backyard mosaic women's project (growing in community)
st. mark's church
this image literally ‘grew’ out of community reflection. women of the project began to dream ‘dreams’, children began to draw visions, people without homes testified to their experience of st. mark’s as ‘home’. thanks to the promisekids of st. mark’s we have insects, worms and animals that live underground, embedded in the soil around the roots of our tree. as the tree was becoming a symbol of this community, the new mission statement for st. mark’s, branches of love, rooted in grace, became part of the design. there is a very subtle figure implied within the tree holding the wheat and grapes. this reflects the fact that st. mark’s is a eucharistic community sharing communion at every worship service. it is also a place of feeding; spiritual and physical, including many potlucks, the community meal and food pantry.
psalm 104:19 inspired our sun and moon. you have made the moon to mark the seasons & the sun knows its time for setting. the rainbow is a sign of god’s love and reflects well this inclusive, diverse parish community. many of the women of this project shared their self-portraits and across our mural is a string of mosaic figures holding hands.
in our gardep area we used stepping-stones created by several women and promisekids.
pastor mary pharmer inspired our spiral design made from salvaged bricks from the fireplace in the food pantry, which was dismantled during renovation.
in five incredible years, an estimate of one hundred women have contributed to and benefited from this project.
on september 9, 2009 we dedicated the wall.