Long before the Tri-Cities Lapidary Society returned to Port Coquitlam, members of its predecessor were already leaving their mark there — quite literally, in stone.
A Community Project in Stone
In 2000, the Port Moody Rock and Gem Club took part in the PoCo Rivers Mosaic Project 2000 at Lions Park in Port Coquitlam. The wider community art project was facilitated by artist Anne Marie Slater and brought residents together to celebrate the natural history and memories associated with Port Coquitlam's rivers.
For the rock and gem club, it was a natural fit. Club members could contribute something distinctive to the project: locally sourced stone, lapidary skill and an understanding of how colour and pattern emerge from rock when it is cut and polished.
An Eagle Made of British Columbia
Club member Marvin Lee led the Port Moody Rock and Gem Club's participation in the project. Rather than relying only on conventional mosaic tile, the group used slices and pieces of stone selected for their natural colours, textures and patterns.
The resulting eagle brought together several distinctly lapidary materials, including green serpentine, patterned Ocean Picture Rock and pink rhodonite. In a public artwork inspired by the rivers and landscape of Port Coquitlam, using BC stone gave the piece an especially appropriate connection to place.
BC Rock in the Mosaic
- Serpentine — rich green tones
- Ocean Picture Rock — naturally scenic patterning
- Rhodonite — characteristic pink colour
Sharing More Than One Mosaic
The club's involvement went beyond creating its own eagle. Members also cut and donated rock slices so that other people taking part in the community project could incorporate natural stone into their own mosaics.
It was a small but meaningful example of how a lapidary club could contribute specialist skills to a larger civic project: preparing material, sharing resources and helping others discover how stone could be used creatively.
Residents worked alongside artists and environmentalists to explore the natural history and special memories connected with Port Coquitlam's rivers.
The Lions Park Community Artists
The Lions Park portion of the project brought together facilitating artist Anne Marie Slater and community participants Sharen Danneffel, Breann Voth, Marvin Lee, Joanne Weyerink, Ann McBride and Norma Gillespie.
Anne Marie Slater
Guided the community art project and worked with local participants to turn memories, natural history and river themes into permanent mosaic installations.
Marvin Lee and Club Members
Led the rock and gem club's eagle mosaic contribution and supplied cut stone that could also be used by other participants in the project.
Lapidary Beyond the Workshop
The PoCo Rivers Mosaic Project is an early example of the club taking lapidary out into the wider community. The same skills normally used to create cabochons, polished stones and display pieces were applied to public art that could be enjoyed by anyone walking through Lions Park.
More than twenty-five years later, the mosaic remains part of Port Coquitlam's public-art landscape and is included in the PoCo Heritage Art Walk.
Visit the Mosaic at Lions Park
The PoCo Rivers Mosaic Project can still be seen at Lions Park along the Coquitlam River. PoCo Heritage identifies the mosaics as part of its downtown Art Walk.
Lions Park
50 Lions Way
Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 3H1