2025 was not just a steady year.

It was a year where stability translated into measurable growth.

What a difference a year makes.

In 2025, we established our new home in Marcella Gardens, a space that now serves as the heart of our community and the foundation for future growth. The uncertainty of transition has given way to focus, stability, and purposeful expansion.

Thanks to your support, our artists earned nearly $192,000 through our Social Enterprise, and more than 2,400 meals were served. These outcomes represent more than numbers - they affirm our shared commitment to dignity, consistency, and lasting impact.

One of the most meaningful milestones of the year was the completion of our mosaic mural for the Metro D Line Station at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. Commissioned by Metro Art and led by our Artistic Director, Dawn Mendelson, the project brought together Veterans and artists in a collaborative expression of creativity and healing.

The mural honors the legacy of the National Veterans Mural by Peter Stewart while carrying its spirit forward for a new generation. A powerful moment came when Sidney, a Veteran and accomplished artist in our program, laid the first piece. It was a reminder that this work is about lived experience transformed into lasting public art.

We also expanded our offerings with fused glass classes and continued our Broken Pieces, New Beginnings program, which helps families transform materials recovered from fire‑damaged homes into works of art -  a testament to resilience and renewal.

With new team members, new AmeriCorps VISTAs, new artists, and a strong, engaged board, Piece by Piece continues to grow with intention and integrity. We remain steadfast in our mission and deeply grateful for the partnerships that make this work possible.

Thank you for being part of this community and for believing in the power of transformation.

With gratitude,
Sophie Alpert
Founder & Board Chair

Programs & Community

By the Numbers

Piece by Piece offered in-person classes and open studio sessions throughout 2025. These sessions are more than art instruction—they are spaces of belonging, where artists mentor one another, skills develop gradually, and confidence grows steadily over time.

During the year, we welcomed many new students and responded to numerous inquiries from individuals seeking connection, healing, and opportunity. Through a wide range of outreach events, we also connected with thousands of Angelenos, continuing to build visibility and awareness across Los Angeles while inviting more people into a creative and supportive community.

Artists

Each artist has shown dedication, growth, and a deepening commitment to the craft of mosaic. Each artist’s journey is unique, shaped by patience, creativity, and the supportive community that helps their skills and confidence flourish.

From shaping a single glass petal to building a new life, Carmen’s mosaic journey reveals how creativity can spark healing, growth, and independence.

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In quiet moments at the worktable, Nazario is piecing together more than mosaics—he’s building skill, pride, and a sense of purpose, one fragment at a time.

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After 35 years in Los Angeles, a chance encounter with mosaic art led Rosalina to a creative community where she found rhythm, renewal, and a deeper sense of belonging.

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Carol Shelkin’s Two Day Self-Portraiture Workshop

A visiting workshop with artist and educator Carol Shelkin invited Piece by Piece participants to explore mosaic self-portraiture, blending technical skill with personal reflection. Through lessons on light, shadow, and the expressive flow of tesserae, artists transformed small pieces of glass into portraits that captured both likeness and individuality—building confidence and creative insight along the way.

These self-portraits are an act of self-discovery and creative problem-solving. 

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Fused Glass Class

This summer, Piece by Piece launched a new Glass Fusing Basics class, inviting artists to explore the transformative possibilities of glass through heat, experimentation, and design. Guided by artist Carmen Flores Tanis, participants created everything from suncatchers to jewelry while learning the science behind the process—expanding their skills and discovering new ways to bring creativity to life. There’s something captivating about the transformation that happens when glass meets heat, the hard, jagged edges melting away to reveal something beautifully new.

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Social Enterprise

By the Numbers

Piece by Piece’s social enterprise continues to serve as both a creative engine and an economic pathway for artists. Through commissions, retail collections, custom awards, and online sales, the studio’s work reaches a wide range of clients and supporters.

Each project not only showcases the professional excellence of the artists, but also creates meaningful income opportunities—demonstrating how creativity, craftsmanship, and community come together to sustain the studio.

The Metro D Line Veterans Legacy Art Project

Created in collaboration with Veterans, this mosaic mural honors their stories, service, and resilience.

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Community Collaboration

At Piece by Piece, we believe in transformation—turning what is broken into dignity and hope. This vision inspired our mosaic mural for the future Metro D Line Station at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. From 2022 to 2024, led by Artistic Director Dawn Mendelson and commissioned by Metro Art, we collaborated with Veterans through community workshops to shape a design rooted in their stories and experiences. Piece by Piece has since been awarded the contract to fabricate the mural through our Social Enterprise program.

Honoring Veterans

The mural pays tribute to the National Veterans Mural by U.S. Navy veteran Peter Stewart, a landmark since 1995. While most of the original mural will be preserved during construction, a section will be respectfully retired. Our mosaic carries forward its spirit near the original site. A meaningful milestone came when Sidney—a Veteran and mosaic artist—laid the first piece, symbolizing the deep connection between the artwork and those it honors.

Impact & Lasting Vision

The Piece by Piece studio has become a vibrant creative hub as artists and instructors fabricate the mural in carefully crafted segments. Thousands of glass and ceramic pieces are being assembled to ensure lasting beauty and durability. Commissioned by Metro Art, the project honors the resilience of Los Angeles’ Veteran community and will inspire Metro riders for generations, demonstrating how broken pieces can come together to create hope and wholeness.

LINC Housing Mosaics

Piece by Piece partnered with Linc Housing to create mosaic artwork for Azure, a Homekey development in Anaheim transforming a former interim housing site into supportive housing for individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Featuring a vibrant mural and mosaic benches, the installations bring color, creativity, and a sense of belonging to shared spaces designed to support community and housing stability.

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Economic Empowerment

This income supports rent payments, transportation, food security, and stability. It also reinforces confidence and pride.

Art is not just therapeutic. It is work. It is opportunity. It is economic empowerment.

Financials

In 2025, nearly one million dollars in combined revenue supported our mission, with a strong mix of enterprise and philanthropy ensuring sustainability while staying rooted in impact.

Revenue

Piece by Piece’s revenue reflects a balanced model that blends earned income with philanthropic support. More than half of our revenue comes from our social enterprise, including mosaic commissions, workshops, and product sales purchased by organizations and supporters like you. Grants and fundraising provide essential support that allows us to offer free mosaic arts programming, training, and wellness opportunities for artists rebuilding their lives.

Expenses

The majority of our expenses are directed toward programs that serve our artists and community. These funds support mosaic arts training, studio operations, artist stipends, and community workshops. A small portion supports administrative and fundraising costs, ensuring the organization operates efficiently while maximizing resources for mission-driven work.

Support Piece by Piece

We invite you to volunteer, donate, and share Piece by Piece’s mission as we respond to the growing need for our programs. Your support makes a real difference, helping more artists gain the skills to heal from trauma, create mosaic art, and earn income in the year ahead.

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