The walkway around the “Spirit of Rockville” fountain at the Red Brick Courthouse is undergoing a facelift, thanks to a recent commission from the Cultural Arts Commission. Artist Diedre Saunder and craftsman Peter Tabri are installing a huge mosaic carpet around the fountain. The colored tendrils are made of smalti (pieces of brightly colored glass) while the field is commercial floor tile broken into random pieces and set in a bed of latex adhesive. They’re about 75% finished and it’s slow back-breaking work, but portions are already grouted so you can get a sense of the final appearance. I expect it’ll be finished in July, but in the meantime, stop by and get a preview.
If this work looks familiar, Diedre and Peter also worked on the snake that envelopes the Elwood Smith Recreation Center as well as the entry wall at the Croydon Creek Nature Center.
Max for Rockville 
Max,
Thanks for raising this one. Many of us on previous M & C’s worked with the Cultural Arts Commission to get the right sculpture at that location. I think we worked for two years receiving many suggestions for this sculpture especially what the figure would hold in her hand. After we approved this, it seemed to take forever to get it finished.