The Great Build Mosaic was unveiled to the public at the start of the summer, welcoming guests as they stepped outside to the 2nd floor’s Rooftop Plaza.
This piece, measuring over 6′ by 6′, depicts a construction crew alongside tiny oddities hidden throughout the site, such as an inchworm, a balloon, and a teddy bear, just to name a few.
The colorful addition has intrigued our guests ever since.
Why use tiles? Why focus on construction crews? Why all the little details? During Curiosity Month, questions abound here, so we reached out to the patron for some answers.
LeRoy Grones, the Great Inspiration
LeRoy Grones was a man of inspiring ethic. He worked as a tile setter from 1956 to 1981, a career which involved tasks such as floating mud (or mortar) beds, soaking the tiles in buckets of water, and spacing the tiles using anything between string, rope, and toothpicks before the adoption of lugged tile, a practice that trickled into states like Minnesota over the middle-to-late twentieth century.
The work requires a minimum of two people, though the industrial-size projects could require a team of half a dozen. With the length of time a crew would spend cutting, mixing, setting, and cleaning, LeRoy’s ability to maintain a sense of humor served him well.
“I count his sense of humor as one of my most cherished inheritances,” said Tom Grones, LeRoy’s son. “[It] has allowed me to enhance and streamline my connections with other people as I am of the opinion that the shortest distance between two people is laughter. Beyond that, his subtle presence continues to inspire all my relationships with family, friends and even strangers.”
Tom took a part-time position at the age of twelve, assisting LeRoy on his “side jobs” during weekends until starting full-time after he graduated high school.
LeRoy changed careers in 1981 after developing an allergy to the mineral contents present in the tile setting process, but the experience of working alongside his father, a man who stood by Tom during his teenage years, forged a powerful bond that transcends his death in 2017.
“My reverence for those who work with their hands extends beyond his work history as it seems the vast majority of my uncles also worked as welders, carpenters, electricians, plumbers etc. It’s fair to say that my roots are blue collar.”
The humor and dedication shines through in the finished tribute piece. From the cartoonish tableau of construction workers and their on-site hijinks, to the hand-painted designs and glaze, to the final installation of every piece placed together, this mosaic captures LeRoy’s joy, diligence, and lasting legacy.
Desi Murphy, a St. Cloud-based ceramicist and painter, designed and painted the individual tiles by hand, interweaving a Search and Find activity to encourage guest’s curiosity.
Rice Companies donated their time and supplies to install the piece in Rooftop Plaza.
For any questions regarding donating tribute installations at GRCM, please contact Lacey Solheid.
