New mosaic poles bring color, community to Levy Senior Center
Evanston native Conneely teamed up with 10 students to create project
Mosaic artist Kristin Dann Conneely and her students from the Levy Senior Center recently completed 11 mosaic poles that will reside permanently in the city garden adjacent to the senior center at 300 Dodge Ave.
Over seven weeks, seniors designed, glued, grouted, cleaned and polished their creations, transforming simple materials into colorful works of art for the community to enjoy.
Conneely, a Skokie resident who grew up in Evanston and graduated from Evanston Township High School, discovered her passion for mosaic art when her children were school-age and she was looking for a creative outlet. An intrinsically artistic person, she initially worked in clay before being introduced to mosaic art by art teacher Karen Ami, founder of The Chicago Mosaic School.
Since 2016, Conneely has devoted herself exclusively to mosaic art, creating pieces throughout the year. She also attends annual seminars and workshops, traveling to France, Mexico, Aruba and California to expand her knowledge and skills. In addition, she teaches mosaic classes in her home studio, where students can choose from a variety of projects.
Judy Newton, chairperson of the Levy Senior Center Foundation, connected with Conneely several years ago to discuss the possibility of offering a mosaic class for seniors at the center. The two share deep Evanston roots; Newton was one of Conneely’s teachers at the former King Lab School.
Conneely’s first two mosaic classes at the Levy Center took place in summer 2025. Students created mosaic river rocks they could take home. The classes were so well received that students asked for more. Newton had seen Conneely’s mosaic poles and invited her back to the center this summer to lead a community project creating permanent mosaic poles for the garden.
The Levy Senior Center Foundation was established to support the Levy Senior Center by funding programming, offsetting costs and helping upgrade the facility.
Working with a group of 10 students, several of whom were returning for their second mosaic class, Conneely introduced the seniors to a project unlike anything they had done before. She said she especially enjoyed watching each student’s progress and seeing how supportive they were of one another.
“To start with a three-dimensional project is ambitious,” Conneely said. “They worked in a medium that most had never tried. To have the results that we achieved made everyone very happy.”
Each student seemed to gravitate toward different stages of the process, which was interesting for Conneely to observe. “Some of the seniors loved putting the tiles on, while others found the cleaning, grouting and shining more enjoyable, even though it’s very tedious work,” she said.
Conneely spent weeks preparing for the class. She purchased and sanded PVC pipes to serve as the structures for the poles and selected the tiles and grout needed for the project, carefully preparing the materials so every student would have the opportunity to succeed.
In addition to their individual poles, the students worked together on a communal pole with assistance from Conneely. To ensure the poles could remain permanently in the garden, each one is secured with rebar, and the mosaic tiles were selected to withstand outdoor conditions all year.
“They are a beautiful addition to the garden in the summer, but once the leaves are gone and color drains from the garden, the poles will radiate color and beauty for all to enjoy,” she said.
Beyond the artwork, Conneely is proud of the friendships and sense of community that developed among the students. “For everyone involved, it’s so nice to come together as a group and meet new people,” she said. “Mosaic art uses two hands, which is a cross-brain exercise. To be within a community, using your brain, sharing laughs and creating art is a win-win situation.”
The summer sessions have concluded, but Conneely is already dreaming about a larger community mosaic project.
Conneely’s work can be seen at her upcoming show at the Grassroots Art Fair in Glenview on Sept. 12 and 13.
The Levy Senior Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The garden is open to visitors during the center’s regularly scheduled hours.
By Elizabeth Handler Krupkin, as published in the Evanston RoundTable.
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