More Mosaics in Lomita

The Summer Studios Art Academy in Lomita has a new mosaic. Two new mosaics, actually. This photo, taken at an angle,highlights the textures and found objects (a beer bottle, for example) that were part of the design.

The mosaic was started late last summer, when the Academy learned the "old" mosaic that was mounted on the front of the building on Lomita Blvd had been bought. (Details at the end of this post.)

Like the first one, these mosaics were constructed as a community project led by the talented Betty Rosen Ziff of Mosaic Alchemy and David Parsons of the Summer Studios.

Also like the first one, the longer you look at the artwork, the more you see. Anemones, jelly fish, sea urchins, toothy fishes, sand dollars, starfish, minnows, and more.

Betty Rosen Ziff writes, "This mural is dedicated to the late Bob Meistrell who founded BODY GLOVE. And, there is a fused glass diver by Lyn Chin in the mural to pay him homage."

I found the diver--on the left! And of course, lower right there is an amber beer bottle, ubiquitous in our waters.

The Summer Studios offers art classes in everything from pottery and mosaic to jewelry making and creative writing. They sell art supplies as well, and rent out performance space.

The Studio also hosts free once-a-month Art Jams on the 4th Friday of every month for the community--and by community, they mean the entire South Bay, not just Lomita. Music, poetry, and art are all on display. The next one is March 28, and since the theme is Water, I suspect that this mosaic will be prominently featured (it hangs outside the building now, facing Lomita Blvd.)

By the way, there's also a mosaic on the east side of the building. You can't see it unless you're driving west on Lomita. This one represents the Mojave Desert.

*The "old" mosaic, which had a train engine in the center--featured in its own 2010 post has moved to UCLA Harbor General Hospital. David Parsons--a professor at Cal State Dominguez Hills--and Betty Rosen Ziff of Mosaic Alchemy, lead a team of community volunteers to create that lovely piece, titled "South Bay Shines a Light." An anonymous donor purchased it for the new entrance of the hospital's emergency room.