unison pottery and tile

Public Spaces

Library murals

“Joan Gardiner has built a reputation as an accomplished ceramicist with a devoted private clientele. But the library projects hold a special place in her heart. Her first library commission at Purcellville Library in 1994 features a charming tile abecedary in the children’s room with rhymes by her husband. A large-scale installation in the lobby of Rust Library in Leesburg features traditional textiles from around the world, with freeform images of beloved hand games like rock, paper scissors, along with a tribute to the Rust family, who donated the land on which the library is built …” – On Display: Artist Tells Sterling’s Story Through Ceramics by Jan Mercker, Loudoun Now

At Rust Library, in addition to the Textile Mural pictured above, there is also the Life of A.V. Symington Wall, which is a timeline of Symington’s life in the Teen room; The Children’s Wall: wall to the story room wall, tree with owls and a custom made door by craftsman, Courtney Fair; in the four study rooms are original animal panels — bears, elephants, North American animals and African animals; and, six Discovery Tiles of the oddities of the English language throughout the library.

Pictured below: The Riparian Mural at Gum Spring Library in Stone Ridge, Virginia.

JGardiner_WildlifeLibraryMural.jpg

Library Murals (continued)

  • Ashburn Library: Four panels of fossils one is for the entry to the children’s room — artifacts that people would find if they dug down; they are under glass. First Modern Architecture in sponsored by Loudoun County. Connection between dinosaurs and chicken (first feathered dinosaur that they found).

  • Gum Spring Library (2013): The Riparian Zone wall mural. There are also a couple of donor walls that are connected by subject matter. Supporters can purchase tiles.

  • Middleburg Library: The Sower and The Green Man

  • Purcellville Library (1996): Entrance wall archival photos of old personnel and a Children’s story wall alphabet tiles with rhymes by John R. Gardiner.

  • Rust Library: See description above.

  • Sterling Library: Journey’s to Sterling — this mural symbolizes how people came to sterling and what brought them there and where they came from. It honoring immigration from other countries or other states.

Community Center and Arts Center Murals

  • Loudoun Valley Community Center (Purcellville, VA): Native animals, landmarks, and beloved community members

  • Franklin Park Arts Center (Purcellville, VA): Donor tree wall with timeline of the building of the barn.

  • Barns of Rose Hill (Berryville, VA): This is a community project designed and led by Joan that included the work of other artists as well as her own.

School Murals

  • Waterford Elementary: The Millennial Wall (collaboration with Joan and the Students) depicts life from the founding of Waterford, Virginia to the year 2000.

  • Blue Ridge Middle School: There are several murals in the school that were created over nine years. The project was a collaboration with students, Joan, and Linda Seebeck and depicts the history of art from cave paintings to the end of the Renaissance. There are hidden treasures within these murals.

  • The Hill School: Alphabet Tile Mural in the entrance foyer

Churches

  • St. Francis de Sayles Catholic Church (Purcellville, VA): Four tiles depicting evangelists in baptismal font.

  • All Souls Episcopal Church (Washington, DC): Stations of the cross

Other

Tabard Inn (Washington, DC): Bar wall tiles including donkeys and elephants, and many random bathroom tiles including the “Tabard Man”