The Art of Mosaic

The Art of Mosaic

Work in Progress at Mosaikashop

If you can't part with broken cups or smashed plates and spend more time than most looking at bathroom and kitchen tile then you may be a born mosaicist. Before my children were born, I collected different colours of glass, porcelain, broken kitchen tile and beads, and I decorated counter tops, plant pots and tables. Making a mosaic is a great way to hang on to your favourite cup and all of its memories after someone has broken it. You can then use the pieces of the broken cup to create a border on a mirror, a picture frame or decorate a plant pot. I`ve even done mosaics in the molding around a room to great effect.

A Tray Exhibited in the Mosaikashop Gallery

Unfortunately, I gave this hobby up about 7 years ago because of the hazards associated with working with bits of broken glass and sharp edges around small children. And although I`d done a fair number of mosaics, I still needed some instruction on how to use tile cutters (effectively!) and how to grout evenly. Much to my surprise  after I`d moved to Villeray this summer, I discovered Mosaikashop at the corner of Villeray and Henri-Julien streets. If you enjoy the feeling of highly creative and colourful spaces then I suggest you come see this place for yourself.

A Project from the Mosaikashop Beginner Course

The Mosaikashop concept was originally developed at Mosaïka Art & Design (MAD for short), a world-renowned mosaic studio that specializes in large-scale mosaics. MAD is responsible for several mosaics in the New York subway. Mosaikashop is in fact first and foremost a mosaic school. Owner Suzanne Spahi runs the store and gallery and offers 3 workshop classes, and luckily one of those classes gives instruction on the basics, exactly what I was looking for (an early Christmas present from my husband). Spahi`s own mosaic specialty is to reproduce and reinterpret tribal rugs with mosaics. (To see her fabulous work, click here.)

If you would like to try a mosaic on your own at home here`s what you will need:
(Hint: you may want to start with something small like a dollar store mirror frame or a plant pot.)

 Materials
1. Some small pieces of broken china, beads, ceramic.
2. Tile adhesive (hardware store)
3. Grout (hardware store)

Instructions
1. Apply a small amount of tile adhesive to the clean, dry surface.
2. Add your pieces of broken china in your desired design.
3. Wait at least a day for the adhesive to dry completely.
4. Add the grout, ensuring that there is an equal amount of grout in between each tile.
5. Wipe off the excess grout with a damp cloth.

Voila! You have made your first mosaic.

Mosaikashop

300 rue Villeray
Montreal, Quebec
H2R 1G7 Canada

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Expozine 2011
Occupons Montréal in Photos
Bixi: 2012 Recap
Churros: The Uruguayan
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Neon Icon: Miss Villeray
New Digs and Swedish Thrillers
The Haitian Barber


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