In Case of Emergency, Break Glass: The Art of Mosaic.

There are so many multitalented people in this tight knit garden blogging community.

Kate has her fiddle and her painting, Annie has her music, and almost everyone is a good writer and great photographer.

I wanted you to know that I don’t just bumble around in the garden. I actually do other things. I’m also a mosaic artist.

I love doing jigsaw puzzles—as a matter of fact I can’t have them in the house. Jigsaw puzzles are to me what computer games are to my two boys.

If I let them play computer games all the time, they would. Likewise jigsaws for me.

So creating mosaics is sort of like a jigsaw puzzle and it’s sort of like gardening. It is very meditative and even though it seems like mindless work, there is actually a lot of mindfulness and design that goes into it.

I would like to show you some pieces I have done.

I’m showing you for two reasons. The first is so you can learn more about me and the second reason is this, I thought if I showed you the mosaic that I have not completed in my husband’s office bathroom that maybe this would spur me to completing it. My husband is hoping this also.

I also mosaic animal skulls. This really isn’t as gruesome as it seems—as a matter of fact; they’re really quite beautiful. However, I’m not sure I’m ready to put them on the Internet, especially in light of the first creepy comment I received last week.

Living in the mountains, we run across deer and coyote skulls, and sometimes my neighbors bring me skulls.

One time my neighbor brought me a skull. I wasn’t home so she threw it over my fence and forgot to tell me. Now this particular skull wasn’t as “clean” as the ones I normally find. When I arrived home, I found one of my dogs chewing on it. Yeah, that’s right.
Here are some thoughts that entered my mind. Did my dog eat the whole thing and was he just finishing up on the head? Or, had I just been given an ominous threat by Mario Puzo?

Two weeks later my neighbor told me she had left the skull easing my mind of all those Godfather thoughts.

Comments

[Kalyn]

Just beautiful!

[misti]

Gorgeous work! I'm amazed! I've always loved mosaics and would love to have a unique bathroom and garden wall!

[Genie]

Oh my goodness, Chigiy, those are beautiful! You're really, really talented.

[Karen]

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

[Clare]

Beautiful...I remember the mosaic you have on your patio, you must have done that? I'd really like to see the animal skulls, if you ever feel comfortable posting them.

[chigiy]

Kalyn, Misti, Genie, Karen,
Thank you!

Clare,
You are going to think I'm really stupid, but what Mosaic are you referring to? Was it in a post?
Thank you for visiting.

[nikkipolani]

Chigiy, these are stunning! I love the way you piece things together like your beloved jigsaw puzzles.

[Carol]

I love your mosaics. They are beautiful! I wish I could do something like that, but I am not even one tiny bit artistic. When you are ready, I'd love to see a skull.

[Annie in Austin]

They're lovely, Chigiy - and like Clare, I remembered that you posted about putting bits of mosaic into your swirly walkway.

I looked, and found it way back in the middle of March.

http://www.gardenersanonymous.com/the_gardeners_anonymous_b/2007/03/walkway.html

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

[chigiy]

nikki,
I love the whole jigsaw feel of this media.
You should try it.

Carol,
Anyone can do mosaic all you need is a hammer some tile and some glue. It's really fun.

Annie,
Duh, It's good that at least someone knows what I put in my blog. You are the best. I thought that Clare might be someone who had been to my house. I'm so lame. Thanks for the information.

[Amber]

These are gorgeous. I'd love to help you finish up your project. If you make some strong coffee and put on some good music, we could have it done in no time.

[Clare]

Hi Chigiy-

I thought I remembered some pictures you showed of your outdoor lanscaping and hardscaping, with a really beautiful patio type thing with a mosaic of pebbles...or did I make that up?

[Clare]

Oh...I see Annie found it. Thanks!!

[Muum]

these are wonderful, thanks for sharing them, I have looked at mosaic and wondered if it would be something I could enjoy. Any hints for getting started?

[Yolanda Elizabet]

Your mosaics are lovely but now I want to see them all finished too. ;-) Love your colour combinations!

There is another garden blogger who does mosaics, her name is Lady Luz from the blog Costa de la Luz Gardening. It's worth having a look at her mosaics. You can find the link on my blog.

[chigiy]

Amber,
Could we make it wine instead of coffee?
It might take us a little longer to finish but it would be more fun.

Clare,
Yes Annie found it. She is way smarted and more astute than I am. And she obviously knows more about my blog
than I do:)

Muum,
A flower pot is always a fun place to start. Choose a cool shaped terra cotta pot.
Buy tile glue for outdoor use at the hardware store.
On small pieces I use Italian glass tile, stain glass pieces, broken plates or sea glass. These things are thiner and better for smaller objects.
You can use a tile cutter of a hammer to break them.
Just break them and glue them on.
Then you let your piece dry for a day and you grout it.

Yolanda,
Thanks for the information on the blog. I will visit soon.

[Muum]

thanks for the ideas, I'll have to give it a try.

[kate]

Chigiy,

These are exquisite works - I had no idea. Somewhere along the line, I must have missed the post about your being a mosaic artist. The bathroom wall is an incredible work and I hope that you get it finished. (It's tough when you have two growing children and a garden and running ... you do an amazing number of things! If you are like me, you don't think a big project will ever take as long as it does. Maybe that's a good thing.) Now we'll have to make the odd inquiry about your progress and make gentle nudges.

I hope the Marathon went well and you are the last person I'd call a bumbler in the garden.

Ah, I have the same problem as you do with jigsaw puzzles. When I really want to avoid doing something, I haul out a puzzle and keep at it till it is finished.

Please let us know how the Marathon went. I am in awe of you!

[Kylee]

How pretty, pretty, pretty!

I have ceramic pieces broken in bags, just waiting for me to arrange them on the top of a bench. It was supposed to be my winter project last year. LOL. I've never done this kind of thing, so it will be a new venture for me. Wish me luck!

[Elise]

I can attest to Chigiy's skill as a mosaic artist. Every time I go to visit I'm blown away by the beauty and whimsy of her creations. Thanks for showing everyone some of your gorgeous work Chigiy!

P.S. So, are you almost done with that bathroom?

[Tim]

Wonderful!!! My daughter just finished an art camp where one of the projects was mosaic. Two lovely sea horses. I feel inspired after finding your work.