The Gear Project

The New England Mosaic Society virtual exhibition at the Charles River Museum of Industry.Waltham,MA. The gears will be installed at the Ruins Project in PA this spring.https://ruins.sagermosaics.com/ My gear honors the legacy of coal which built our industries but often at a price. The red glass is symbolic of lives lost in mine disasters and is surrounded by hematite named after the greek word for blood and sometimes called the Iron Rose. Each section of the gear contains a piece of polished jet, which is lignite coal and used in Victorian times in mourning jewelry. The rose in the center is an enduring symbol of passion but also of sacrifice.