A Charlemont mosaic artist is looking for people to join her on a working trip to Guatemala in early 2025. 

Cindy Fisher of Bing Bang Mosaics has been working with mosaics since 2000, but said she’s been interested in them since she was a kid. 

“I just love the medium,” she said. 

Fisher teaches workshops at her studio in Buckland and installs commissioned mosaics across the country. She began taking trips to Guatemala in 2013, where she takes portraits of the residents and makes murals that showcase scenes from their daily lives. She has been leading other Americans on these trips since 2019. 

“I wanted to have the experience of doing a community project in Central America,” Fisher said. “It’s a cultural experience and a great way to open your eyes to how people in other places live.”

Fisher said her first trip to the country brought her to Quetzaltenango, the second largest city in the country. After a few trips she switched to a more rural location near Lake Atitlán, and has been going back there ever since. 

“The people there are my friends,” Fisher said. 

She said she has loved working with the locals, and the locals love that she comes with a group of tourists that boost their economies and make their town beautiful with art highlighting their culture. 

Over several years and several trips, Fisher has made over 35 mosaics that now adorn walls in the town of San Lucas Tolimán.

Fisher is organizing the next two trips, the first session will be held from Jan. 24-31, and the second will be held from Feb. 1-8. 

Over the course of a week Fisher and her travel companions will travel from Guatemala City to San Lucas Tolimán, learn how to arrange tiles in a pattern matching a sketch of a Guatemalan local, lay tile, and install the mosaic in town. The week will end with a boat trip across the lake to tour mosaics hung up in the other lakeside towns. 

The cost of the trip ranges from $1275 to $875 depending on size of the hotel room the participant chooses and whether they would like to participate in making the mosaic or just come along to watch.

The price covers the cost of the hotel, transportation around the village and mosaic supplies but does include airfare, food, souvenirs or optional excursions. 

Fisher has scheduled two informational sessions for those interested in learning more about her work and about joining her in Guatermala next year. The first was held earlier this week, and the second will be held at 6 p.m. on Nov. 22 at the Clapp Memorial Library in Belchertown.

Additional information can also be found on her website, bingbangmosaics.com.

Reach Madison Schofield at mschofield@recorder.com.