Mosaic Arts
Mosaic Memorial Park located on the corner of Carpenter Street and Mimosa
Mosaic Arts Apprenticeship Program
The mosaic arts apprenticeship program offers Binghampton neighborhood middle and high school students apprenticeship opportunities in mosaic design and build. Students work with a professional artist, Suzy Hendrix, to understand the profession, explore specific ways to approach design, and begin creating on their own. In addition to learning a creative practice, students also explore the business aspects of a creative career, bolstering college and career readiness regardless of their chosen field through the Teen Job Hub.
Apprenticeship Program:
Pairs 3-4 students with a professional artist mentor, for after-school hours, two days a week, over a year period for intensive, direct learning.
Supports students in creating a hands-on project that can be presented or demonstrated at the end of the term.
Introduces business aspects of a creative career.
Provides students professional training opportunities through workshops and community talks.
Carpenter Art Garden and professional artists work together to guide students who may be considering a career in design or another creative field. Whether or not students pursue these careers, the apprenticeship experience will help them cultivate creative thinking work skills they can utilize in any profession.
The Mosaic Program continues to grow and expand in the community. The mosaic team is about to embark upon 3 new projects. The "Welcome to Binghampton" sign, a partnership with Explore Bike Share (a Kresge grant) which is offering the team an opportunity to create signage at the entrance of the Greenline pathway and along the developing “Hamp Line” connecting Tillman Street on the Eastend of Binghampton with West Binghampton, and another collaborative installation with the University of Memphis. Binghampton children and the community will begin as soon as we are able to return to regular programming.
In between these major projects scheduled over the next few years, the students participate in local youth arts opportunities in Memphis. They create tiles and fused glass to sell on the CAG website with 70% of their sales going directly back to the student artist. They work on many different projects on our properties, most recently they created a mosaic for the kitchen in our education building. They are creating donor mosaics for our major donors, including the Tennessee Arts Commission, that will be displayed on our properties.
Community Partners
First Horizon Foundation has granted funds to continue this program into 2022 through am ArtsFirst grant.
Inspire Cafe is a community restaurant located on the same corner as the sign location. As part of our Community Engagement, they allowed staff and teens to survey their customers about the sign's location and purpose.
Carpenter Art Garden has worked with the Binghampton Development Corporation for site approval for the current mosaic project.
Montgomery Martin Contractors approved the drawings made by the students. They have fabricated and poured the mold. They created professional drawings for the permit application.
The City of Memphis has approved the permit and has supported the Mosaic Program with a Community Coalition Grant.
Triumph Bank offers a financial literacy program for our teen staff apprentices through the Teen Job Hub.