Mosaic Art

Stark industrial scenes, high contrast abstract patterns and bold graffiti make up the URBN mosaic collection – a collaboration between Artaic, a Boston mosaic design and fabrication company and Boston non-profit Artists For Humanity (AFH).

Artaic worked with AFH youth to transform their original artwork into unique tile mosaics. All the designs can be customized to fit any space, application and color needs.

Artaic trained AFH youth on Artaic’s Tessera software with the aid of a Mass Ventures START grant and commissioned a collection of one-of-a-kind mosaic designs. AFH youth toured Artaic’s studio where they manufactured all of their mosaics to experience first-hand the blend of art and technology. Utilizing their new mosaic software skills, the AFH participants transformed original artwork, including paintings, sketches, mixed media, and graphic designs, into mosaic murals.

“Sharing the software and touring our facility, I was able to see teens’ eyes light up with realization that there is actually potential to make a business and earn money through creating unique art.” – Paul Reiss, Artaic Cofounder

Currently, 83 percent of AFH’s youth participants are from low or very low-income homes and 44 percent use their wages to support their families. Proceeds from any of the designs sold from the collection will support Artists for Humanity to continue its work transforming the lives of Boston’s urban youth.

About Artaic:
Artaic was founded in 2007 to make mosaic more accessible to artists as a medium to work with. Artaic’s design software and robotic manufacturing systems enable the creation of high-end, custom mosaic projects fast, efficiently, and with exceptional value.

July 28, 2013

St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway

For as little as $100, you could win a new home worth between $300,000 to $600,000 and help the children who receive life-saving treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The state-of-the-art facility, located in Memphis, Tennessee, is two-and-a-half million square feet of magic with about 3,600 employees.

On average, about 7,800 patients are seen at St. Jude every year, most of whom are treated on a continuing outpatient basis as part of ongoing research programs — having treated kids from all around the world and all 50 states.

St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay.

Since it began in 1991, more than 200 houses have been given away. To date the Dream Home program has raised more than $260 million for St. Jude. The Dream Home program is now one of the largest single-event fundraisers for St. Jude nationwide.

This year, the program will include more than 30 St. Jude Dream Home Giveaways and will continue to grow.

Houses for the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway are now being constructed in multiple states using donated land, labor, materials and fixtures. One national donor, Brizo Faucets, recently hosted a tour and sponsored children activities at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Target House; where children and their family stay if the treatment is scheduled to last more than three months.

Brizo is a fashion forward brand that has united talented Designers and Design Bloggers from across North America and abroad for social media events that go beyond discussing design and inspiration. They treat each group, fondly referred to as the Blogger19, as part of their design family. They genuinely care about our thoughts on where the industry is going as well as the challenges we face in the field.

The recent reunion trip of all the Blogger19 groups was a great way for me to feel like I was finally able to let Brizo know I care about what is important to them.

blogger19 group photo Memphis — Blogger19 Group Photo

This was an amazing, eye-opening experience. I have to thank Brizo for opening my eyes to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital network of patient care and research. I wish Florida had a Dream Home – you have to be a resident of the state where the home is built to buy a ticket. Fortunately, there are other ways to give support. I find it impressive that 81 cents of every dollar donated to St. Jude goes directly towards funding the research necessary to fight some of the most heart-breaking diseases.

A fellow designer commented that she didn’t feel like she was in a hospital but rather a mall food court. At St. Jude you don’t see wheelchairs; children are pulled by their parents in little red wagons. The air is triple filtered so it has no odor. The walls and corridors are painted and decorated in fun themes. It’s quite possibly the most inspirational place I’ve ever been. I have so many photos from the trip I really have no idea how to share them all.

St. Jude Brizo Collage | KitchAnn Style — Activities at St. Jude with Brizo

We got in on some of the fun and posed in the photo booth after the kids were done with their props and camera ready poses.

If you’d like to know more about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or make a donation, follow the link HERE.

April 19, 2012

Pink Hardware for a Cause

If you are headed to KBIS next week you’ll want to take a look at Berenson Hardware’s new pink finish in 5 new decorative hardware collections inspired by and named after courageous breast cancer survivors.

The mission of Berenson’s project is to increase awareness of breast cancer and pay tribute to the memory and honor of those who have been affected by breast cancer.

A portion of the sales now through March 2013 will be donated to Komen for the Cure, with a promised minimum donation of $25,000.. You can read about each woman on Berenson’s site.

April 25th, 2012 – KBIS booth 3401 from 11:30AM – 1:00PM you can meet 4 of the survivors who inspired the collection and share in their stories of survival.

Inspired Designs Brochure