Stroll further down for the charity projects.
Mosaic Symposium Turkey 2021
In September I left for Adana Turkey. I was thrilled to be invited again by Mosaic Master Guilio Menossi from Italy for the first mosaic Symposium in Turkey amongst 13 other artist from around the world. ( Sibel Akkaba, Alejandra Martin, Aida Valencia, Marwe Qendeel, Glisten Genc. Alina Chubova, Neriman Guzel, Vanessa Rivera, Mireille van Swinnen,Ronit Strum, Angela Zimek, Xenia Samokhina)
We formed an amazing group of artists from all walks of lives, different cultures, backgrounds and goals, all connected by our creativity and passion for mosaics .
It is Giulio his dream to organise these Mosaic Symposia to create a free space of experimentation, exchange and sharing ideas, develop projects, absorb, learn, discover, collaborate, travel and making great mosaics and new friendships. (His words)
Neriman took it on her to organise this event, which must have costs her sleepless nights, but hey ! she did it. I admire her for that and thank her for all the effort. Together we created memories forever!!!
Our host and main sponsor was the city of Adana. Co sponsor Da Costa provided for us the materials. We were spoilt with dinners, lunches, outings and good accommodation. In return we worked at the galley on our mosaics. The brief was “Adana from the past to the future”. Most days we worked from 9 to 19.30. Once a mosaic artist starts a project there is no stop to it and we do not even count the hours, we only look at the deadline, still enjoying every minute. We had 10 days to finish before the exhibition. Visitors and art lovers could drop in, interact with us or watch us work. So we might have learned a Turkish word or 2 . Thanks for google translate.
I created and designed a textured aerial view mosaic disk of 85 cm dia. The city of Adana on google maps was my inspiration. I used smalti, beads, brick, plaster and paint and clothe and plaster to build up my layers. The base was a MFD board.
Because I had some time left I made a small sculpture as well for the same exhibition in a matching design. I did not have much time for this and worked with leftover materials to construct the piece. I can say that was a real challenge. My hands were my tools and the hot weather my best friend in the drying process.
The finished works of all other artist were stunning and it is always interesting to see how we all interpreted the brief in our own way and style. The works were on show at the gallery. Where the mosaics end up is still a surprise, so stay tuned.
Many of you might have read about this event on my FB page, if not you can still catch up on my FB page or on the page of the other artists.
I share here with you some pictures of our Mosaic adventure.
First international Mosaic Symposium Clauiano 2017
Art Director Giulio Menossi
Artists have been invited by Master mosaic artist Giulio Menossi to participate in the first international mosaic Symposium in Italy.
We worked on our mosaic art works for a period of 2 weeks. The theme was Alchemy. We were all given a wine barrel to deconstruct to make our artwork from.
Here in the brochure you can find my participation and that of the other artists.
Open HeArt Studio Mfuleni Cape Town
Started 2022
Read more about the project on this link https://www.openheartstudios.org/collaborations
Artists at work in the studio in Mfuleni Cape Town.
Our first group of around 5 artists will learn how to translate a painting ( paintings this time are mostly donated by me ) into a beadwork. The idea is to train the artists for 3 months, by then they have to make it into the world with their new learned skills and we move on to train another group of 5 people with another skill.
It is my job to come up with new creative ideas, Xolani is the teacher and provides the studio and Michele and Joy, the co founders are doing all the work behind the scene. Xolani's wife helps wherever she can.
If you would like to make a difference with us you can make a donation to Open Heart Studios.
The money goes to transport and food for the artists at work. We also pay a fee for the work done.
100 percent of your donation goes to support our projects and studio expenses.
A little goes a long way.
Once we have enough work finished, you can also purchase one of the artworks as all proceeds go back into the project.
A shop will be set up soon.
Mosaic art project London
I have Invited mosaic artist from all over the world to participate to make a 20 by 20 cm mosaic which was donated and exhibited at the North West London hospitals NHS Trust.
IThis was a great way for artists to promote their work in London as well as contribute to the charity against child trafficking in Nepal. (www.ebtrust.org.uk.)
I made a mosaic book at “Blurb for good”with all the mosaic pieces, the artists and their artist statements. The proceeds of the book also went to the EBT. charity in Nepal.
Opening by Martin Cheek, Philip Holmes and the Mayors of west London
Over a 100 blocks from all over the world
Eyes of Nepal Mosaic Project
We did the same project again and transported all the new mosaics that were sent to london to Nepal and adorned the room in the house where the children were now working and living, selling mosaics.
Maitland Mosaic Wall Cape Town
Making a mosaic wall with the children for the holistic Garden of the Hospital was a weekly event for weeks to enjoy for both of us , the children and for me. We even made an indoor mosaic wall for the Physio department and I later set up an Artroom which had a healing factor in many ways for these children that sometimes had to stay for months to recover from their orthopedic operation.
