Quake Mosaic meets Pastry at the CIA, Greystone

About a month ago, pastry chef and Culinary Institute of America professor Stephen Durfee contacted me about participating in a project he was doing with his students. Each year he pairs his pastry students with local artists so they can create a dessert inspired by the artist's work. So instead of bringing them to my half finish art studio, I decided to share the Quake Mosaic with them.

I met the adorable and talented Nicole, Dana and Natalie at the Wine Train yard where all of the mosaic materials are being stored. We discussed the project and the were so enthusiastic and excited to work together. They even took some of the broken pieces of a couple plates with them to use in their creation.

I was super excited to hear about the other incredible artists they had selected for this project: Chelsea Ritter-Soronen of Chalk Riot, Mikey Kelly, Freeman Tanner and Patty Wessman, all longtime friends and active members of our local art community. Each artist was paired with 2-3 pastry students and they results were incredible!

Delicious creation that Dana, Natalie and Nicole made using actual broken donations from community members. Photo by Infinity Visuals.

Students presenting their work inspired by Mikey Kelly's sculpture and drawings. Photo by Infinity Visuals.

Students during the presentation.

A second dessert (!) by Dana, Nicole and Natalie inspired by the Quake Mosaic. Notice the 'train tracks'? Photo by Infinity Visuals.

My individual plate for the second dessert. Beautiful! Photo by Infinity Visuals.

Quake Mosaic: Cal Poly Landscape Architecture Student Visit

Another inspiring day with the next generation. When Jessica de Lasaux (longtime RADnapa cohort) and I reached out to our talented friend, Gretchen Stranzl McCann of GSM landscape architecture, inc., to talk to her about what it would take to create a living roof, she had a ton of great ideas. She also thought this would be a perfect case study for her class of students at Cal Poly, where she is also an adjunct professor.

So a few months later, Jessica and I made a visit to the campus and were blown away by what this group had come up with for the site. They had gone way beyond the living roof and designed the entire parcel, complete with irrigation diagrams, landscaping + hardscape ideas as well as grading plans. 

The class had so many great ideas and ways to make the landscape plan efficient, inviting and exciting. Jessica and I gave feedback and made a short list of the work we thought we could hopefully incorporate into the final design. These drawings will be on display on the Wine Train station's upcoming "RAD Napa Wall", which will highlight completed and in-progress projects.  

Quake Mosaic: Sorting Day with New Tech High School

What an amazing day working with students from Napa's New Technology High School and their teacher, the wonderful Margaret Dennett! We made it through the bulk of the materials and specifically focused on sorting through the beautiful seconds donated from Heath Ceramics. Several students also worked on sanding the edges of the sharper broken pieces so they will be safe for the public to touch when they are used in the final mosaic.

Special thanks to Art Teacher Margaret Dennet for reaching out and bringing her students down to help for the morning. 

Here are a couple of (unedited) student interviews shot by Israel Valencia. Amazing.