Isaiah Zagar

Isaiah Zagar, a Philadelphia legend, has covered more than 50,000 square feet of the Pennsylvania city with stunning mosaic murals, created from recycled broken bottle and other found objects. Through this creation of artwork, Zagar has helped shape the city of Philadelphia into a thriving, creative community. The Magic Garden, the gorgeous home base for his mosaic workshops, is a labyrinth of glass bottles, bicycle wheels, discarded ceramic plates, hand made tiles, and shards of mirror that form walls and tunnels, as well as decorative mosaics that even feature poetry! His work is included in many art institutions such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, and the Hirshhorn Museum of Art.

Receiving multiple grants for his artistic excellence from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pew Charitable Trust, Zagar has gained much recognition in various films and publications. One publication, “In A Dream,” was created by his son, Jeremiah Zagar in 2008 and was short-listed for an Academy Award. Zagar has spoken at several prominent conferences and artist lectures, both domestically and internationally. Isaiah Zagar lead The Sanctuary for Independent Media and the surrounding community in a Mosaic Art charrette by helping build Freedom Square with recycled materials.