public art
Cates Landing
Commissioned 2017
SACRED SALMON
Zachary George (Skokaylem) artwork & Liz Calvin mosaic fabrication.
There are four mosaic medallions near Roche Creek and along the waterfront that honour the importance of salmon as a source of sustenance for the Tsleil-Waututh people. With vibrant colour, they represent the qualities of determination, hard work, community and connectedness.
Chinese Benevolent
Society
Commissioned 2013
 Unveiling day |  Mosaic in full |
|---|---|
 Traditional festivities |  Upper right corner detail |
 Lower right corner detail |  Moon gate detail on right |
 Lower left corner detail |  Moon gate detail on left |
 Official opening gathering |  Upper left corner detail |
New Westminster BC
Historic Columbia Street
Commissioned 2012
This mosaic was commissionsed by the Chinese Benevolent Society. It was lovingly designed with the help of valued members within the Society. The crane and bonsai tree are in red, indicitive of the time honored craft of paper cutting. The centre image is surrounded within a moon gate entrance way.
 Installing 'Transportation' |  'Transportation' detail work |
|---|---|
 'Transportation' mosaic detail |  'Gold Rush' work in progress |
 'Gold Rush' mosaic work in progress |  mosaic detail from original menu |
 'King Neptune' mosaic work |  'King Neptune' work in progress |
 installing 'King Neptune' mosaic |
Columbia Street New Westminster: Co-commissioned with Bruce Walther and assisted by Dan Clark, these four (of eight) mosaics depecited significant historic events of the citie's past; The Gold rush, transportation, working waterfront and the old King Neptune Resturant.
Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association
Commissioned 2010
 resized Olympic worksite.jpg |  resized Working together at Sleep Country .jpg |
|---|---|
 resized Laneway Life.jpg |  resized Olympic disc .jpg |
 resized Blossoms and Blooms.jpg |  resized Blossom and Blooms detail 1.jpg |
 Resized Blossim and Blooms detail 2.jpg |
Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA), co-commissioned with Bruce Walther. These are the two (of four) that I created and worked on during the two weeks of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, daily in window of Sleep Country on Granville Street. It was a LOT of fun!! My two commissions were titled: Laneway Life and Blossoms and Blooms. A walking tour of the DVBIA mosaics can be found and downloaded on their website.
Photos to be loaded soon.
Queensburry Community Centre
Commissioned 2010
 Queensburry helping hands in progress |  Queensburry community and crane |
|---|---|
 Queensburry helping hands and crane |  Queensburry Mosaic torch |
 Queensburry Mosiac finished |  Queensburry mosaic in progress |
This mosaic is in celebration of the 2010 Olympic torch relay across Canada to Vancouver, as it passed through the community of Queensburry. Mosaic work assisted by Ruth Murry, with many long hours of thoughtful mosaic work, music, conversation, cheezies, wine and laughs.
Oakridge Centre:
Canada Line
Commissioned 2010
 Sidewalk view |  Flowing blues and greens |
|---|---|
 Flowing reds and railroad detail |  Flowing violets |
 Futuristic railway line detail |  Flowing yellows |
 Interconnected railway systems |  Past, present and future railways |
This mosaic was commissionsed just prior to the 2010 Olympics, celebrating the opening of the new Canada Line. Four this piece I intended the tile to resemble paint brush strokes. The design acknowledges the crossroads between the historic rail travel and newly opened skytrain station in the Oakridge area. The third bridge is an image of a futuristic bridge, balanceing out the composition of past, present and future of railway travel. Mosaic work and installation assisted by Dan Clark.
Jewish Community Centre
Commissioned 2009
 Jewish Community Celebration |  mosaic work detail |
|---|---|
 mosaic work detail |
This mosaic came together with many influences; drawing sessions with children, youth and adults within the Jewish community, conversation and story sessions with Jewish elders living within the community, photo tours in the historic parts of old downtown, and visiting three beautiful synoges. The research and community participation for this mosaic was very enlightning and a lot of fun.
Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association
Commisioned 2008
 Rings of Life |  Celebration |
|---|---|
 Signs of the Times |
In recognition of the upcoming 2010 Vancouver Olympics, DVBIA applied to be a part of the Cultural Legacy of Public Art. Bruce Walther and I were commissioned to add to the original 12 sidewalk mosaics done in 2006. We continued with the relationship of ideas and images directly relating to downtown Vancouver, both in the past and present, with themes of cultural events, historical architectural and influential persons. The three sidewalk mosaics that I designed were; Signs of the Times, Rings of Life and Celebration! We enjoyed fabricating these mosaics over several weeks, for public viewing and interaction in the lobby of the Sinclare Centre.
Photos to be loaded soon.
Northern Dawn
Commissioned 2007
 Northern Dawn and Liz |  Grouting Northern Dawn |
|---|---|
 Northern Dawn |
'Northern Dawn' was the last wooden fishing boat fabricated in the historic Sam Matsumoto shipbuilding site, located along the lower road, heading out to Cate's Park near Deep Cove North Vancouver. Mr. Matsumoto is credited with fabricating some of the finest aluminum fishing boats of their kind with incredible design and construction.
Parkgate Community Centre
Commissioned 2007
 mosaic mesh preparation |  installing exterior chessboard |
|---|---|
 Parkgate community participation |  Parkgate Community Chessboard |
The Parkgate Community Chessboard in North Vancouver is an exterior 10' by 10' chessboard. It is uniquely Parkgate, with many months of community involvement in the design, fabrication and installation process.
Lonsdale Quay
'Tidal Encounters'
Commissioned 2006
 Tidal Encounters - Lonsdale Quay |  Tidal Encounters -mosaic tile detail |
|---|---|
 Tidal Encounters - building the form |  Tidal Encounters - inclusive seating |
 Tidal Encounters - removing brick |  Tidal Encounters - Seabus arriving |
 Tidal Encounters - surface design |
'Tidal Encounters', is located on the pier in front of Lonsdale Quay, looking over the downtown Vancouver shoreline. It was designed in the shape of a starfish, that is easist seen by climbing up the five story 'Quay' viewing tower and looking down upon it. The mosaic tile designs are a reflection of the local sealife within the area of the pier. It's primary purpose is to be a place of inclusive seating for the public. It was put together over a two month period with the amazing talents of 5 North Shore Youth under the mentorship of Liz Calvin; funded by Lonsdale Quay and the City of North Vancouver as a Youth Employment Program
Lonsdale Quay 'Perspectives'
Commisioned 2006
 Installing Perspectives with Babak |  Lonsdale Quay 'Perspectives' |
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'Perspectives' is located within Lonsdale Quay, in front of the glass elevator and under the three story sunny atrium. It was also fabricated through the incredible talents of five North Shore youth. Over a three month intense summer employment and menorship program these youth are credited with the thoughtful vision and design and many, many hours of mosaic work. It was put together in 64 large puzzle pieces and took nine full days to install... stunning to view from the floors above.
City of North Vancouver
Commissioned 2005
 North Vancouver Centenial Mosaic |
|---|
Presented by the talented group of youth who fabricated 'Perspectives', to the City of North Vancouver as a gift... celcbrating the City's Centenial year. It was installed in the plaza next to the John Braithwright Community Center in lower Lonsdale.
Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association
Commissioned 2006
 Points of View |  Sounds Around Town |
|---|---|
 Dal Richards |  Enterprising beginnings |
 Neon Lights |  On the Scene |
Co-commissed with Bruce Walther are the original 12 sidewalk mosaics for downtown Vancouvetr.
Photos to be loaded soon.
Broadway Skytrain
Station
Commissioned 2005
 "Where the Crows Fly' |  'Walking on Eggshells' in full |
|---|---|
 Installing 'Where the Crows Fly' |  Detail of 'Walking on Eggshells' |
 Tracks and footprints... |
Commissioned in 2005 for the busy Vancouver Skytrain station at Broadway and Commercial.
The mosaic 'Walking on Eggshells' reminded me of the intricate way that travelers navigated this busy crossroads of directions. The flow of passengers bustling in all directions are depicted by their lingering footprints... telling a story about who they might be. Notice the older gentleman who is walking with a cane. There are remaining trails made by inline skates, a skate board and a bicycle.
The mosaic 'Where the Birds Fly' was created in complete 'awh',of the thousands of crows that pass over the connecting overpass daily, between old and new stations. There are interspersed green leaves between the 25 crows, detailing falling leaves from the birtch trees on either side of the overpass.