Mosaic Art Makes a Difference in Haiti

May 15, 2011

Laurel True is an artist and educator with twenty years experience making and facilitating public and community-based mosaic art in the US, Africa and most recently in Haiti.

In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Laurel True partnered with the organization Art Creation Foundation For Children (ACFFC) in Jacmel to facilitate the creation of a large community mosaic project with over 75 young people, as a memorial for the lives lost in the earthquake and as an affirmation of growth, rebuilding and cultural values.

Over four trips to Haiti True trained young people and adults in mosaic-making techniques for both murals and small, saleable objects, eventually stepping out as facilitator and becoming a consultant and advisor as the project progressed. The almost 300 foot-long Jacmel Memorial Mosaic Wall was dedicated on January 12, 2011, the anniversary of the earthquake.

As a result of this project a core group of ACFFC young people have launched a mosaic team that has to date received two architectural mosaic commissions, have started documenting their work for future portfolios and have made over 60 mosaic bottles, which will be sold in galleries and museum shops in the US.

True’s next project in Haiti will be with public health organization Partners In Health, which has has been doing good work in Haiti for almost 25 years. PIH is in the process of building one of the largest hospitals in Haiti, which will be located in Mirebalais to serve the destitute poor in Haiti's central region.

True will be partnering with PIH and their sister organization Zanme Lasante to bring mosaic artwork to the hospital, offering a creative respite for hospital patients, visitors and staff.

Concepts are being developed for four mosaic projects that will have high visual impact in and around the busy hospital, and True will be training a team of Haitian adults to work with her on those projects. The training will include precision setting techniques that True employs on professional commissioned work, and specific sculptural and mural-making techniques that she teaches to adult artists and students in the States.

To come full circle, True will be bringing several teenagers from Jacmel who are part of the core ACFFC mosaic team up to Mirebalais to assist her and to learn these advanced techniques.

True and Partners In Health have fundraising efforts going on to raise money for the creation of the hospital mosaic projects through the Mosaic Artwork Fund for Mirebalais Hospital. The Fund is currently about a quarter of the way to the funding goal and they are actively seeking sponsors and tax-deductible donations for the Mosaics at Mirebalais.

The mosaic projects are scheduled to start in the fall and the hospital will be open by January 2012.

True will be doing a lecture tour as a fundraiser for the Mosaic Artwork Fund for Mirebalais, which she will be presenting in several US cities including: New Orleans, Charlotte, NC, Philadelphia, New York, Oakland and Seattle.

Donate:
http://act.pih.org/page/outreach/view/haitiearthquake/LTrueMosaics

Project Info:
http://www.truemosaics.com/pih.html

Mirebalais Hospital:
http://www.pih.org/mirebalais

Lecture:
http://www.truemosaics.com/events.html

Recent Press Items:
http://thinkafricapress.com/blog/true-mosaics-interview-mosaic-artist-laurel-true


Laurel True is a public artist, educator and community organizer specializing in large-scale and site-specific mosaic projects. Her projects are focused mainly in urban and developing areas and she is committed to fostering arts education and entrepreneurship both in and out of the classroom. True is co-founder of the Institute of Mosaic Art in California and has lectured and taught internationally. Her work has been featured in independent and mainstream media, books and publications. She has created and facilitated over a hundred projects over the last 20 years. She is a member of the Community Built Association, the Society of American Mosaic Artists, Americans for the Arts and the National Art Education Association.

Contact: Laurel True / Laurel@TrueMosaics.com

Direct: 510-381-8783

Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the Mosaic Artwork Fund
for Mirebalais Hospital, Haiti, through Partners in Health

http://www.truemosaics.com/pih.html