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“Swimming in Sea Life” Community Mosaic, ceramic, 4×9-feet Artist – Mike Tauber and Citizens Presented by LOCA Arts Education Taco Stand Restaurant, 699 S. Coast Hwy at Cleo Street.
Ninety-five citizens, including families, local artists, and visitors contributed to the creation of this original mural. It was planned using techniques of pixelation and pointallism, whereby broken areas of color are placed in strategic areas to support the overall design. From up close – viewers can see individual illustrations on each tile, personally selected, designed, and glazed by each citizen, in a controlled color palette. It reads like a quilt of ocean-themed hieroglyphics – including sea urchins, sea stars, kelp, octopus and whales. From far – one sees a playful pair of sea lions submerged in colors diffusing from sunlit aquas down to deep blues. The tiles are mostly hand-cut, to add to the hand-crafted appearance.
Tiles were created in public workshops in summer 2023, with support to LOCA Arts Education from The City of Laguna Beach and local lodging establishments. Additional support was from a private donation, and Cleo Street Neighbors. Special thanks to architect Marshall Ininns, co-installer Ed Hanke, workshop volunteers Susan Brown and Billiejo Lee, and the late artist Michelle Taylor for donating many glazes.
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