Area artist depicts The War Memorial in glass mosaic
Sue Majewski and her family have quite the history with The War Memorial.
Majewski, of St. Clair Shores, depicted TWM in a handmade stained glass mosaic for an art competition crafted by the Grosse Pointe News in 2021. The piece, titled “Grosse Pointe War Memorial,” is 3 feet wide and 4 feet tall. After exhibiting it in The Scarab Club earlier this year, it was accepted into the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center’s 2022 Fine Arts Competition. The competition opened June 17 and Majewski’s piece will be on display through Aug. 18.
“To apply, the Grosse Pointe News asked, ‘tell us what you would do,’” Majewski said. “If I was going to be in your contest, I would choose the most well-known place that I know of in Grosse Pointe and present it as a glass mosaic.”
She was one of 10 winners in the News’ competition. It took her over 200 hours to create the mosaic piece.
“Community is the biggest word,” she commented in response to what TWM means to her. “My sister was married here, I’ve attended weddings, baby showers, everything over the years. It’s home to me.”
Majewski said the best reaction she’s received to the piece came when it was exhibited at the art gallery at TWM.
“I was walking in I saw somebody walk up to the piece and threw her hands on the whole thing and said, ‘oh my gosh, it’s glass,’” she exclaimed.
Majewski’s experience with TWM goes beyond simply attending events over the years. Majewski was part of a Grosse Pointe Youth Council in her early teen years while a student at Grosse Pointe South High School, the council oversaw the Battle of the Bands in the Fries Auditorium at TWM.
“My memories go to the big stone steps of The War Memorial,” she said. “We’d be running up and down like we owned the place.”
In the 1990s, Majewski’s uncles of the Monahan Company were general contractors. The Monahan brothers – Jack, Bill, Ted and Dan - worked on TWM for years. A plaque is situated on the east end of the fountain in front of the Alger House which reads “Dedicated to the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Edward V Monahan,” Majewski’s grandparents.
“My uncles took care of this place,” she said. “Every time there was a big rain, the ballroom would flood and uncle Jack would get the call as soon as the water came in.”
In addition to the mosaic being on display, Majewski has created a line of greeting cards with the mosaic on the front cover.
Once the Birmingham Competition is over, Majewski’s goal for the mosaic is to have it come “home” to TWM to be on display permanently, with the generosity of a donor.
Alex Szwarc
Manager of communications and advancement
313.881.7514
aszwarc@warmemorial.org