Each year, the 10th grade students at Marlborough School create and present a class banner that represents their shared identity and spirit. This year, the class chose to do something more lasting and collaborative. Instead of a traditional banner, they envisioned a mosaic artwork that would serve as a permanent symbol of who they are, built together, piece by piece.
To explore how to bring this vision to life, their advisor connected with Piece by Piece, inviting the Piece by Piece team to support the students' project. Early conversations centered on themes that felt meaningful to the class. They considered imagery inspired by a night sky, a rocket ship, and designs incorporating flowers. Whichever direction they took, the shared goal was clear: create a work of art that reflected their creativity, personality, and sense of community.
The students started by creating a vision board. They share that and some key images with, Piece by Piece Artistic Director Dawn Mendelson who translated their ideas into a mosaic layout that could be fabricated tile by tile. Her design honored the heart of the students’ original concept while adapting it into a durable, mosaic format that would look beautiful on campus for years to come.
With the design finalized, the Piece by Piece studio team began preparing materials. They constructed the mosaic board and carefully selected the tessera - the individual pieces that form the mosaic. Thought was given to color, texture, and size so that students could place the tiles with ease and confidence during the workshop, experiencing success at every step.
The highlight of the project was the hands-on workshop, when Dawn and Piece by Piece instructor Luz Mack-Durini spent a joyful, creative afternoon with the students assembling the mosaic. Working side by side, the students placed each tile into the design, watching their artwork slowly emerge, piece by piece. Throughout the session, the team also shared the story of Piece by Piece and how mosaic art provides healing, community, and earned income opportunities for individuals rebuilding their lives after homelessness and economic hardship.
After the workshop, the mosaic returned to the Piece by Piece studio for finishing. The team carefully completed the final steps, grouting, sealing, and refining details to ensure the artwork will be both beautiful and long-lasting.
The completed mosaic will return to Marlborough School, where the 10th grade class will proudly display the piece they helped create together. What began as an idea for a banner has become a meaningful, permanent work of art, a mosaic made from many individual pieces, just like the diverse, connected class it represents.
