What does sustainability mean to you?
That question served as the inspiration for a recent Piece by Piece workshop with the City of Carlsbad, bringing together city staff for a hands-on creative experience that explored sustainability through art, community, and connection.
Hosted at Alga Norte Community Park, the workshop welcomed eight City of Carlsbad team members who spent the morning creating colorful mosaic landscapes inspired by the city's iconic flower fields. Using repurposed glass and tile, participants transformed simple materials into vibrant works of art while learning about the environmental and social impact behind Piece by Piece's mission.
Leading the workshop was Piece by Piece artist June, who shared her mosaic expertise, artistic techniques, and personal journey with participants. Throughout the session, June guided attendees through the creative process while offering insight into how art has played a role in her own growth and transformation. Her story helped participants understand that every Piece by Piece workshop is about more than creating artwork, it is about creating opportunities, building confidence, and supporting artists on their journey.
Accompanying June was Lauren Lancy, Piece by Piece's Social Enterprise Manager, who stepped into a different role for the day. While Lauren typically oversees client projects, production schedules, and social enterprise operations, the workshop gave her an opportunity to put many of the artistic skills she has developed since joining Piece by Piece into practice. Working alongside participants, she provided hands-on support and enjoyed the chance to flex her creative muscles while helping others discover theirs.
As participants carefully selected colors and arranged pieces of glass and tile, conversations flowed naturally around sustainability, creativity, and community. The workshop highlighted how discarded and repurposed materials can be transformed into something beautiful while creating meaningful employment opportunities for artists who have experienced homelessness or economic insecurity.
By the end of the workshop, eight unique mosaics had taken shape. One participant chose to complete her piece at home, while the remaining seven mosaics returned to the Piece by Piece studio for finishing. There, our Social Enterprise artists completed the final stages of production, including grouting, painting edges, adding hanging hardware, and preparing each piece for shipment back to Carlsbad.
The workshop is just one part of Piece by Piece's growing partnership with the City of Carlsbad.
In addition to the employee workshop, Piece by Piece was commissioned to create ten custom mosaic awards for the City's upcoming sustainability event this September. Inspired by the iconic Carlsbad sign and the city's renowned flower fields, the handcrafted awards are being fabricated by Piece by Piece artists using both new and repurposed materials, reflecting the same commitment to sustainability celebrated throughout the workshop.
These custom awards will honor individuals and organizations making a positive impact in sustainability while simultaneously supporting meaningful employment opportunities for Piece by Piece artists. The project demonstrates how public agencies can align recognition programs with their values, investing in environmentally conscious artwork while creating economic opportunity and supporting social impact.
Together, the workshop and awards project showcase the power of creative partnerships. Through one engagement, the City of Carlsbad provided its staff with an opportunity to connect through art while also investing in handcrafted awards that support artists rebuilding their lives.
We are grateful to the City of Carlsbad for their commitment to sustainability, creativity, and community. Partnerships like this demonstrate how art can bring people together, celebrate achievement, reduce waste through creative reuse, and create pathways to economic opportunity.
Interested in bringing aPiece by Piece workshop to your team or commissioning custom mosaic awards for your organization? Learn more about our corporate workshops and custom mosaic projects on the Piece by Piece website.