Village Building Will be Canvas for World’s Largest Glass Mosaic
Artwork Will Honor St. Vincent’s Donors, Volunteers and Staff

   SAN DIEGO _ After a false start yesterday afternoon, the first pieces of a massive glass mosaic _ the largest of its kind in the world _ will be put in place this morning, August 20, on the third floor of the west-facing exterior wall of Villa Harvey Mandel, located on the corner of 16th Street and Imperial Avenue.

   Entitled "NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS: A Tribute to Donors, Volunteers and Staff," the completed mural will stand 72 feet tall and stretch 42 feet from side to side, effectively covering one entire side of St. Vincent’s newly-opened affordable housing endeavor. Each section of sculpted stained glass, mounted on prefabricated cement slabs, will measure 32 inches by 60 inches. 226 of these slabs will comprise the finished mosaic, whose total weight will eclipse 13,500 pounds _ nearly seven tons.

   Father Joe Carroll, president of St. Vincent’s, says the artwork will represent a permanent proclamation of the Village’s appreciation for the people who contribute their time, talent or treasure to the facility.
"It’s a magnificent work that pays tribute to our magnificent donors, volunteers and staff," he says. "The significance of the completed mosaic is eclipsed only by the impact those three groups make on our organization and the positive difference they make in our clients’ lives each and every day."

   The mosaic will feature numerous ways in which the San Diego volunteer community contributes to St. Vincent’s. Artistic renderings of volunteers accompanying children to summer camp, a doctor treating a patient, a foster grandparent comforting an infant and other volunteer acts make up the 3,000+ square feet of the finished piece.

   The mural will be visible from as far away as Coronado and serve as the farewell sight for Padres fans as they leave Petco Park heading east on Imperial Avenue. It was designed by Botti Studio of Architectural Arts, a Chicago-based company whose heritage dates back to 16th-century Italian glass artisans.

   The unveiling of the completed mosaic is scheduled for Sunday, September 28. For more information on close-up visual opportunities for today’s 3rd-floor installation (media only), call (619) 687-1076.

# # #