Patterns with a Purpose

May 26, 2020 / Art and Music, Good to Know, Things to Do & See

Downtown Gloucester has a new and developing piece of public art on the side of the Americold building at 69 Rogers Street. MosaicGloucester is a visual representation of Gloucester’s oral history, telling its layered tales—through its citizens—in a lasting, accessible, and engaging way. The mosaic was designed to capture the spirit and imagery of Gloucester while becoming a welcoming gateway to Gloucester’s Downtown.

Local artist, Lesley Davison, showcases Gloucester’s storied past, present, and future with creative patterns and design.

The work is a love letter from Gloucester artist Lesley Davison to the city. She has interviewed local residents about Gloucester, and has illustrated their stories about Gloucester’s past, present and future on the mosaic’s large fish-shaped panels. The resulting composition is formed of glittery mirror, colorful glass and textured ceramic tiles. Lesley worked with local residents of all ages to make tiles included in the work depicting marine life and local landmarks, with some tiles even serving as tributes to relationships or to those who are no longer with us. The title and theme of each panel comes from one of the historic Babson Boulders from enigmatic Dogtown, and the relevant boulder is included in the design. A piece of poetry by a poet who lived or spent time in Gloucester is also featured in each panel.

As of this writing there are three fish on the Americold building with more to come. Beyond just creating a beautiful mural for Gloucester, its aim is to celebrate our heritage and look forward to our promising future. The mural creation process, as well as the mural itself, engages and informs residents and visitors to build a better understanding and pride in the “mosaic of tales” which come together to form the Gloucester story.