Art of mosaic

The appeal of mosaic has rocketed in recent years. This ancient art is now enjoying a comeback, and mosaic artists are once more finding themselves working in close conjunction with architects and interior designers.

Tiles made from earth, water, fire, and to stretch a point - some air too; no building material is more elemental than the ceramic tile, which is used in this art form. The earliest versions were simply hand-formed slabs of clay left to bake under the sun.

Mosaic tiles used for both walls and floor are generally small, typically 1 or 2 inches square. Most art mosaic is very labour-intensive, so they tend to be expensive. This week, we take a look at how we can use this imaginative art form to lend a dramatic look to our homes - especially in outdoor spaces.

Most people love to spend their leisure time in the garden, swimming pool, club house, or restaurant.

Mosaic murals, depicting anything from rolling landscape to futuristic scenery, can breathe new life into a boring atmosphere. We can use them on the fireplace, entry door, bathroom, or even the kitchen, and patios and swimming pools are tried and true mosaic canvases.

Let's look at a few applications of this decorative art form.

Mosaic mirror: A simple but effectively decorated mirror suggesting Arabic and eastern influences.

Marine life: The underwater world is full of vivid colours and dynamic shapes, so to try and capture the effect of fish and other sea creatures swimming through the water presents a great challenge for the mosaic artist. The marine theme is perfect for swimming pools.

Birds: The vibrantly coloured feathers and plumage of many birds provide endless inspiration to the mosaic artist. 'Birds at a drinking fountain' was a favourite theme amongst the Romans as well as the Byzantine Christians.

Roman mosaic artists often used marble and ceramic for landscapes, with which they decorated the walls and floors of their great villas, between the 6th to the 14th century. The surviving pebble mosaic at the Granada show beautiful free-flowing floral designs seen alongside the geometric patterns.

Tiny ceramic shards add up to form a bold, geometric backdrop for this swimming pool. They are weather-tight too.

Now you can begin to fine-tune your decorating plans. As you will see, artistic mosaic is an effective medium for evoking both style and mood. More specifically, it draws attention to itself by creating charismatic drama, and serves as a supporting backdrop for other decorative elements in the space.

Nazneen Haque Mimi
Interior Consultant
JOURNEYMAN
Email: journeym@citechco.net
Photos: Journeyman Archive