at the high school where I teach mosaic on Fridays.  I found myself telling her about my concept, and she became very excited.  So, I met with the Principal of the school and asked if I could use class time on Fridays to create this mural with our students.  She enthusiastically agreed to it, so we started the following week, without knowing where it would go.

Shortly after, I posted on facebook that I was looking for a wall for my mural.  Within a half hour, I had a meeting arranged with the owner of Flourish in Olympia, who was already on board.  By now, I have permission from the owner of the building, and the project will be installed on a huge wall in Downtown Olympia.  

When standing and admiring this mural, made to honor Rachel Corrie, and with a similar community spirit, to the left up the block will be a wall of hearts.  I've already had several mosaic artists say they will send me hearts to incorporate, including one from Canada and one from Australia!  For experienced mosaic artists who want to send your heart, place fiberglass mesh over your design (which must be covered by plastic, or done onto slick freezer paper) and glue your tesserae to the mesh.  Thinset is ideal, but I am using weldbond with my students because it is much easier in this situation.  When it is dry, you can peel the paper template off the back and mail the heart to:

Choice High School

Attn: Jennifer Kuhns / Room 106

807 Pine St.

Shelton, WA 98584, U.S.A.

*I currently have zero budget to complete this project.  I have applied for funds through one program, which would cover most of the expense.  I also plan to seek sponsorships and to do fundraising events.  If you have any ideas for me, please get in touch.  We are in desperate need of opaque glass and glass tiles, mesh, and cash for supplies.

The first public heart-making event will take place on Saturday, April 22 during Arts Walk.  Location TBD.  I'll keep posting as more details are confirmed.