The Manhattan Beach Education Foundation (MBEF) is excited to present the Seeds of Knowledge Community Recognition Project — an art installation in downtown Manhattan Beach acknowledging the community of educators, parents, students, volunteers, and donors who value and support education. The installation not only celebrates the decades of support of our schools through MBEF and the Endowment, but also invites viewers to explore the significance of education in our lives. The mural depicts a child discovering the world — the layers of earth beneath her, the environment around her, and the future represented in the stars.
CITY OF MANHATTAN BEACH PARTNERSHIP
The award-winning schools of Manhattan Beach are a critical element of the fabric of our community and why families have established roots in the city of Manhattan Beach. Since 1983, MBEF has invested over $100 million in Manhattan Beach schools thanks to the generosity of parents, business leaders and community members. The Seeds of Knowledge Community Recognition Project is a collaboration with the City of Manhattan Beach to recognize this collective commitment to education and celebrates the community that supports them — yesterday, today and tomorrow.
THE ARTIST
Betsy K. Schulz has provided creative design solutions and art installations for municipalities, schools, nonprofit groups, businesses, and private individuals across the nation for more than 20 years. Betsy’s murals and sculptural installations are largely inspired by the specific community in which they are installed and include highly detailed ceramic tiles with many layers of words, imagery, and texture. The combination of all these artistic elements sets her work apart and is meant to be touched and experienced by the public.
Hear from Betsy on the progress of the installation.
THE LOCATION
The Metlox Manufacturing Company that occupied Metlox Plaza since 1927 produced brightly colored ceramic plates and bowls for everyday use. The name “Metlox” is derived from metal oxide, the element used in the company’s glazing pigments. Today, Metlox boasts a European style town square where upscale shopping and dining offerings intertwine with landscaped courtyards, fountains, and a replica of an original Metlox dog figurine.
THE RECOGNITION
The Seeds of Knowledge Community Recognition Project is dedicated to the community of supporters who value high-quality public education. Specific donors will be recognized at four donation levels on ceramic-fired donor tiles representing the cumulative lifetime giving to MBEF and the MBEF Endowment. For further information on the specific criteria, please see the Donor Recognition Policy.
Each year MBEF will conduct an annual review of its donors based on the adopted Donor Recognition Policy to update the placement of current recognized donors, as well as the addition of new donors.
For more information or questions, please contact the MBEF office at 310-303-3342 or [email protected].
