Mosaic Design Statement

This mosaic is the culmination of the third grade expedition study on American immigration, and it celebrates the great diversity of our country. The tree is an important part of our West Bath culture, and we hope our mosaic will add yet another symbol of growth and nurturing in our school. Our design is a metaphoric representation of American immigration which our students collaborated on. They polished their metaphor ideas and carefully selected from tree images they’d drawn, and then commissioned mosaic artist, Amanda Edwards, to interpret those ideas into a mosaic. Students were thrilled when Amanda invited them to her Cape Elizabeth, Maine studio, so they could each create a leaf on the tree! Amanda’s mosaic interpretation far exceeded all our expectations! We feel so honored to have been able to work with an artist of her caliber. Thank you, Amanda!

Our tree represents life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, as stated in our Declaration of Independence. Also incorporated into the design are the words, E Pluribus Unum, meaning one from many, and the image of President George Washington, the father of our country and the president of the Constitutional Convention. These are defining elements of our society.

A tree’s roots take in nutrients and anchor the tree. America takes in immigrants, and anchor our nation in cultural diversity; making us stronger. The roots on our tree are created from the many skin tone colors of the immigrants who have come here.

A tree’s trunk is made up of layers which work together to support and nourish the tree. Freedom is our cambium layer, supporting our nation with its great strength. The phloem layer delivers nutrients and water from the roots to the tree’s crown, where food is made to nourish the tree. Our immigration roots deliver a vast mix of cultures to our nation’s crown, enriching our country. The xylem layer distributes food throughout the tree, as our vast lands distribute immigrants throughout our nation. The bark protects the tree from harm, as our U.S. Constitution protects our rights and freedoms in the United States, We the People. . .

The branches of a tree are spread wide to create the tree’s unique shape and allow for maximum exposure to light. The six branches of our tree stand for the six continents that spread across our world, which have contributed to our country’s population. We have opened our arms to each one. They bring us maximum exposure to the light of global knowledge.

The leaves of a tree are the light-collecting and food-creating components of a tree. The leaves of our tree represent the many countries feeding America with their global languages, traditions, religions, foods, music, dress, and most importantly, their hearts and souls, yearning to breathe free.

Mrs. Beal & Mrs. Sawyer’s Third Grade Students

West Bath School, West Bath, Maine

2016 - 2017