In celebration of the 250th anniversary of Ellicott City, Howard County Center for the Arts resident artist Lisa Scarbath wanted to use her talent for creating sparking mosaics to give the town something special. She wanted it to be something that would depict the history, personality, and culture of Ellicott City while reflecting the unwavering resiliency of its community. Her vision came together in the large-scale, community sourced creation “Pieces of History: EC250 Mosaic Project” that was recently unveiled at the Center’s Resident Artist Show.
Lisa began work on the project in the fall of 2021. She invited the community to be “apART” of her art by contributing a piece of their own Ellicott City story for the mosaic. She received items from 80 people along with their personal stories that are now featured in her mosaic and its accompanying documentation. The finished piece consists of six individual panels that depict various iconic images from Ellicott City including the river, the mill silos, historic buildings, the clock, and the caboose at the train station.
Materials used for the mosaic include glass, stone, slate and metal along with more than 80 objects contributed by people in the community. Items range from a piece of marble once part of a counter in the old Main Street post office to a ball point pen that promotes a long-gone Main Street insurance company. There is even a crab mallet! Lisa has assembled the stories the objects tell, as written by their contributors, in a document that is accessible via a QRcode that is displayed along with the mosaic.
Lisa’s beautiful mosaic is scheduled to be installed along Main Street in June for all to enjoy during the town’s Sestercentennial year. WATCH FOR IT!
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