Waking the Mind with Mosaic (Photo Gallery)

Anything that wakes up the mind warms the heart of a librarian.  

At least that's what Spencer Coates believes. As Adjunct Children's Librarian, Coates workspace has changed quite a bit this past month with the completion of artist Jolino Beserra's architectural mosaic in the center of the Children’s Room. 

"It's fun to look at. Every time you see something new," said Coates. "But it's here to touch, too."

Drawing the attention of adults and preschoolers alike, Coates couldn't be happier with the finished pillar, which features embedded objects, colorful glass tiles, Scrabble pieces, and broken ceramics.

Just last week, huddled next to the column was a couple of two year-olds. They were engaged in an intense conversation in Japanese. One of them was even speaking loadly and pulling on a red toy car embedded in the column. His mother explained he was making up a story of how the car was stuck in the mud and couldn’t get to the cow pictured on a tile just a few inches away.  

Using the technique of pique assiette, Beserra began to work on the mosaic at his studio in February 2011 and installed it in the South Pasadena Public Library in June of 2011. The funded the project; no City funds were used.

Beserra has previously created elaborate architectural mosaics for other libraries, including the entrance to the Children’s Room of the Alhambra Public Library and the Young Adult Reading Room at the Camarillo Public Library.

To read more about his work covered by the Los Angeles Times, click here.