CLIENT
Landex Development

PROJECT TITLE
Artisan 4100

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Located at 4100 Rhode Island Avenue, Artisan 4100 is a mixed-used commercial/residential development in Prince George’s County. The community is in the center of the Gateway Arts District, one mile from Washington, DC and three miles from the University of Maryland’s flagship campus.

Landex worked with the community and local artists to design the building and hired local artists to install public art inside the property. AOB is commissioned to provide an elemental mosaic mural installed on the exterior wall of  Artisan 4100.

Mosaic Design Integrations
Lead artist Angela Faye Cruz’s design is inspired by Fibonacci spiral that occurs in nature with colors sampled from the Artisan 4100 palette and each color is associated with an andamento pattern that suggests a different element of nature – pinecone, rose, wave, and chrysanthemum.

The project includes planning, design, fabrication, and installation of four five-foot mural art pieces through a community-integrated process utilizing AOB’s teen apprenticeship model and fabricated onsite in the Gateway Arts District. In addition to the artwork itself, investment in this project will result in business and design training for creative teens, warm engagement with the local creative community, and a positive ripple effect through the regional creative economy.

Apprentice Artist Design Process
In an initial meeting, the Landex design team met with AOB apprentices to review project plans and for apprentices to receive design direction, ask questions, and take notes to inform their initial concept designs. This meeting was also an opportunity for the client design team to share with the apprentices about their own professional background and careers in their respective fields.

Subsequent meetings were scheduled to review proposed designs and make artwork selections. Apprentices presented their design concepts and received feedback from the client design team. Several designs revisions were requested as the client team made final decisions on artwork placement and site integration.