The Del Mar Library Mixed-Media Mosaic Wall “The Wall”
Design by: Betsy Kopshina Schulz & Pat Welsh
Built by: Schulz, Welsh, Matt & Dean Johnson (Contractor) & volunteers
Tile, Glaze & Mold Assistance by: Laird Plumleigh & Hans Tegebo

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Betsy Schulz teamed-up with Pat Welsh to help Pat realize her dream of cladding the Del Mar Library wall with found objects, brick and stone. Together they designed the wall and created a presentation for the city to approve. They built the wall with community volunteers and their contractor, Dean Johnson. It took one year from the initial proposal to the completed 650’ sq. ft. wall. Approximately $61,000 was raised to complete the project from public donations. The wall cost was $41,000. The $17,000 of unused funds were donated back by Betsy and Pat to the Del Mar Garden Club and the Del Mar Library.

Before & After
Library wall before mural		Library wall after mural		Library wall after mural—a closer look
Making Tiles
Pat Welsh making tiles		Hans Tegebo grinding molds (L), volunteer (R) pressing mold		Betsy Schulz touching up tiles pulled from molds
Creating template & transferring the wall
Betsy Schulz placing tiles, bricks and stones on the template		Pat (L) & Betsy (R) drawing from the template on the wall		Drawing from the template on the wall
Applying & using supports on the first tiles
Betsy mixing thinset for the application		Matt & Dean Johnson applying the first tiles to the wall		Volunteer cleaning thinset off tiles
Community volunteers made the wall a reality
Jeff from the Del Mar TV Foundation filming the documentary		Judy Burks, volunteer, cleaning as she works		Over 80 volunteers helped work on the wall
We involved children of all ages
Pat teaching a child how to apply a rock		Everyone was excited to help		Chad, 11, having fun working at the wall
Grouting & cleaning the wall
Betsy & volunteers grouting the wall		Tensia grouting bricks in the wall		Cleaning the grout off the surface
Dean sealing, making volunteer tiles & placing the donor fish
Dean Johnson sealing the wall		Pat Welsh making signature tiles with Laird Plumleigh		Dean (T), Christy (R) & Denise (L) working on donor fish wall*
*Donor walls with large garibaldi fishes ($500 and up) and smaller garibaldi fishes ($250). Names on the fishes memorialize people and families who donated funds for construction of the mural or beloved family and friends.
Partners in the details
Partners, Betsy Schulz (L) & Pat Welsh (R)		Mosaic tile pieces donated from Laird Plumleigh's bone yard		Gears from a local water works company
Details in the overall design
Many of the items for the wall were from Del Mar residents		Yes it really is a piece of the Berlin wall		Local ceramic artist, Nikki Moore, made custom tile fish for the wall