3 Mosaic

I first became interested in mosaic art when I did a short course with Emma Biggs at the Mosaic Studio, Holloway, in 2006. I then discovered the charity organisation Southbank Mosaics masterminded by David Toothill and have been volunteering with them ever since. I like the way that the medium of mosaic lends itself so generously to the values of community art, each participant contributing their unique bit to the unity of the whole.

Over the past few years I have created many community mosaics with children in London and on my travels in various countries around the world.

: This was my first mosaic ever created. It was exhibited and sold in the Southbank Mosaics exhibition 2008

: This is my most recent work in progress for a paving stone to commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee

: This is the Southbank Mosaics studio where I volunteer on community projects

: A commission from last summer

: I brought all the tiles over from London to Loches in France and made the commission on location

: Me working on the table top

: This was created as part of St. Mark’s ‘Soul in the City’ week 2009

: During four days over 60 people took part in creating this mural for the community centre

: The slogan reads ‘Tollington Community Association, One Community From Around The World’

: This mosaic was produced by primary school children in their after school art club

: Each child designed their own fish and we filled in the background together

: The finished piece was displayed beneath the fish tank in the reception area.

: In 2007 I decided to do a bit of travelling and created some wonderful mosaic projects with children I met along the way. This one was created in an orphanage in Ho Chi Min city, Vietnam.

: The mosaic was made by the children for the children and displayed in the orphanage canteen in Ho Chi Min city, Vietnam

: All the tiles for this mosaic we found on demolition sites which means the materials were not only free but already pre-broken, a mosaicists dream come true!

: This mosaic was made for the Carribean Christian Center for the Deaf. It was put up in their chapel. I had to leave before all the pieces were totally dry so this is the best photo I have of it

: Each child in every class got to make a piece for the cross mosaic

: I thought this boy did a particularly creative job of the big leaf

: The school was still being built in this small villiage in Kashmir where we put up this mosaic

: The whole thing was made in pieces and glued onto mesh

: The mosaic was put up even before the school had a roof, meanwhile the children were temporarily being taught in tents

: These mosaics have fired clay emblems in their centres

: Each child designed their own square to create a mosaic boarder.

: Havering council had me visit four schools once a week to implement a mosaic project that they would then complete in my absence. This illustration was a group effort about road safety.

: For William Blake’s 250th birthday tribute Southbank Mosaics was commissioned to reproduce 28 of William Blake’s miniature illustrations in large scale mosaics.

: Many people from all walks of life come together in good spirit to create beautiful community art. It is totally free of charge to participate.

: This was just one of 28 that are now on permanent display in a tunnel on Conduit Street in Waterloo

: This table had a crack in it so we fixed it with cement and created a spontaneous design to cover the surface

: All these boys at the orphanage run by monks in Vietnam helped to make the table-top design

: Many hands make light work :)

: ‘Love Each Other’ that’s what community mosaic making is all about. Plus Jesus said it

: Last year’s mosaic was so well received that they decided to repeat the experience with another mosaic project for Soul in the City 2010

: Everyone gets stuck in. Making a community mosaic enhances your creative quality of life!

: The Brecknock Mosaic made by all the children at the primary school I used to go to

: Jon Snow unveiled the mosaic and described it as ‘soul, outreach and inclusion’ It really brightens up the school entrance and the children seem proud of their contributions

: The design encorporates the school light house logo and a boarder of flags representing the country of origin of every child at the school

: Every child in the school from age four to eleven had a turn in helping to create this wonderful piece of community art.

: Jon Snow was doing the year six leaving presentations just like he did when I left Brecknock 21 years ago!

: The grand unveiling of the big mosaic project we worked on for six weeks. Jon Snow was present to do the honour.

: Article about the mosaic in the Camden New Journal

I facilitated a large mosaic mural for Brecknock primary school (I was a pupil there myself many years ago!) The whole project took 15 days to complete and every child from year six all the way down to nursery participated in the creation. The channel four news reader Jon Snow was present to unveil the art work. He even wrote about the experience on his blog describing the mosaic as a thing of ‘soul, outreach and inclusion’. That the whole intention behind the project was so visually evident made me very proud!

Here’s a video link of the progression of the project:

http://videocentral.lgfl.org.uk/Watch.aspx?v=3lseqe4stJbfka