Unique Mosaic Art: History, Technique and Tip Guide

The use of broken porcelain, china, pottery, glass and stoneware in the creation of art and decorative pieces is know by many names: broken tile mosaics, pique assiette, bits and pieces, memoryware, shardware, etc. However, the appeal of the art form is less elusive. Mosaic is a hugely popular craft partly due to the spontaneousdesign possibilities. There are no rules!!! The artist bases his works on her own instinct of design, proportion, symmetry, style, and balance rather than to formal constraints of art theory. Using broken china, glass, toys, jewelry, souvenirs and memorabilia you can create a work of art that is truly your own evoking sentimental memories to spontaneous wonders of color, texture, humor andshape.
Mosaic Art Gallery

Origin and History of Mosaic Art
The first mosaics were created in Mesopotamia thousands of years ago. Terra Cotta cones embedded in the walls and columns of buildings in Mesopotamia are the first know examples of Mosaic art. These colored cones were laid in geometric patterns and were functional (adding strength the structure) as well as decorative.
In the Byzantine era, 5-15 the century, Mosaic art was embraced and perfected by the Romans. During this time Mosaics were created tocover entire walls and ceilings and important artist designed mosaics for the great cathedrals, including St. Peter's Basilica.

Mosaic Angel in the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Rome, Italy
Art Nouveau movement of the 19th century brought further change to Mosaic art. Artists, such as Spanish artist Antonio Gaudi, began creating works with free-form curves encrusted with fanciful, brightly colored tiles.
American women in the early 20th century began a tradition of covering vessels with everyday items and souvenirs such as, jewelry, buttons, and figurines. These vessels, called memory jugs, were then gilded or bronzed. Memory jugs forever preserved the most beloved items and often carried great sentimental value and family memories.

glass bottle Memory Jug
In France, the practice of using personal objects as part of mosaic art was extended beyond vessels to furniture. It was during this time that the name "Pique Assiette" was first used to describe the mosaic art form. The inspiration for the name was a French man by the name of Raymond Isadore who, in 1938, began covering his home with bits of pottery, china, and colored glass. Isadore devoted the rest of his life to the art eventually covering every inch of this house and furniture with mosaics. His neighbors, who were less than thrilled, began to mockingly refer to Isadore as "picassiette" which in French describes someone who is a "scrounger" or "sponger", as in stealing food from other people's plate. His home is now a national treasure in France.

Raymond Isadore's home, Chatres, France

In Los Angeles, CA Simon Rodia (1879-1965) spent 33 of his life building a series of towers out of concrete and steel over 100 feet tall in his backyard. Rodia cover these towers with fragments of glass, tiles, seashells and other found objects. Know today as the Watts Towers they have been deemed a cultural landmark.

Watts Towers, Los Angles, CA
In Orlando Florida in Cinderella's Castle located at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom you will find beautiful examples of mosaic wall mural panel art. These large 15 x 10 foot murals, 5 in all, depict scenes from the classic story Cinderella. Each panel was designed by Disney artist, Dorothea Redmond and converted to Italian colored glass mosaic pieces by mosaicist, Hanns-Joachin Scarff.

Cinderella Castle, Orlando, Florida
Tools and Equipment
Only a few simple tools are needed for creating mosaics.
Glass and Tile Cutters or Nippers
For cutting or breaking tiles, china, or glass, you'll need tile nippers.They look like pliers, but have sharp blades and spring action handles. To use them, grasp the material you want to cut then press together, they will crack and break the material. You can find these at your local hardware store, tile supply store, and sometimes crafts stores.
The concept of glass nippers in the same as tile nippers, except the jaws are made of carbide wheels the can be rotated when dull. This is my tool of choice, I get the most precise results with this type of nipper. These are a little harder to find try looking at stained glass supply stores or you can find them on okay or the internet.
Spreaders
Craft sticks or plastic spreaders can be used to spread adhesives and to fill grout into tight places. To spread gout over the glued tesserae, use a rubber spatula or putty knife.
Miscellaneous
For mixing grout you'll need a bowl and a measuring cup to measure the water. A sponge to wipe away excess grout and gloves are a also a good idea.
Surfaces
One of the most interesting and unique aspects of mosaic art is that you can use almost any, non flexible, surface as a base for a project. Some gemon surfaces include:
Wood
Wood surfaces such as unfinished furniture - tables, chairs, etc.- and accessories - frames, wall shelves, bookends, etc.- make a great base for a project. Mosaics can also be built on plywood or fiberboard that has been cut to desired shape.It is a good idea to seal unfinished wood before tesserae is applied. If unfinished wood is not properly sealed it can warp from the water used when grouting. Cracking of the grout while drying is another consequence of not sealing unfinished wood. This is due to the contracting and expanding of thewood as it dries after being wet which can lead to cracks in your grout.You can seal wood with a gemercial waterproofing sealer from a hardware store or you can use a mixture of one part white crafts glue to four parts water.
Ceramics, Terra Cotta and Cement
Prefabricated stepping stones, doorstops, birdbaths, wall sconces and flowerpots made of cement, terra cotta or fired clay are great surfaces for mosaics. Plaster surfaces such as frames and trivets are also good. Cement stepping stones, decorated with mosaics, add a great touch to you yard or garden. Except for unglazed terra cotta, these materials are waterproof