Santa Monica Mosaic: Groundbreakers

In the second episode of a season dedicated to Santa Monica's diverse creative communities, Mosaic: Groundbreakers will share stories from the life and work of Vernon Brunson, James Garrott, Norma Sklarek, and Paul Williams. These four visionary African American architects created functional and beautiful environments for people to live, work and play during the mid-century era and beyond.

Mosaic viewers will learn how and where each architect left their creative mark on the city, and how they worked with clients from Black communities to develop architecture suited to their needs. The program will also explore the group’s collective legacy, which has helped generations of aspiring Black designers and others from underrepresented groups gain access to the field. Accompanied by an array of archival imagery, four speakers representing a variety of perspectives will introduce us to the work of these pioneering professionals.

Mosaic: Groundbreakers is a joint presentation of the Santa Monica Conservancy, the Santa Monica History Museum, and the Quinn Research Center. The program is free for Museum and Conservancy members, teachers, and students. General registration is $10. This is a virtual program.