Think of it as art meets functionalism. From breakfast bars to furniture to fireplaces, mosaics are a way to personalize your home and incorporate unique and entertaining interior design elements into it.
“The possibility for mosaics is endless,” says mosaic artist Sonia King. “You can have fine art pieces you hang like you would a painting, you can have decorative floors or backsplashes, or you can even have accent pieces.”
“It gives me lots of options,” she says of her collection.
Mosaic artists such as Leann Wooten go for a more funky and eclectic look by using mostly found objects — pieces of broken plates, broken glass and beads. Wooten has even incorporated bullet shells she found at a garage sale into a table for her studio.
“It makes it like a 3-D thing, so it becomes more like sculpture,” she says.
For Connie Chantilis, finding her mosaic medium is “all about the hunt.” Chantilis works with a local archaeologist, who supplies much of her mosaic inventory — items such as 1920s-era glass bottles. While underground, the lead in the bottles turned the glass different colors — a process called patina. Chantilis says she likes using old things such as the bottles, vintage pottery and antique china.
“I love the whole recycle aspect. It’s a collage. You can take a bunch of independent things and put them together to tell a different story,” Chantilis says.
Because of a recent surge in the popularity of mosaics, artists such as Wooten and Chantilis are seeing a higher demand for fireplaces, backsplashes and breakfast bars.
“I think it’s because people are getting back to the basics — turning toward a re-focus on the home. People like the feeling of comfort at home,” says Chantilis, pointing out that people can incorporate something meaningful into a mosaic piece.
Wooten says people can use treasured items in mosaics that might otherwise be boxed up in an attic. For example, she used her grandmother’s broken dishes to mosaic her own shower.
While King, Wooten and Chantilis all work with their clients to come up with a unique design for a particular project, creating mosaics is something anyone can try.
“Really anybody can do it,” says Wooten, who taught herself when she decided to jazz up her older home.
“It’s extremely forgiving,” echoes Chantilis. “Nobody knows the picture you have in your head. It’s really kind of hard to mess it up. Just make sure you have the proper adhesive for the proper situation.”
The process, King says, is her favorite part.
“Using your hands, fitting pieces. It’s like a big puzzle. It’s engaging mentally but also it’s engaging with your hands.”
For those who need some help getting started, King’s website, mosaicworks.com, is a one-stop reference spot for do-it-yourselfers. She’s also has a mosaic library, links to references and recommended books on mosaics, including her own book, Mosaic Techniques & Traditions: Projects and Designs from Around the World, which includes technical how-to instructions. King also teaches a mosaics class at the Creative Arts Center in East Dallas.
One thing about mosaics is for certain: The process can be addictive. Says King of her first mosaic piece 12 years ago: “I made one, and I said, ‘I’m doing this the rest of my life.’”
MOSAIC RESOURCES
FEATURED ARTISTS:
Sonia King
214-824-5854
mosaicworks.com
email sonia@mosaicworks.com
Book: Mosaic Techniques & Traditions: Projects and Designs from Around the World, Sterling Publishing. Available for $34.95 at major booksellers and mosaic suppliers (including Splendor in the Grass).
Leann Wooten
“My Broken Art”
214-566-2973
email leannimal@sbcglobal.net
Connie Chantilis
CAC Mosaic Designs
214-808-5790
cacmosaicdesigns.com
email conniec@cacmosaicdesigns.com
MATERIALS:
Splendor in the Grass
1900 Abrams Parkway
214-824-2777
Owner Diana Thatcher keeps more than 50 different selections of colored glass tile in stock, as well as colored grout and marbles.
Glass: $12/lb (about 150 tiles)
Metallic Glass: $22/lb
Marbles: $3-$6 per package
Grout: $5
Tiles can be bought by the 1lb, 1/2lb, 1/3lb, and by eaches.
CLASSES:
Creative Arts Center
2360 Laughlin Drive
214-320-1275
creativeartscenter.org
One of Dallas ’ oldest art schools, the Creative Arts Center of Dallas offers a variety of classes and workshops for adult students of all skill levels, including Tile Mosaics. Students at the center vary from working professional artists to beginners with no artistic experience. Visit the website for information about class offerings and schedules.
Lakewood Arts Academy
1911 Abrams Parkway
214-827-1222
lakewoodarts.com
The Lakewood Arts Academy offers a Parent-Child workshop for Tile Mosaic Tables every year (ages 7+). The cost of the workshop is $115. Check the website for a schedule
