Portraits in Mosaic

Luis has just returned to Asturias from a two week mosaic course in Belgium and from visiting fellow mosaicists in both Belgium and Holland. Needless to say he has had a brilliant and very productive time. The piece he chose to work on in Belgium under the tutelage of Mireille Swinnen at http://www.mozaiekstudio.be/ was based on an ageing Pierrot clown - a portrait in tessarae using a direct method in a painterly style. I was really pleased with his choice as for those of you who don't know I was once a keyboard player for a band called My Pierrot Dolls in the early 1980s (who incidentally are still playing gigs in and around Yorkshire in the UK - check them out if you get a chance). Despite a very active social programme, with Mireille's guidance he managed to complete the portrait with only the framing and mounting left to do.

Whilst in Belgium he shared some studio time with Jeannot Leenen a really talented mosaicist who you may remember created a portrait of one of our cats, Wentworth. Jeannot has very kindly now completed a second portrait, this time of Gawber so we will be able to display them in their full glory together: The Asturian Prince and The Asturian Hunter.

Luis ended his mosaic adventure in Holland and spent a few days with another great mosaicist Conny Van Der Wende who owns and runs  Tiles and Tools . Now back and filled with renewed energies, new techniques and numerous ideas, I am looking forward to his new projects... Watch this space.

Restoring a suite of rush furniture

Rush chairs and benches are very comfortable and last many decades if used correctly and protected from the elements. Being a natural fibre it is prone to damp weather, mold, insects and breaking due to excessive weight. Most rush restoration is due to normal wear and tear following several decades of normal use. This custom made suite of furniture was brought for restoration by its owners; the suite is usually sited on an outside covered terrace. most of the rush had deteriorated due to damp and breakages. The structure of the chairs was not really appropriate for rush as the seat frame was very deep which would make forming the contours of the seat, difficult but possible with extra care and manipulation of the material.

The two benches, one with a detachable seat frame, had been designed for rush so were much easier to  craft into a comfortable seat.

After many hours of skilled craftsmanship the suite of cane furniture was re-rushed, re-waxed and collected by its owners who were delighted with the result. Advice regarding the care of the seating was offered and only time will tell if they heed it. All in all a lovely suite of furniture that would grace any dining area. Further information on restoration can be found at www.artesanialapasera.com

Making a new fruit basket in Escriño style

For a couple of years now I have been on the look out for a new fruit bowl, ever since our last one got broken (but it was recycled and re-fashioned into a birdbath). You might think this is an easy task but the ones I saw were either too fragile for their size, too small, the wrong colour, too deep or just not up to the job. In fact we have been using an antique plate originally designed for meat. As my quest for the perfect fruit bowl grew tiresome, Luis offered to make one in Escriño style using rye straw and rattan...perfect. This meant I could commission the correct size, depth and shape.

We have featured Escriño baskets before when Luis learnt how to make them on a short course in Palencia. That time it was a bread basket, this time something more substantial was required. We eat a lot of fruit throughout the year including commercially bought, home-grown and foraged so we needed something that was sturdy, strong and capable of holding substantial amounts.

Escriño is an old tribal craft technique that binds together straw, grasses or pine needles with either strips of willow, rattan or any other binding material. This style of basket can be found in all parts of the world including Africa, South America and Asia. This small basket (below) is from Luis' brother Oscar who brought us it as a gift from Venezuela, of similar construction but much smaller and finer.

The rye straw was grown by Luis' family and the binding he would use was rattan cane he uses for bergere chair weaving. The spiral of straw is measured by a gauge made from a cut-off thimble. The shape is formed as the spiral of straw is woven. The final weave is finished off with a rattan weave that adds a design element and added strength to the basket. These baskets are seriously strong and are rock solid once completed. The technique looks relatively easy but it takes a lot of patience and skill to produce anything worthy of display.

After many hours weaving his magic, sometimes on a sunny terrace sometimes in the workshop or even the lounge, we now have a wonderful, perfectly formed and functional fruit basket that should last for many, many years. Now to plant the seed that we need a new waste bin for the bedroom.....

Demonstrating at a street market - Rastrillo

This past weekend we have been at a street market in a nearby village. It takes place every year and although small, it attracts a good number of people at this busy holiday time in Asturias. The proceeds from the pitch fees (6€ per meter) is donated to charity.

We use this particular market to publicise Luis' chair restoration skills. It is also an opportunity to sell some restored chairs and stools in cane and rush, the proceeds of which go to fund Luis' mosaic studies. We take a piece along to demonstrate how it is done, this time it was a seat from a barbers' chair. More often than not, a live demonstration always prompts people to stop or at least cast a glance in our stalls direction. We also took some pottery and bric-a-brac to reduce the amount of stock we have from when we used to sell at antique fairs in the UK. Any sales would be a bonus.

The stall-holders started to set up at 8am and the market was to run all day until 8pm, a long day giving us opportunity to watch the world go by in all it's different shapes, sizes, dress sense, style and pace. Following a slight dispute with our immediate neighbour who had invaded at least half a meter of our 4 meter pitch, we set up the stall and were open for action.

The Spanish, especially on holiday, rarely venture outdoors before 11am. The morning started slow with only a few passing pilgrims, locals shopping for fresh bread to have for breakfast, a few joggers, cyclists and walkers.

Before the street filled with eager browsers we took the opportunity to have a look around and see what was for sale. The majority of stalls are non-commercial, just ordinary people selling their excess. Some of the stalls are commercial such as artisans, antique dealers and jewelry makers whilst others are children selling toys and such they no longer cherish. Some children have stalls selling biscuits, cakes and tortilla that Mum or Granny has made. They have great fun throughout the day.

One special stall is run by two young girls who have a tank and display boxes with frogs, salamanders, slow worms, beetles, toads and other insects. They have a donation box and use the money to build habitats in their garden. Their brother used to run the stall but it seems other diversions have now distracted him. We usually donate to this as they are obviously very passionate and knowledgeable about wildlife which is impressive at such a young age.

One aspect of a Spanish street market like this (Rastrillo) that we cannot work out is why everything is so expensive, especially the commercial traders. Some of the tat on display was grimey and to be honest we would have been ashamed to display in such a dirty and unkempt state. Other pieces were outrageously expensive such as a couple of old and very large, glazed cooking pots. We enquired about one as they would have made brilliant free-standing ponds for the terrace... 150€ each!

We have a great day all in all and sold all of the chairs, and quite a bit of old pottery and glass. Many passersby took business cards and enquired about chairs to be restored so hopefully that will translate into future work. Surprisingly we didn't buy anything which is a good thing in a way as we are conscious that we have too much clutter and need to downsize further rather than accumulate things. The glazed cooking pots were still there at the end of the day as was most of his stock, I wonder why?

Despite looming dark clouds coming and going, the weather held and the wind stayed calm. We ate well, met loads of friends and neighbours, absorbed the atmosphere and watched in wonder as the world passed by...Until next year. Hasta luego.

The Kingfisher has flown its nest - mosaic

A few weeks ago Luis was asked to design and create a mosaic intended as a gift for a birthday. The brief was: a Eurasian Kingfisher. Working with the people involved they agreed on a design and composition, size (quite large 70cm x 85cm), how it would be constructed to suit the position it was to be hung and what materials it would be made from.

A pencil sketch was used to agree the main design elements but they very much left it up to Luis to interpret their idea.

The next task was to source the appropriate materials, choose the colour palette, prepare the base and plan the construction methods. He decided to use a mixture of marble, limestone and Orsoni Smalti from Italy as this would give him the colour palette he required to capture the beauty of this wonderful bird. Materials were sourced and work commenced.

Mosaic work on this scale and with such detail is labour intensive. Long hours were spent studying kingfishers and refining the design, planning the project, cutting the tesserae and reviewing methods and techniques. The mosaic is worked in reverse so you never know what the finished surface will look like until it has been set, dried and turned.

Once the mosaic is complete, the worrying times commence as cement glue is spread carefully across the surface of the mosaic and onto the cement backing board on which it will be mounted.

Several days later the mosaic is turned, cleaned and closely examined.

The next stage is to grout elements of the picture, seal, polish and generally put the finishing touches to it including a hanging device and more weather-proof sealant and wax.

Phew, all was well and the 130 hours he put into the mosaic was well worth the effort, it looks magnificent. Needless to say the recipients were very pleased with it and will now have the pleasure of seeing it proudly displayed on the wall of their cottage and garden.

There is always a sadness to see such a piece fly the nest but on the other hand there is a sense of achievement and consolation knowing that it is going to a place where it will be cherished.

A big thank you to Jeannot Leenen and Ornella Martens, two mosaic artists from Belgium for their generosity and guidance throughout the project.

Anyone interested in Luis' work can view his range of work here: www.mosaicoslapasera.com

Email: artesanialapasera @ gmail.com (remove spaces)

Should we restore or plant this pine chest?

Each year we demonstrate chair caning, rush work and seat weaving at a street market (Rastrillo) organised to raise funds for charity. Last year we bought an old pine chest for €20. It is zinc lined and fairly intact apart from a piece of wood missing from one of the base rests which can be easily repaired.

It has old woodworm and has been painted white in the past although some of this is now wearing off. The pine is of good quality and I know that if it is stripped, waxed and polished it will make a wonderfully rich, handy little seat with storage for a sheltered spot on the terrace.

Alternatively, I was thinking of leaving it pretty much as is apart from drilling a few holes in the bottom and planting up with a mixture of trailing plants and accessories with the lid propped open - a sort of shabby chic garden planter. I realise that even with the zinc liner, the pine on the base will only last a few years.

I don't particularly want to use and have to dispose of harsh chemical strippers and it would possibly damage the surface if sanded down to remove the paint. I wonder if there is a green paint stripper?

The chest below was my Grandad's tool box and covered in layers of paint and varnish. I restored it many years ago and it has made a characterful coffee table for the lounge. Hmm...what to do?

Over to you....seriously looking for advice and guidance on this one. Maybe you have other ideas...What would you do?

Mosaics in and around our garden.

Those of you who follow our blog will know by now that I am passionate about all things mosaic related. My mosaic journey really started when following a holiday in the Greek island of Rhodes where we visited numerous sites with beautiful mosaics Ian got me a book on pebble mosaics written by the British based artist Maggy Howarth.

During our time at La Pasera, I have had an opportunity to explore the technical and aesthetic aspects of mosaic art both relating to pebble and roman style mosaics. My abilities as a mosaicist continue to evolve with each individual piece I design and make.

In my journey into the mosaic world as a self taught mosaicist, I enjoy reading books and publications relating to mosaic art and greatly value the information and sharing of ideas with fellow mosaicists and artist via the Internet based mosaic groups I belong to.

Thanks to these groups, I found that there is a two yearly international mosaic exhibition in the Italian city of Ravenna which I visited last November. Taking part in Ravenna Mosaico 2013 as a visitor was an incredibly valuable experience during which I was able to admire contemporary mosaic art and some of the most beautiful Byzantine mosaics dotted across the city in several World Heritage Sites. This submersion in the mosaic world was very inspirational and on returning I started to create a Byzantine style mosaic representing Prometheus, the titan that Greek mythology tells us that as a protector and benefactor of humans presented us with the gift of fire, a myth that has always fascinated me.

Prometheus

The making of Prometheus gave me an opportunity to explore some technical and aesthetic aspects relating to this beautiful art and craft that help me to gain the expertise that enables me to create more complex mosaics not only to adorn our garden but also when I get a mosaic commission as is the case with the latest one I am working on at the moment. It is a mosaic intended as a 50th birthday present for some keen birdwatchers who have commissioned me to do a kingfisher for which I am using vitreous paste or smalti in order to achieve the bright colours of this beautiful bird.

Birdbath

My first mosaic

Recently, we have also completed the paving of the patio and the path leading down to it in which we have incorporated a series of 19 small mosaic fish and 4 lily pad mosaics directing your attention towards the pond area creating the illusion of a stream. We have also set within the patio two more mosaics depicting a bird in full flight and a lizard. The step from the patio down into the grass area is also paved with a simple but beautiful pebble mosaic; this is the very first mosaic I ever made and which originally adorned our garden when we lived in the UK. This is a very important mosaic for me and I value the opportunity to enjoy it here at La Pasera.

My trip to visit Ravenna Mosaico 2013

Ravenna in northern Italy is considered worldwide to be one of the main centers for contemporary mosaic art; a place where many mosaic artists work and teach this craft and art. When visiting Ravenna, in addition to the beautiful Byzantine mosaics that adorn seven UNESCO World Heritage sites you can also appreciate the beauty of classic Roman mosaics as well as modern and contemporary ones.

This year, Ravenna was celebrating the third edition of  a two yearly event called "Ravenna Mosaico" with multiple events related to contemporary mosaic art at an international level. This year I had the opportunity to travel to Ravenna during this event. I visited the famous Byzantine mosaics, the numerous mosaics spread throughout several temporary and permanent mosaic exhibitions. I also arranged to visit some mosaic schools and studios with the view of taking a mosaic course in the future. A highlight for me was when I met some artists who live there and with whom I had been in contact over the last few years via the Internet. In fact, some of the mosaicists living in the city happen to be some of my most admired artists worldwide.

Visiting both old and modern mosaics, provided me with an opportunity to admire an art that has endured the passage of time and closely study both technical and aesthetic aspects related to mosaic making.

You cannot imagine my surprise when I accidentally discovered a mosaic studio and as I went in I met Marco de Luca, an internationally recognized artist whose work I greatly admire. To stand there admiring mosaics belonging to his private collection while he was telling me all about them was an unexpected pleasure I never dreamt of experiencing.

Earlier on in the day I had been invited to a private viewing of a mosaic exhibition in the company of the editors of Mosaique Magazine CaCO3 studios. I enjoyed my exchange of comments with the editors about a particular work of art whose creator I would later on meet in person.

Another highlight was meeting Sergio Policicchio a young artist I believe will become a great influence within contemporary mosaic art. He approached me while visiting an exhibition and offered to show me his other works exhibited elsewhere.

Sergio Policicchio

I value the opportunity I had to spend some time with a local artist and one of my mosaic Internet- based friends, Rosanna Fattorini, with whom I exchanged thoughts and  impressions on the mosaics exhibited within two of the main exhibitions: "Works from the World" and "Crossing times". In the exhibition "Works from the World" I was able to appreciate examples of the work from several other artists I greatly admire while discovering some exciting artists whose work I fell in love with instantly.

Rosanna Fattorini- detail

To Rosanna I am so thankful for taking me to visit Sergio Cicognani, her friend,  mosaic teacher and worldwide respected artist who was involved in the restoration of the Byzantine mosaics the World Heritage sites in Ravenna and other parts of Italy. The stone cubes or tesserae he gave me and the glass I received from Rosanna decorated by herself with gold leaf and paint colours and that she normally uses in her creations is something I look forward to incorporating in a future mosaic.

The numerous photos I took of particular mosaics, the books, detailed postcards, magazines and catalogues of exhibitions I bought and collected, some with a personal dedication from the artist, will provide me with a wealth of information that I will benefit from during the next stage of my mosaic making.

The homage to the artist Iliya Iliev, that the International Association of Contemporary Mosaists  had arranged gave me the opportunity to admire in person, many of the works of another of my most admired contemporary mosaic artists. Shame we did not coincide in Ravenna so that I could have met him in person. Iliya is another of my Internet contacts from one of the international mosaic sites I belong to.

Iliya Iliev

I had a great time in the beautiful city of Ravenna and enjoyed its culture, cuisine, ice cream and its gentle pace. The best Italian meal during my trip was by far the one I had when Rosanna and her husband welcomed me into their home. With the most aromatic limonchelo I have ever had we said goodbye to the memorable time I spent thanks to Rosanna. In a few words, the trip to Ravenna Mosaico 2013 surpassed my expectations. There are still many great mosaics I would love to see in person one day and more trips to plan... one day.