IN THIS POST
“All of us here are like mosaics ourselves. We are all a little broken, but when we are here, we are one big beautiful piece.”
—Margarita, Piece by Piece artist
Our REDF community spans the nation, and encompasses thousands of people, who are all striving to build an economy that works. For everyone.
At the 2024 REDF Community Retreat earlier this year, these diverse contributions came to life through a community co-created mosaic art project — with help from our friends at Piece by Piece, a mosaic arts employment social enterprise.
Piece by Piece is an Accelerator alum and CA RISE partner based out of South Los Angeles. They use mosaic art to bring mental wellness, healing, and employment opportunities to Angelenos who have faced economic hardship and homelessness.
Throughout our retreat’s closing celebration, Piece by Piece artists Andrea and Victor led attendees through the process of creating a giant REDF-themed mosaic. Folks were invited to add tesserae (mosaic pieces) to the board, one at a time, until the full board was covered. Then, the Piece by Piece team took the piece back to their studios to put the finishing touches on the art.
The Piece by Piece team shared more about this experience in a blog post on their site:
For many, it was their first experience working with mosaics…
Participants shared that the mosaic-making process was not only enjoyable but also a meditative experience. It provided a unique opportunity for connection and relaxation, underscoring the role of arts in promoting wellness. The act of placing each piece of tesserae became a metaphor for the collaborative spirit and shared purpose of the retreat attendees.
This beautiful artwork will serve as a lasting reminder of the retreat and the powerful connections forged through creative collaboration.
A few weeks ago, we were honored to receive the final, complete piece of art, to be hung in our Los Angeles offices.
Sending our gratitude to Piece by Piece for sharing their artistry with us, and for being such a wonderful, living representations of the beauty that comes from the bringing together of disparate parts.
P.S. Piece by Piece has partnered with fellow REDF Community member Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) to create beautiful, light-catching mosaic vessels for artisan candles and soaps. You can play a role creating job opportunities for individuals striving to overcome employment barriers, and support both DWC and Piece by Piece, by shopping our Social Enterprise Gift Guide now!
