1000 Voices Altadena Mosaic
Recovery and Rebuilding After 2025 L.A. Wildfires
1000 Voices Altadena Mosaic
A community project by local artist Alma Cielo
In collaboration with Artists at Work and the Los Angeles Conservancy
In June 2025, the Artists at Work Program selected the Los Angeles Conservancy and artist and Eaton Fire survivor, Alma Cielo, to embark on an 18-month collaboration in Altadena to celebrate resilience and cultural heritage in the wake of the 2025 January wildfires.
Through a series of community workshops, Altadena residents will participate in sorting, cleaning, and transforming remnants from the fire—shards of ceramics, glass, and tile—that will be used in the large-scale public project, 1000 Voices Altadena Mosaic, to be built by November 2026.
Workshops are Now Open for Registration
Altadena residents are invited to attend workshops and help sort and clean shards, create with clay, and make new tiles toward the 1000 Voices Altadena Mosaic. Leave your mark forever in Altadena! There is no fee to participate. Priority for to Altadena and Pasadena residents who were directly impacted by the Eaton Fire.
Upcoming Workshops
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1000 Voices Altadena Mosaic Meet & Greet
Saturday, October 11, 2025 - 10 a.m. - 12 noon
RegisterMeet our neighbors and learn how to clean and sort ceramic shards for use in the 1000 Voices Altadena Mosaic! Snacks and drinks will be provided. Space is limited. Registration required. Must be 18 years or older to participate in this workshop. There is no fee to participate.Location: Side Street Projects @ Zorthian Ranch, 3990 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Altadena, CA 91001.
Parking: Please park in the lower lot. Participants must then walk up a hill to reach the main house.
What to bring: Please bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated and dress appropriately for this hands-on event.
Alma will show samples of a finished mosaic and different kinds of mosaic pieces that make up the mosaic. Some are commercially made tiles of ceramic and glass (or even plastic) and some that are handmade. There will also be tables, seating, and shading, and buckets of water to wash hands.
We look forward to gathering with Altadena community members!
Photo Gallery
About Alma Cielo
“As an Altadenan, it certainly feels raw to live and work in our fire-ravaged town, but THIS is the time to be present,” says Cielo. “Altadena is an extraordinary place whose essence is worth fighting to preserve.”
Alma Cielo, who lost her home in the Eaton Fire in January 2025, is a multi-disciplinary artist and educator focused on community art projects and earth wisdom. She has a passion for teaching integrated arts with mindfulness, music, movement/dance, and the sharing of personal stories, and believes that the arts are an important path for healing, developing resilience, recovering from trauma, and building community. Cielo is a graduate of Yale University in Anthropology with heritage studies in the Philippines.
Recovery and Rebuilding After 2025 L.A. Wildfires
L.A. Conservancy Selected for WPA-Inspired “Artists at Work” Program
On June 2, 2025, the Los Angeles Conservancy is pleased to announce its selection as one of four 2025 community partners in the prestigious Artists at Work program. This groundbreaking national initiative places artists in salaried positions within community-focused organizations, spotlighting the transformative role of the arts in social and civic life. In Los Angeles, AAW is partnering with the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture to facilitate the program, with the theme of recovery and resilience from the devastating 2025 wildfires.
