Mosaics for the Wilds

Not far from the inner city of Johannesburg, South Africa, a 40-acre park and nature reserve called the Wilds had fallen into disrepair. Almost a decade ago, James Delaney decided to help clean it up. Ever since, he’s been working with a volunteer crew to transform this area into what he calls a “sanctuary for nature.”

One of the ways he’s done that is by installing works of art—both those that he makes and those that are donated by other artists. “We have found that mosaics work very well,” James explains. They’re brightly colored and hardy in an outdoor environment, plus they give emerging artists an opportunity to showcase their work. Several pieces spotlight local wildlife and flora, bringing an educational element to the project and to the thousands of children who visit each month. Best of all, the Wilds is a public park—free and open to all. Our grant will help James purchase materials for new mosaics, beautifying the Wilds and reminding visitors that we can all do our part to make nature accessible to all.