April 22, 2005

Mosaicist Enjoys Sharing Her Art by Bringing It to the Streets

By Marti Gacioch

While working with clay as a 5-yearold child, Betsy Schulz knew that she'd spend her life creating art. She couldn't help herself. With a father who designed and built furniture and a mother who excelled at sewing, creativity thrived within her.

While growing up in Western Pennsylvania, Schulz's parents took her along when they collected raw materials at garage sales and leftovers from old dismantled barns. She quickly caught their scavenging spirit and began incorporating her own bits and pieces into art.
Continuing her passion for art through high school, Schulz entered Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University where she earned a B.A. in Fine Arts.

Today her artistic roots are highly visible in Del Mar, Solana Beach and La Jolla. In Del Mar, visit Del Mar Heights Elementary School, drop by Java Kai Cafe or pass by the Del Mar Library to experience her mosaic work that glorifies the natural environment.

Del Mar Library's 90-foot long mosaic wall on Camino Del Mar is one of her largest pieces. Prominent garden expert Pat Welsh first envisioned the wall and then enlisted Schulz to help realize her dream.

After receiving the city's green light for the mosaic wall, Schulz and her 80 volunteer team spent one year (May 2003-May 2004) building it. Constructing the mosaic, an eclectic collection of terra cotta and sage tiles, shells, black beach rocks, bricks, rusty metal objects and even a piece of the Berlin Wall, quickly became a community effort.

"It was a very collaborative project," Schulz said. "Our theme was 'It Takes a Village,' and Del Mar residents brought us items that they wanted to include in the wall."

Ceramicist Laird Plumleigh designed the Garibaldi-shaped terra cotta tiles that contain the 162 project donor names that line the sides of the library staircase. Schulz, an 11-year Del Mar resident, loves working with children and encourages theta to take a hands-on approach in helping her with art. Recently, she enlisted Del Mar Heights Elementary School's 6th grade class to help design and build a 22-foot long serpent-shaped concrete bench and then decorate it with stones and colorful tiles displaying inspirational words.

Schulz first split the class into 16 groups of four students each, who created scale models of bench designs. After the students presented the models in a show, they were judged and a winner was chosen. Then entire sixth grade class joined in to help build and decorate the winning design with stones and tiles. Toward the completion of the 22 foot bench, the rest of the school participated by donating items that they wanted to include in the bench.

Schulz found that event such a positive experience that she continued working with Del Mar Heights 6th-grade students, who also helped her build the new mosaic mural at Del Mar's Java Kai Cafe, 13943 Boquita Drive. The mural features a seascape of the ocean floor around the Hawaiian Islands.

Solana Beach also has its own Schulz mosaic at the Hanna Fenichel Center for Child Development. The seascape mosaic includes a concrete dragon tail wall that surrounds the sand box play area.

Schulz is now simultaneously working on two new Solana Beach mosaics that illustrate how this region's geology and natural environment inspire her.

By giving Fletcher Coves exterior shower wall a mosaic makeover of fossil-like tiles and mosaic strips, Schulz's completed mural is designed resemble the striations of the earth.

At the same time, Schulz is busy with the two Solana Beach entryway arches to decorate the east corner of Via de la Valle. The first 14-foot high arch will be located right on the corner, and the second 11-foot.high arch will be positioned at the start of the Coastal Rail Trail.

"Each arch column will represent a different period of Solana Beach history," Schulz said. "The periods include the natural environment, the early people and dry farming, area development and the current people and vibrancy of the area."

While the City of Solana Beach is paying for the project, the material costs have risen since its initial approval; 75 tiles will be sold to donors in order to cover the additional expenses. To donate, call (858) 755-2937.

Back

Photo by Erin Spry
Artist Betsy Schulz, left guides Del Mar Heights students through designing the mural.