Our weekly microscopic look at Long Beach

PHOTO by SUSAN SABO

These brightly-colored tiles are a bit of Long Beach history, though maybe a bit obscure. Even so, people who get around a lot have probably seen them without knowing exactly what they were.

PHOTO by SUSAN SABO

ANSWER: This fantastic ceramic floor mosaic was designed and hand-painted by Grace Clements in 1941 as part of the nation’s Works Progress Administration (WPA). Her astrological compass mosaic can be seen on the second floor of the Long Beach airport terminal. The airport—my favorite—is full of tile mosaics like this, but presently most are covered up by carpet until they can be restored.

Tags: grace clements, long beach airport, WPA