Tag Archives: Mosaic Art

The Commission Has Landed!

Posted on June 14, 2015 | 4 comments
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The Commission

I am delighted to report that the commission piece I have been working on for the last 5 months has finally been delivered, installed and is living happily with its new owners in Cheshire. It would be an understatement to say they like it – they ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

It all started back in February when I got an email from Hilary and Pauline asking if I would be interested in being commissioned to make a large outdoor mosaic to go into an inset in their walled, courtyard garden.  We then talked on the phone and got on so well that I instantly agreed even though we were not sure what the piece was going to be. Over the next couple of weeks ideas and sketches were discussed and emailed and we very quickly agreed on a piece that we all liked. I could then go shopping for supplies!P1040916

Once I started work we began to Skype so they could see the progress, although I tried to only show snippets rather than  the overall piece, to keep them guessing!  I have kept a pictorial diary of the whole process for them. We have become firm friends during the process and found we are all straight talkers, have similar interests and enjoy a good laugh.

P1040930sOnce it was ready, Alan and I were happy to deliver it and take the opportunity to have a few days in Buxton en route which coincided with our wedding anniversary (Alan honestly said he didn’t mind). On arrival we had a grand unveiling with a bottle of champagne to ‘toast’ the new addition! The WOW factor was incredible and obviously very rewarding for me as I really enjoyed making the mosaic and was delighted they were so happy with it.

Hilary and Pauline had the mosaic installed the next day and we had a trip over to see it in situ and get some photos before we came back to London. I love making commissions and although they can be a bit stressful and worrying, it is all worthwhile when you get the reward of seeing the reaction and praise that shows how happy Hilary and Pauline are with their piece of mosaic art.

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Hilary, Rosanna & Pauline with the mosaic in place.

It was certainly an anniversary we will never forget and we have some lovely new friends in the processes.

REQUEST: Let me know what you think of the mosaic, I love to hear your feedback.

COMING SOON: Arts and Crafts in Buxton

 

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Posted in Commissions, Mosaic Art, Outdoor Mosaics

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The Commission – Getting Started

Posted on April 5, 2015 | 2 comments
My stepping stone

My stepping stone

A HAPPY EASTER TO YOU ALL

As I have such a lovely commission to work on, I thought it might be interesting to share the process with you.  So many people ask me how do I get started, what preparation is required, what materials do I use – so here goes, a beginners guide to getting started.

My Client and I discussed various ideas initially and soon agreed on a design that we both liked and thought would look stunning in the allocated outdoor space. It is based on a piece I have as a stepping stone in my garden, but on a much larger scale. We both like the same strong bold colours, it has to look colourful but nothing too garish, a bit of sparkle but not bling. Time to go shopping!

Alan getting all the Angles

Alan getting all the Angles

As it is to go outdoors I have decided to use Hardie Bakker Board which is a composite material, similar to MDF but for outside use and is weatherproof.  It is going to be a very geometric pattern, so Alan is called upon to use his mathematical skills and compass to ensure all the angles are correct and in proportion.

You can use all sorts of materials to mosaic with including bathroom tiles, crockery etc. but for most of my work I use proper mosaic tiles, called ‘tesserae’. You buy them from specialist suppliers on small sheets either on mesh or brown paper.  The first stage is to get the tiles off the backing, usually by soaking, then you need to wash them to remove the glue and dry them. I then put them into containers for easy access and I am ready to start.

Tiles on mesh and paper

Tiles on mesh and paper

Sorted and Drying

Sorted and Drying

 

 

 

 

 

As the piece is too large for my studio, the dining room has been purloined. I have now started to play with placing the tiles to get an overall impression of colour matches and combinations. Once I get going I will give another update.

Ready for action

Ready for action

REQUEST: Do let me know what you think of this Blog and if you have any mosaic questions, it is always nice to get your feedback.

COMING SOON: Update on the Newcastle Gallery and Richmond Open Studios

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hat-Trick – Open Studios

Posted on March 29, 2015 | Leave a comment

Arthouse blue thumbnail

The third part of the Hat-Trick was being accepted into this year’s ARThouse Richmond Open Studios event. Held over a 2 weekend period,  this is a great opportunity to meet and talk to a large range of various artists as they display, demonstrate and sell their art at this annual event.

Evening Sunset Mosiac by Rosanna Henderson

My Profile Mosaic for ARThouse

ARThouse Richmond Open Studios 2015 will be the borough’s 20th open studios festival, coordinated by Richmond Arts Service. ARThouse is a celebration of the wealth of creative talent showcasing over 500 local artists who will welcome visitors over the festival weekends in June and July, exhibiting a wonderfully diverse range of artwork including painting and photography; stained glass and woodwork; sculpture and ceramics; to jewellery, bag design, furniture and upholstery……….and mosaics!!

Gone Fishing

‘Gone Fishing’ will be on display

ARThouse venues are spread across all corners of the borough of Richmond, Surrey with exhibitions in homes, studios, cafes, church halls, boathouses and even some of the borough’s most beautiful heritage buildings including Turners House and Garrick’s Temple.

Abstract in Grey by Rosanna Henderson

‘Abstract in Grey’ will be on display

I am delighted to be part of this prestigious event for a 2nd year. My mosaic art will be exhibited at the Harris + Hoole Coffee Shop in St. Margarets. I will be demonstrating on a couple of days so that will be the perfect time to come along, have some delicious Harris + Hoole coffee with a croissant, cake or snack and see how I make my mosaics.

REQUEST: Please spread the word about ARThouse to anyone you know who loves any form of art and would enjoy visiting this festival and meeting the artists.

COMING SOON: Pictures and progress on the commission.

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Hat-Trick – The Gallery

Posted on March 22, 2015 | Leave a comment

 

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Abstract Sunset

 

I am delighted that I have just got my work into a Gallery in Newcastle  called ‘The North East Art Collective’.

Based in Eldon Gardens in the Eldon Square shopping centre, North East Art Collective is the newest art gallery in the middle of Newcastle City centre. It’s aim is to represent Art, Culture, Sophistication, Luxury and above all Quality.

Mosaic Trees

Mosaic Trees

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Multi Media Panels

The Gallery houses work from over 100 artists who specialise in a range of arts including Watercolours, Oils, Photography, Glass, Ceramics, Furniture Design, Textiles, Sculpture. They now have a new mosaic artist as well!

3 Individual Panels

3 Individual Panels

Being in this type of Gallery means I can display and hopefully sell some of my indoor hanging mosaic art, and some larger pieces as well.  I am hoping that my slim multi media panels will be successful alongside my abstract pieces. Do go and have a look at their website and have a look at my artists profile listed under Rosanna Henderson.

I am now going into my third year at the All Original shop in Ealing where I sell smaller items and outdoor pieces – mirrors, trivets, coasters, small pictures and door numbers are all popular lines and regular sellers. I can also promote any local activities I am involved in.

Although I haven’t gone international yet, I can certainly say that I span the north/south divide!

 

REQUEST:  If you have any Northern contacts, please encourage them to pop into the Gallery

COMING SOON: The third part of The Hat-Trick; The Exhibition

 

 

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Hat-Trick – The Commission

Posted on March 14, 2015 | Leave a comment

 

Things have been really busy in my mosaicing life and there are lots of exciting activities going on.

I was delighted to receive a commission from a new client. It is for a large outdoor piece to go into a recess in the wall of their lovely courtyard garden. Pictures of the space and garden were sent and telephone conversations have taken place. Its been great discussing ideas and colour schemes and over the course of several calls and emails, we have found we are very similar and are kindred spirits.

Dolphin

Dolphin

I do love having commissions although they are quite stressful as well. In effect you have to get inside the clients mind to visualise what they want. Some people are very clear and precise, while others leave it totally up to you.

This client had a few initial ideas that we discussed and I sketched up. They have developed and evolved and  now we have a design agreed that we are all happy with and will suit the space and environment perfectly.  It is quite a geometric design and will have bold, strong colours. I will use a range of glass tesserae along with quite a few iridescent tiles. I will be keeping a picture diary so the client can see all the different stages and processes involved. I can’t wait to start!

Door Numbers on Roof Tiles

Door Numbers on Roof Tiles

The client found me through the BAMM website. BAMM is the representative body for mosaic makers and although I felt I ought to join them, I didn’t feel I was ready to until I went to their AGM late last year  and signed up on the day. Funnily enough with Christmas and being unwell, I had not had a chance to get my profile onto the BAMM site until this February – about a week before my client starting looking for a mosaic artist!  Timing is everything.

Carol's Mirror

Carol’s Mirror

 

I have now got my profile on BAMM well underway and have put up my mosaic CV. I am amazed at how much I have done.  Please do go and have a look. I am shown under ‘Artists’ as Henderson, Rosanna.

 

THE REQUEST: If you are interested in commissioning apiece of mosaic art (indoors or outside, large or small) please do give me a call and we can have an initial chat. All pictures on this blog are commissioned pieces.

Gone Fishing

Gone Fishing

 COMING SOON: The other parts of the Hat-Trick

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A Slow Mosaic Start to 2015

Posted on January 22, 2015 | 2 comments

 

IMG_0763Like nearly everyone I know, I have been hit by the nasty bugs that seem to have been going round for ages and refuse to budge. Starting before Christmas with a sore throat and loss of voice, it progressed into a really bad cough and resulting in very low energy levels. This means I have pretty much been out of action all of January.

However, I’m a great believer that good can come from everything. As I have been housebound I took the opportunity to have a bit of a tidy up and tackle my admin. I have sorted out all the photos on my computer including mosaic ones as far back as 2009.  Its been really good fun looking back at them all and re-living those mosaic pieces. Its interesting to see how I have phases when I did a lot of outdoor pots or trivets and coasters.  Then followed a period where it was all lizards and frogs on rocks for outdoors.

I find it interesting to see how my style has changed and developed over the years, especially as I discovered new materials or techniques to try.

P1040795My most recent pieces of mosaic art seem to be long panels with an abstract style incorporating a range of materials including stained glass. These mosaics are particularly suitable for commissions  or to show in exhibitions or to display in a gallery.

Once I am fully recovered I aim to create a new range of mosaics, initially to sell in the shop but also as an outdoor range for people to commission. They will be based on a wildlife theme and I hope to show you a proto-type next time.

In the meantime, I hope you all remain germ free and are settling in to what I hope will be a great 2015 for us all.

COMING NEXT: Updates on the website.

 

 

 

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Highlights from 2014

Posted on January 6, 2015 | Leave a comment

Firstly, best wishes to all my ‘Blog Followers’ for 2015.  I hope the year is healthy, happy, fun and successful for us all.

2014 was a great year for me both personally and mosaic-wise.  Here are some of the highlights:

  • exhibited at Court Farm Gallery (met the lovely Ania)
  • Richmond Open Studios (with Peter Oliver and other artists)
  • entered’ Art in the Garden’ competition (didn’t win!)
  • raffled ‘Hollyhocks’ mosaic, raised £1,250 for Log Cabin
  • completed ‘Log Cabin Community Mosaic Project’ after 2 years
  • found Bexhill home for Bexhill mosaic
  • started ‘The Martin Cheek Challenge’ – one down, a lot more to go!
  • completed and delivered ‘Amy’s Mosaic Fireguard’
  • created new ‘Beach House’ range of mosaics
  • been mosaicking for 7 years
  • got a new mosaic website – this one!
  • became a Blogger!
  • 301 Facebook Likes
  • ran several mosaic lessons
  • new supplier:  Mosaic Workshop – with Trolley Dollies
  • record number of commissions including 3 clocks and a giraffe
  • joined BAMM – British Society of Mosaic Makers

and on the personal front:

  • swam at the London Aquatic Olympic Pool
  • experienced the poppy installation at the Tower of London
  • celebrated a ‘very special birthday’

 

COMING SOON: what would YOU like to see coming soon?  If you would like more info on any of the above, please do let me know. Obviously I am keen to do Blogs on the subjects that interest you so do let me know.

 

 

 

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Best Wishes for the Festive Season

Posted on December 19, 2014 | 4 comments

Robin

As Christmas draws nearer by the day it is time for me to publish my last ‘post’  of the year. I have really enjoyed being a new ‘Blogger’ and look forward to covering a whole range of subjects next year – all with a mosaic connection of course.

I would be interested to know what topics you have enjoyed reading about most and if there is anything you would like me to cover? I usually try to link things in with my mosaic work and I always try to have some mosaic pictures so you get an idea of my work and how it is evolving.  My first Blog next year will be a review of 2014, which has been a great year overall and very successful mosaic wise.

Candle

In the meantime, let me wish you all a lovely Christmas and festive period, wherever you are and whoever you are with. May 2015 be healthy, happy, fun and successful for us all.

Rosanna xx

 

!cid_891E6E8D4D2D4080852CCE0C2B032C2A@Rosannaslaptop           LC Tree 2a           !cid_3913FB54D00B41818A27C07296C5003F@Rosannaslaptop

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Celebrations and Commissions

Posted on December 7, 2014 | Leave a comment

P1040639I have had a lovely active November and beginning of December celebrating a ‘very special birthday’.  I’m not going to say how old I am but I will say it is great having free travel on London Underground!

I”veP1040576 enjoyed some lovely meals in the Oxo Tower, Paramount/Centrepoint and Baltic Flour Mill – all with great food and fantastic views over beautiful cities. I also had a lovely day at Brooklands Museum which is the birthplace of British motorsport and aviation, a brilliant place and made even more special as my friend David was our personal tour guide for the day – thank you David.P1040644 We even ended with a trip on Concorde. More treats are planned including a tour of the Albert Hall and a meal at the oldest restaurant in London.

Needless to say all this celebrating has meant that mosaic making has been put on the back burner. However, I now need to get my mosaic cutters out again and get my pinny on as this week I have been inundated with requests for commissions.  I don’t know why they have all come at once and some are from people who saw my work years ago. It just goes to show that it is always worth giving out your card as you never know when someone is going to want to commission a mosaic.

Gone Fishing

I really enjoy doing commission work as each one is going to be unique piece of mosaic art. I like to get a really good brief from the customer – some people know exactly what they want, others leave it up to me.  I am very keen to match their colour preferences, style and their personality. Often the piece is for a gift.

Dolphin

Dolphin

I make a lot of door numbers for people as well as mirrors. People have commissioned wall hangings, outdoor garden pieces, panels for kitchens and bathroom. All mosaics shown here are commissions I have made and I think my biggest piece is this turtle done on a slab of York Stone for outdoors.

 

Regina's Dragonfly

 Please do give me a call if you would like to discuss a commission, there is no obligation and I am always happy for people to come and visit my studio if it helps give them ideas and inspiration.

.Hopper

 

THIS WEEKS REQUEST:

Willow Pattern MirrorI am getting a lot of interest in this BLOG so I would like to continue to increase the number of people that see it. Please could you pass it on to friends who may have a creative interest or that may be interested in commissioning a piece of unique mosaic art.

 

COMING SOON: The Constable and Rembrandt Exhibitions

3 Individual Panels

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British Association for Modern Mosaic

Posted on October 26, 2014 | 3 comments

BAMMFor mosaic makers our ‘representative body’ is BAMM – British Association for Modern Mosaic. It was founded in 1999 and exists to promote, encourage and support excellence in contemporary mosaic art.

Yesturday I went to their AGM and Forum at Kings College on the South Bank, London. Leaving the house at  7am I was in central London bright and extremely early, grabbing a coffee and croissant at Prets before registration.

Although at bit apprehensive as I had not been before, everyone was very welcoming, friendly and helpful.  I met a couple of people I know, Sue and Kitty, and also met some new people, Sally, Karen and Viv – newcomers like myself.

It was a fantastic day, very inspiring and informative with some amazing speakers. Among them were Luciana Notturni from Italy who founded the Mosaic Art School in Ravenna which is recognised as a centre of mosaic excellence. Norma Vondee (President of BAMM) talked about creativity and expression showing some lovely examples of her work.

Laurel True was over from New Orleans to talk about her ‘Global Mosaic Project’. A truly inspirational and enthusiastic speaker who has done an amazing range of community mosaics over a 25 year period including working with people in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and in Haiti after the earthquakes. Through her projects she has worked with hundreds of people and helped to provide job training and arts education  to underserved communities in urban environments and developing areas. Her range of work and projects was amazing and very humbling. Having dipped my toe into community projects when I worked with The Log Cabin, it made me keen to get involved in more so if anyone out there wants to talk about a project, do send me an email and we can talk.

The last speaker was Karen Ami who founded and is the Executive Director of the Chicago Mosaic School, the first school for mosaic arts in the Americas. A very enthusiastic and lively speaker, her subject was ‘Practice and Process in the Mosaic Studio’ which we could all identify with. As well as giving us all great tips, ideas and encouragement, it made me realise how lucky I am to have a dedicated work space to make my mosaics.

BAMMThe ‘full on’ day wound up with a raffle, awards for ‘best mosaic’ and best ‘mega mosaic’. There was a ‘market place’ where I made some modest purchases and a ‘Working Wall’ where people could showcase their work.  By the end of the day myself and my new found mosaic friends felt like part of the BAMM Family. I signed up as a ‘Professional Member’ before I came away  because having had such a great day, I definitely want to be part of this inspiring, and supportive group.

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