Artwork copyright Mike Mandel. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Mike Mandel. Photo courtesy of the artist (detail).

Artwork copyright Mike Mandel. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Mike Mandel. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Mike Mandel. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Mike Mandel. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Seeing Blue, 2010

Mike Mandel
(American, born 1950)

Location: Chiawana High School, Pasco

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Artist Mike Mandel uses bridges as the main symbol of Seeing Blue, his mosaic mural artwork. Bridges literally and figuratively link the Tri-Cities communities of Southeastern Washington and the students who are the future of the community. A student is seen engaging in the community via science and a microscope. Other students join him in a friendly and supportive group. Mandel also included imagery of the region’s iconic Blue Bridge and the old Northern Pacific Bridge that connect the three communities of Pasco, Kennewick, and Richland. The artwork's title Seeing Blue and its main color also reference Chiawana High School's school motto, "See Blue In All You Do."

Seeing Blue dominates the main two-story hallway of Chiawana High School and is based on photos of students. It consists of four 13 by 18 foot mosaic panels, composed of more than 137,000 one-inch porcelain and glass tiles, with over seventy-five different colors. The artist has based the mural’s look and process on the marriage of the camera and the computer: each tile represents one pixel on the computer screen.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Pasco School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Artist Mike Mandel creates large-scale mosaic murals using photographic imagery. He states that his "approach to permanent public art is to tap into the intertwined stories of history, myth, images of land and community."

Mandel received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the California State University Northridge in 1972. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1974.