My friend and mosaic partner Wanda Montemayor is a force of nature who thrives off of connecting people through art. We met when she was an art teacher, then school counselor, and now is a renowned art therapist, who creates healing murals through public art projects. The Deep Eddy Mural Project was the first of these. I created the artwork and layout from historic photos and articles, and she made it happen by involving as many community members of any age and ability as she could. This ambitious, colorful, sparkling mosaic depicts the carnival atmosphere and colorful characters at the first outdoor pool in Texas that had its heyday in the roaring 20’s and earlier. There was horse diving, a trapeze, zip lines, a greased pig, and more! Hundreds of students, swimmers, lifeguards, teachers, many community organizations, and even the mayor became a part of this large public art mural at historic Deep Eddy Pool in Austin, Texas by inscribing their hopes and dreams in clay tiles which were glazed and installed in sky or water areas. This gave participants a connection to the relatable “keep Austin weird” past while also envisioning their futures.  Check out Wanda’s latest projects here: 
https://www.communityarttherapy.com/projects-new