During the tile making process, neighbors shared many stories about their lives living in Southern Oaks. Neighbors often visualized these stories by carving symbols into their tiles that represented themselves, a time in their lives , or a memorial about a loved one. These stories have become a visual codex carved into the side of the wall. As a way to preserve these moments, we were able to capture a few of these tales in neighbor's own words below.
ABOUT OUR MURAL
The Southern Oaks neighborhood in South Austin created a 140 foot long mosaic mural made of handmade ceramic and cut glass. It welcomes guests to the neighborhood and depicts a whimsical scene filled with families, homes, wildlife, flora, trees, inspiring messages, and more.
It was created by over 200 community members
and funded by the City of Austin's Neighborhood Partnering Program as well as additional fundraising by neighbors.
"We didn't just create a mural, we built friendships and connections during our sessions which have strengthened our community. When we look at the mural, we don't just see a mosaic. We see all the captured stories behind each piece, the memorialization of neighbors who are no longer here, and all of the conversations shared."
- Project Leads Lis Healey and Jen Maufrais Kelly
200+
volunteers
2.5k+
volunteer hours
31
community sessions
140
feet in length
2k
pounds of clay
A Retaining Wall Becomes A Mosaic Mural
