Three Vibrant Mosaic Murals Installed at New Cambridge School Complex

"You Belong Here" by Ekua Holmes. Collage-inspired mosaic celebrating belonging and community. Photo by Cambridge Arts.

Three Vibrant Mosaic Murals Installed at New Cambridge School Complex

The new Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools and Community Complex features three mosaic murals that bring color, connection, and meaning to the school environment. Funded through Cambridge's Percent-for-Art Ordinance and commissioned by Cambridge Arts, the works by artists Andromeda Lisle, Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya, and Ekua Holmes celebrate themes of community, memory, and belonging. Developed in collaboration with the school community, architects, the project team, and fabricator Mosaika Art & Design, the murals serve as both inspiration and teaching tools for the school community.

Artist Selection Process
The three artists were selected through Cambridge Arts' call for qualifications process. An Art Jury of arts professionals and members of the Public Art Commission reviewed submissions and selected finalists. A site committee, including school representatives, members of the public, and Public Art Commission members, then made the final selections.

Once selected, each artist met with architects and school representatives to refine their designs through community engagement. Each brought their own creative approach, conducting research and connecting with the school community in ways that reflected their artistic practice.

The Three Murals

Portrait of artist Ekua Holmes in front of her mosaic during installation of "You Belong Here." Photo by Cambridge Arts.

"You Belong Here" by Ekua Holmes
Located on the first floor

Ekua Holmes created "You Belong Here" to be a warm and welcoming presence in the school. The mural greets students each day as they arrive from the bus, a moment she imagined as full of energy, emotion, and possibility. She wanted the artwork to be something everyone could connect with, a reminder that they are seen, valued, and part of this community.

The mural depicts people playing basketball and soccer, reading books, walking with family, and making art. Inspired by a neighborhood scene, these familiar moments reflect everyday life, creativity, and connection.

The design is based on one of Ekua's hand-cut collages. To translate the collage into tile, she collaborated closely with Mosaika, using a variety of materials: glass smalti and hand-glazed ceramic tiles for fine detail, larger ceramic tiles for clouds and backgrounds, and hand-carved elements like 3D book spines and star-shaped tiles that add a tactile layer. Each section was fabricated by a different artisan, whose unique touch adds subtle variation and depth, echoing how collage brings together many distinct parts into a cohesive whole.

During design development, Ekua visited the youngest classrooms at Tobin Montessori (ages 3-5), where she read a picture book she illustrated and shared her collage process. The children then made their own collages, which they later brought to the new school, creating a tangible connection between their creativity and the completed mosaic. These hands-on experiences helped students see how individual stories and materials can come together to form something new and meaningful.

"Tranquility" by Andromeda Lisle. Large-scale mosaic of a humpback whale and calf symbolizing care and connection. Photo by Cambridge Arts.

"Tranquility" by Andromeda Lisle Located on the second floor

"Tranquility" features a humpback whale and calf swimming side by side, honoring the nurturing relationship between caregivers and children. The adult whale represents faculty and staff, while the calf represents students. Flowing shapes and patterns within the whales resemble cells and natural forms, blending science, spirituality, and Indigenous storytelling. Circular motifs throughout the design symbolize life cycles and the interconnection between humans, animals, and nature.

Andromeda Lisle, a graduate of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, is of Cherokee, Black, and Irish heritage. The stories, art, and traditions of these cultures deeply influence her work, which often explores the cultural importance of animals and the relationships between people and the natural world.

To bring "Tranquility" to life, Andromeda collaborated closely with Mosaika Art & Design, carefully selecting tiles and discussing their shape, size, and color to create movement and emotion. The Byzantine glass smalti and hand-glazed ceramic tile were chosen and cut to make the background waves feel alive and dynamic, like real ocean currents.
Andromeda also shared her artistic process with the community through an exhibition titled "Spirits of Inspiration" at Gallery 344. The show featured paintings, masks, posters, and sculptures, along with a preview of her mural. Cambridge Arts led student workshops where Tobin classrooms visited the gallery to learn about her work and make animal sculptures inspired by her designs. These experiences helped students connect directly with the artist and the creative process before the mural was installed in their school.

"Worlds Stir in the Tender Shoots of Memory" by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya. Hand-glazed ceramic tile mural exploring memory, family, and heritage. Photo by Cambridge Arts.

"Worlds Stir in the Tender Shoots of Memory" by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya Located on the third floor

Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya developed "Worlds Stir in the Tender Shoots of Memory" through conversations with students at Darby Vassall Upper School. During these discussions, students shared stories about important relationships with parents, grandparents, aunts, and other loved ones. Their reflections helped shape Amanda's design, which weaves together student memories with symbols from nature, mythology, and family traditions.

The mural explores how people carry stories, traditions, and memories across generations, especially through family connections and ancestral ties. Books bloom into flowers, butterflies take flight, and animals such as the swallow, lotus, and great blue heron intertwine with dreamlike plants. Each element holds meaning, representing home, strength, growth, and resilience. Flowers and vines weave through the composition, symbolizing the ways we stay connected to our families and to the ancestors who guide us.

Fabricated by Mosaika using hand-glazed ceramic tile, the mural features delicate painted lines that suggest strands of curly hair, soft color gradations in butterfly wings, and long, narrow tiles arranged to form feather-like textures in the heron's wings. These intricate details emerged as Amanda's painted design was translated into mosaic, creating depth and texture throughout the work.

Installation view at Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools and Community Complex. Members of Mosaika Art & Design install Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya's "Worlds Stir in the Tender Shoots of Memory." Photo by Cambridge Arts.

Educational Impact and Future Programming

The murals' presence is already deeply felt within the new building. Beyond adding beauty and color to the walls, they are sparking curiosity and serving as powerful teaching tools. Cambridge Public Library staff have assembled themed reading lists that connect to each mural, including books illustrated by the artists themselves, creating rich cross-curricular learning opportunities.

Even in the short time since the school opened, the murals are inspiring daily engagement. Students often choose to take the "long way" through the building just to pass by them, turning hallways into spaces for reflection and connection. The artworks are becoming gathering points, conversation starters, and sources of creative inspiration that teachers are beginning to weave into lessons across subjects.

Looking ahead, Cambridge Arts will continue partnering with the school community through tours, workshops, and hands-on art activities. Together with teachers and library staff, the program will expand cross-curricular connections and celebrate how art and education intersect every day.

Celebrating Cambridge's Commitment to Public Art
"Thanks to years of effort and the collaboration of many, these works illustrate the power of art to create beauty, to remember, to connect, to move, and to inspire," said Diana Smith, member of the Cambridge Public Art Commission. "Congratulations especially to the artists, and to Mosaika, who are, in their own ways, healers in this broken world."

The mosaic murals represent Cambridge's long-standing commitment to integrating exceptional public art into community spaces. They also highlight the city's collaborative process, bringing together artists, students, educators, and neighbors in shared creativity. Through classroom workshops and conversations during design development, students learned directly from the artists' practices and contributed their own ideas and stories, shaping the spirit of the final works.

Now permanent fixtures within the Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools and Community Complex, these murals enrich the daily experience of everyone who passes through, students, educators, and visitors alike. Together, they reflect Cambridge's ongoing dedication to commissioning public art that is thoughtfully integrated into its setting, enhances the character of each site, and creates lasting, meaningful experiences for the community.