In 2001, Susan Gardner began attaching things to the facade of her three-story brownstone in Boerum Hill. Incorporating anything from shells and buttons to broken cups and old CDs, Gardner’s growing mosaic became an icon of the neighborhood.

Gardner began the project to “make a celebratory statement,” without much consultation from her neighbors. But since her mosaic has grown, the neighborhood has come out in full support of the work, even going as far as to bring her new materials to work with. With the help of the community, the mosaic has stretched up to the second floor windows on the house. Gardner has even begun to cover the iron fence in front of her house as well.

Up close, the mosaic is a swirling mass of colors and textures. But from far away, the incredibly detailed patterns and faces emerge. When Gardner is not working on the facade of her house, she is a teacher at Yeshiva University, and is always willing to talk about her work and her house with curious onlookers.