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Ocean wave Mosaic, sparhawk school 2019
Teachers: Joanna Tomah + Jennifer Silver
In 2019, Joanna and Jen co-taught a group of 11 Mural Arts students. Together, they guided eleven students through a full creative journey—from a design contest to tile making and installation—in just four weeks, all while hosting field trips and teaching about the impact murals can have on communities.
The finished mural later became a teaching tool at The River Valley Charter School, where students studied the work and developed a unique vocabulary system inspired by the various tile sizes used in the piece.
Anchor Tiles
Anchor Tiles
Anchor Tiles
"Anchor Tiles" became the term created by River Valley Charter School for larger tiles with more detail.
Filler Tiles
Anchor Tiles
Anchor Tiles
"Filler tiles" were created to fill in the blank spaces, using both cookie cutters and a custom system Joanna developed during her years working at a local pottery studio.
Systems
Anchor Tiles
Systems
Joanna's system streamlines the glazing process and makes loading and unloading tiles from the kiln significantly faster.
"Building a Better World " Ceramic Tiles, 2025
Collaborators: River Valley Charter School + Meadowhawk Studio
The Creation.
The Building a Better World Wave Mural is a community-driven mosaic installed in downtown Amesbury, MA in June 2025.
Designed by local 8th grader Ania Tymowski and digitally constructed by Meadowhawk Studio, this mural features tiles made by humans of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Representing a “Wave of Change,” it's 12 colors reflect themes of social and environmental action—each one a step toward Building a Better World, together.
These 12 themes were inspired by responses from local middle school students when asked, “What do we need to build a better world?” The result is a powerful visual story woven from hundreds of community voices, one tile at a time.
River Valley Charter School Collaboration
River Valley Charter School (RVCS) is a public Montessori-based charter school in Newburyport, MA. From September 2024 through March 2025, RVCS educators Catherine Debrocke and Lizzy Keery led a Visual Arts Project Group for 7th and 8th grade students, using the Wave Mural as both curriculum and creative catalyst.
Community Built.
From November 2024 to May 2025, the River Valley team hosted nearly 30 community events that brought public art to life. Through pop-up tile-making workshops held across the city, hundreds of participants were engaged—from toddlers to senior citizens.
Thanks to generous grants and donations, every event was free and accessible, ensuring that everyone could take part, regardless of age, background, or experience.
This project reflects the magnitude of the creative spirit and collective voice of the Amesbury community.
Meadowhawk Process
Digital Construction
Each tile is digitally placed in Photoshop, creating a mapped system that ensures accurate installation across the wall’s dimensions.
Visual Layout
Tiles were laid out on the floor at full scale to refine the design based on the project’s visual needs.
Mapping System
Mapping System
Mapping System
A map was drawn on paper to reflect the evolving design in the classroom.
Grid System
Mapping System
Mapping System
A grid system was drawn onto the wall based on the map, providing clear guidelines for the installation team.
Thank you amesbury!
