Watsonville Brillante Mosaic Project Gets A Prestigious Award
(4 min read) The massive and amazingly intricate, 10-phase outdoor Watsonville Brillante mosaic project has been named Best in Show in the Mosaic and Glass Arts International 2023 exhibition held in Buffalo, New York. The Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA) and the Stained Glass Association of America (SGAA) will present the exhibition series throughout September.
Huge public garages are the necessary evil of the modern world and are usually uniform, generic markers of every city. However, the six-floor structure gracing the West Beach and Rodriguez streets is an entirely different animal. Its facade features “larger than life” mosaic artworks depicting indigenous people and various cultures that make up the Parajo Valley. Watsonville Brillante basically represents this diverse city’s entire cultural heritage, so it is no wonder that it is considered to be the most ambitious public art project in the history of Santa Cruz County.
“When I first proposed Watsonville Brillante I wanted to make Santa Cruz County a mosaic artist destination, a place where people come intentionally to see mosaics like they might go to Barcelona to see Gaudi.”, says Kathleen Crocetti, the lead artist. “This is huge. It feels like we put a little pin on the map for folks to say “I want to see a monumental mosaic, so I want to go to Watsonville.”
The Brillante project is the result of the efforts of hundreds of hardworking local volunteers and generous donors. However, the person who envisioned the whole project and started it all is Kathleen Crocetti, a Santa Cruz middle school teacher and beloved Watsonville resident. She launched the five-year project back in 2019 and managed to elevate the Chicano-style printmaking artwork of prolific well-known artist Fuentes, Watsonville’s colorful quilt of ethnicities, and the art of mosaic making all at once.
SAMA and SGAA members submitted more than 120 artworks that were taken into consideration for the exhibition series. After careful deliberation, 38 were chosen to participate in the prestigious exhibition. The exhibition itself is comprised of two distinctive segments: Fine Art and Site-Specific & Architectural Art. The event also includes a special exhibit by the famous Oregon mosaic artist, Kate Kerrgan.
“The exhibition elevates new perspectives of mosaic art, stained glass, and architectural art in numerous contexts and celebrates established as well as emerging artists working in this traditional medium today,” says the statement on the official website of the exhibit. “All segments combined represent 35 artists from throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Africa.”
Watsonville Brillante mosaic project is not just a mere embellishment of an otherwise unremarkable public structure. Its stunning mosaics represent the soul of the city and speak volumes of our art and its diverse heritage. Congratulations!
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28 Comments
These are amazing and no wonder they got a reward very well deserved
If anything is deserving of a reward like this, it’s the Watsonville project. It is truly epic.
I love what they’re doing to showcase how amazing mosaic art is. It’s so much more than backsplashes!
Wow that is such a stunning parking garage, and I never thought I’d say that. The mosaics really turn it into a focal point x
The mosaics are so mesmerising. I never heard of this project but it looks amazing. Well done!
Wow! Happy to hear that WATSONVILLE BRILLANTE MOSAIC PROJECT GETS A PRESTIGIOUS AWARD. They really deserved it!
Cute pins! This blog post showed me a different type of artistry- mosaics. Everyone pictured looks passionate about what they do.
I can only imagine how long a big piece like that would take to complete. It looks amazing & deserves an award!
Wow, what an incredible achievement! The Watsonville Brillante mosaic project truly brings art to life on a grand scale and celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the Parajo Valley. A well-deserved recognition for such an ambitious and beautiful public art project.
How do people even get up that high to create such artwork?! I have a fear of heights but my goodness how beautiful. What a project and a joy to walk by and come across that.
What an interesting project! I learn something new from your blog posts.
I think a parking garage is a brilliant place to display art. So long as it’s appealing or interesting and not an eye sore. These are fantastic!
I love how they dress up public spaces with this type of art. It makes them feel more personal and fun.
Wow! Those mosaic murals have so much detail and high quality work!
What a refreshing perspective on public garages! The Watsonville Brillante garage’s commitment to showcasing the rich cultural tapestry of Parajo Valley is truly commendable. It’s heartening to see such an ambitious public art project that celebrates diversity and heritage. It not only adds beauty to the city but also tells a compelling story about its people. Kudos to Santa Cruz County for this creative and meaningful endeavor!
These large-scale mosaics are amazing, so pleased to hear that they have won an award.
These mosaics are gorgeous! Great write up!
I love street art and the Watsonville Brillante mosaic project looks amazing!
These are just incredible. I am always amazed with how artists can turn something like a building into a piece of art. Just stunning!
That’s an amazing award and wow these are just so beautiful! I love the look of them. Definitely an amazing form of art! Thanks for sharing!
Congratulations on the well-deserved award for the Watsonville Brillante Mosaic Project! It’s fantastic to see such recognition for your hard work and dedication. Keep up the excellent work, and I look forward to hearing more about your future achievements.
So elegant and so beautiful. I am truly impressed with it. So beautiful
Your article was not only informative but also deeply inspiring. The way you described the intricate work, dedication, and artistic vision behind this project truly resonated with me.
Wow! The Watsonville project definitely deserved an award. It’s beautiful!
I loved seeing all the projects! So much beauty and color in them!
This is such an important cultural project – that really sounds rooted in community! Thank you for sharing about it – the art is lovely too!
wow! That’s really impressive. Almost worth traveling just to see it.
These pieces of art are breathtaking! Pretty impressive that they were able to narrow down the winners to 38 from 120, I’m sure it wasn’t easy to pick.