More than Mosaic
Reham’s work is about more than creating mosaics. It is about helping people and communities see themselves reflected in the spaces they inhabit.
Through art, storytelling, education, and advocacy, she explores the powerful connections between creativity, belonging, and the human experience.
A Journey of Identity and Belonging
For nearly three decades, Reham Aarti has been creating mosaic artwork that transforms public spaces into places of connection, wonder, and belonging. An Arab American artist, author, educator, activist, and mother of two, she believes art has the power to bring people together, not simply by decorating a space, but by telling the stories of the people who inhabit it.
Born in Kuwait, and brought to the US during the Gulf War, Reham’s work is deeply influenced by themes of identity, resilience, community, and our shared responsibility to care for one another. She is drawn to the beauty found in broken things, using thousands of pieces of glass, ephemera, and tile to create artworks that remind us that every piece has value and every person has a place.
Creating Places That Matter
Over the course of her career, Reham has designed and installed public and private commissions throughout the United States and internationally.
Her mosaics can be found in schools, hospitals, parks, civic buildings, and community gathering spaces, where they become landmarks for celebration, reflection, healing, and everyday life.
Whether creating a large-scale architectural installation or an intimate piece of art, her goal is always the same: to create work that invites people to slow down, look closer, and find the tiny everyday joys in life.
Art in Service of Community
Community has always been at the heart of her practice. For the last seventeen years, Reham has maintained a children’s mosaic program at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital, helping young patients create art during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
She has spent decades teaching workshops, mentoring emerging artists, speaking in schools, and collaborating with communities to create murals and public artworks that reflect the people they serve. Her projects often invite participation, creating spaces where individuals become co-creators rather than simply observers.
Sharing the Story
As an author and educator, Reham is passionate about making mosaic art accessible to everyone. Her book, Mosaics for the First Time, has introduced countless artists to the medium, while her teaching emphasizes curiosity, creativity, and the belief that art belongs to everyone—not just those who consider themselves artists.
Reham is also a frequent public speaker, using art as a lens to explore community, social responsibility, cultural identity, creativity, and the importance of creating spaces where every person feels seen. Whether addressing students, arts organizations, civic groups, or community leaders, she encourages audiences to think about the lasting impact we have on one another and the ways beauty can become an act of service as well as rebellion.
Her work is guided by a simple belief: a society grows stronger when we create with future generations in mind. Many of her projects explore themes of stewardship, compassion, justice, and hope, inviting viewers to imagine communities where everyone belongs and where small acts of care ripple outward for years to come.
The Mosaic Philosophy
Rich with color, texture, symbolism, and storytelling, Reham’s mosaics celebrate both the individuality of each piece and the extraordinary beauty that emerges when those pieces come together. It is a philosophy that extends beyond her artwork and into her life—a belief that communities, like mosaics, become strongest when every voice is valued and every person has a place in the whole.
