Projects – Community Based – Twin Lakes Mosaics-Fountain (2006)

This was the first mosaic project designed by Jan for the Twin Lakes Retirement Community. The community-based process allowed for discussion of concepts and symbols with the residents with two reviews prior to settling on final design. The fountain at the entrance to the Restaurant and Café was the perfect site for a three tiered mandala that includes images of homes, rainbows, gardens, residents of different cultures, reflective waters, floating leaves changing color with the seasons, and a blossoming lily. The group followed closely a formal design with templates and transferred patterns which allowed for greatest training of the participants. Subsequent projects allowed participants to exercise more innovation and experimentation thanks to the growing abilities they’ve developed with modeling and glazing.

  • Lois Johannigman adds relief detail to her house designed for the winter position.

  • Howard, Ruth, Elsie, Marcke and Elenor work on houses to interpret their individuality in style and seasonal decorations to homes at Twin Lakes.

  • The first clay work taught the residents to make interesting surfaces on identical triangular forms. These were glazed in different colors and filled the outer border of the artwork.

  • Emily glazes the feet, eyes and beaks of the doves, high relief sculptures modeled by Jan.

  • The table of final assembly shows the four stages of plywood forms, built by Carl Sandlin. Tiles are all attached to the plywood with 100% silicone in lieu of mortar and grout to give the artwork portability and less charge on the mouting wall.

  • The tools, top three tiers and working drawings on the wall

  • The mosaic artwork installed over the fountain

  • The mosaic artwork installed over the fountain

  • The design interprets the experience of the residents of Twin Lakes: outer border has 6 homes that are separated by evergreens and rainbows, suggesting the passing of each day, and also the seasons as each house has a seasonal decoration of the façade. The second level has a6 doves which shelter 6 figures under their wings as well as flowering hedges. With arms outstretched, the figures pass a heart to the person on the right side. The third level features rippling water of the twin lakes with a leaf floating, each leaf in a different color state as the seasons turn, suggesting the year’s passing. Floating on the water is the blooming water lily, symbolic of the soul of the individual, opened to its full beauty every day in this harmonious home environment.

  • Top view of the second, third and fourth levels of the assembled mosaics.

  • Oblique view that reveals the 1.5” separation of the levels.

  • Detail of the water lily in bloom

  • Figure dedicated to Jan’s mother

  • Male resident and dove details

  • Hispanic and Christmas figures

  • Detail of water, lily buds, residents, doves and houses

  • Lois Johannigman’s house decorated for Christmas

  • Marcy’s house decorated for spring

  • Elsie’s home decorated for summer