Irina Rojas ’18, with assistance from Boston artist Josh Winer, is in the process of creating a mosaic mural for Hamilton College, aimed at demonstrating the power of community art. Winer is an artist based in Boston, Massachusetts who specializes in murals, mosaics, and teaching art. Winer’s background includes a degree in Fresco Painting from the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Yale University, and a Master’s degree in Architecture from Harvard University. He also became a licensed architect in 1989 after practicing architecture for three years. Winer has created over 100 murals and works of public art, from large murals for city centers to smaller interior murals for homes.

On Saturday, Jan. 27 and Sunday, Jan. 28, Rojas held hour-long workshops to teach students from all disciplines and class years the steps involved in build- ing the mural made up of cut mosaic tiles. Students who attended the workshops are now able to work on the mural on the third floor of the Sadove Student Center any time they want throughout the semester. These approximately 30 students are also now able to teach anyone else how to contribute to the mosaic mural. The mural will be installed in April or May outside of McEwen and Opus 1.

The mural, which is 78 by 142 inches, is filled with overlapping literal and symbolic representations of Hamilton’s campus. Every aspect of the mural was designed by a Hamilton student or recent alumni. Ellison Sherrill ’17 created the drawings of Steuben Field, Blood Fitness and Dance Center, and the Kennedy Center for Theatre and the Studio Arts. Ella MacVeagh ’18 drew a group of colorful cows, signifying the cows in the surrounding Clinton area. Jaleel Davis ’19 designed a collage of foods, buildings, activities, animals, and objects that are meaningful at Hamilton College. His design includes apple cider, a giant squirrel, a diner cup, and Colgate toothpaste, symbolizing the unspoken rivalry between Hamilton College and Colgate University. Other designers include Rojas, Gillian Mak ’18, Claire Callahan ’18, Christina Florakis ’19 and the late Annalise Curtis ’18, whose dragonfly drawing is featured in the mural.

Now the broader Hamilton community is tasked with cutting and placing mosaic tiles on the mural.

This is the first community mosaic mural in the college’s history. Rojas worked on a similar project at her high school and was inspired to bring it to Hamilton. She also collaborated with Winer for her high school mosaic mural. Student Assembly President Nadav Konforty ’20 went to high school with Rojas and was moved by her high school mosaic mural to assist her with this project.

At the workshops on Saturday and Sunday, Rojas explained the significance of the mural, and taught attendees how to cut and place the thousands of small mosaic tiles. Rojas also went over the particular guidelines, including what to outline with black tiles, and the importance of cutting the tiles rather than simply placing them whole onto the piece. Then the group began sorting the small mosaic tiles by color and sticking them on the the mural which is covered with a translucent adhesive material. When asked why they were at the workshop, many students noted the relaxing nature of working on the project and the power of many different types of people coming together to create something beautiful.

Additionally, Rojas FaceTimed with Winer on her laptop so he could interact with students and teach more intricate tile cutting techniques. All campus emails will be sent in regards to future workshops.

Positioned on the third of the Sadove Center, all Hamilton students are encouraged to check out the progress of the mural at any time.