Tile Making

The Corner Store assistant Thalia Wiggins pressing clay into the tile molds.  Behind her hangs  a mockup of a portion of the tree showing how the names-tiles will be placed to form the trunk and a branch.

The mosaic consists of two types of tiles: small 3-inch "names" tiles that form the roots, trunk, and branches of the tree; and large 6-inch "dreams" tiles that form the background of the tree.

Dream Tiles

The 6-inch dream tiles, handmade at the corner store,  are sponsored by local residents and businesses.  Up to 15 words of the donor's choice are written on these background tiles.  Details on sponsoring dream tiles are available.

Names Tiles

Each small tile of the mosaic YuMe Tree was created and signed by a child. The tiles record a name, a drawing, or a dream.  The names tiles made by the children also can be sponsored (see details).

The 468 students at Watkins Elementary School in Washington, DC, made and signed their tiles for the mosaic in February 2003. Art teacher Laurie Siegel is on The Corner Store board of directors, and together with Kris Swanson taught each class the basics of envisioning and developing a project like Roots & Dreams.

Teaching and tile making continued at John Tyler Elementary School and St. Peters Interparish School throughout Spring 2003. By June 2003, Phase One -- creating the 1000 finished small tiles to build the tree -- is complete!

June & July - Tile making days will be set at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW) and the Corner Store to include any students missed in the work through the schools. Email notification to all Corner Store students concerning tile making days, announcements at CHAW during summer ceramics classes.

The Corner Store's Kris Swanson shows students at Watkins Elementary School how to remove the clay tiles from the mold.

 

 

Student from Watkins Elementary School pushing the clay into the mold.