Tile-ish art

Deepa Bharath

Often, a piece of art tells a story.

It could be about a person, a piece of fruit, a situation or even

a place -- like Corona del Mar.

Organizers of the Corona del Mar Centennial Celebration hope those

who love their little village like they do can tell their stories on

an 8-by-8-inch ceramic tile.

About 1,000 of these tiles are expected to go on a commemorative

memory wall to be constructed as part of the Centennial Plaza at the

corner of Coast Highway and Marguerite Avenue. The wall is part of

the commemoration of Corona del Mar’s 100th birthday.

The tiles, which cost $100 apiece, will also serve as a way to

raise money for the celebration, said Bill Dean, a member of the

Corona del Mar Centennial Board.

“Not only can people paint on these tiles, but they can also affix

a photograph or a drawing that means something to them,” he said.

The committee is undertaking the project in collaboration with

Color Me Mine in Triangle Square. The store finishes the tiles, which

are imported, by firing them up in an oven at 1,500 degrees. People

can buy them directly from the store or through the committee’s

website.

The campaign started on July 29, but the response has already been

tremendous, said Kathleen Near, owner of Color Me Mine. So far, five

tiles have been completed.

“One family divided the tile into three parts and had their three

children draw on it,” she said. “Another one has a drawing of a

hibiscus with the family’s name on it.”

So far, it’s mostly been family names, Near said.

That makes sense because committee members had imagined that the

wall would be a legacy of sorts for future generations, Dean said.

“It’s a way for people to express themselves,” he said. “It gives

local families, businesses and friends of Corona del Mar [a chance]

to say something about the place they all love.”

Those who so desire may even buy more than one tile, Dean said.

“If a picture doesn’t fit right on a tile, they could use more,

and we’ll make sure they are put together,” he said.

Five members, including the architect of the Centennial Plaza,

have been assigned the difficult task of deciding what tile goes

where on the wall, Dean said.

“It’s going to be like looking at pieces of a jigsaw puzzle,” Dean

said.

The response has been positive, and the fact that the committee

has sold more than 100 tiles in just two weeks speaks for itself,

Dean said. The tiles, if maintained well, could last up to two

centuries, he said.

The wall itself won’t be visible and may not even be completed

during the official celebrations scheduled for October, he said.

“But when it’s all over and people walk by the plaza, that’s when

it’ll hit them,” Dean said. “It’s a historic structure that’s bound

to have a lasting impact.”

* DEEPA BHARATH is the enterprise and general assignment reporter.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at

deepa.bharath@latimes.com.