Mosaic highlights of 2012

Well what a year it has been for creating mosaics!

Here some of my mosaic highlights of the year...

The year started with the Faberge Big Egg Hunt and my two mosaiced big eggs - 'Time to Bloom' and 'Love and Flourish'.

'Time to Bloom' was situated for the hunt in a rather lovely place in Mayfair outside the resturant 34,  frequented by the stars such as Gwyneth Paltrow with it's own door man in a traditonal bowler hat and tradional coat,a rather nice man, whom kept an eye of the egg and talked to visitors about it too! It was sponsored by 'Caprice' during the hunt.

I loved the light here, it gave the irredecent tiles and the mirror tiles a chance to twinkle. This egg was sold for £5001, beating Rob Ryan's egg by £1 on the online auction site! Time to Bloom is now at the entrance of the home of someone in the music industry, which makes me smile!

'Love and Flourish' was placed in the Duke of Chelsea Square, another lovely place to enjoy a coffee and watch the world go by. 'Love and Flourish' had a white rose on one side and the orchids on the other, compared to the winding spring blossoms on' Time to Bloom'. The light again, just made the tiles sparkle and this mosaic was stroked by the public, one of my reasons for using these tiles.

I really enjoyed mosaicing these pieces - a new challanging shape and being inspired by nature with my own stories behind both pieces ( read previous post). This size is huggable too!


Private Commissions...

I have also been commissioned for various private mosaic installations this year, that I will not post pictures of here,  that have eaten up months and endless cups of tea and many, many happy hours cutting and sticking..from monsters, maps, traditional mosaic scenes, journeys, handmade personal tiles and little funny in jokes, animals and teapots / crowns to mention the ones from the top of my head, it's been an eventful year.

Funny stories of sitting in a doctors' waiting room, to balancing on a duck board balanced across a working jacuzzi, eating ice-cream with clients from Edinburgh, to sharing' in jokes', having drawings of monsters taped to the walls, there really hasn't been a dull moment. When friends ask, 'So what have you been up to?' Sometimes, I don't think they are ready for the response...

I have been able to indulge in using fab-u-lous tiles from white gold, iridescent tiles, resin, clay inserts, wonderful Italian tiles, crystals and even plain glass..

Galleries and exhibitions...

Having work shown as part of '15' exhibition at Metropolis Art Gallery in Westbourne, Bournemouth  was indeed rather lovely to be in the company of a wide range of artists and subject matter. It gave me a chance to work on new and exciting range of map and flag  mosaics using some of my own tiles and trying something new.
Check out the gallery online: www.metropolisartworks.com

National Trust ' Star Gazing trail'

I was delighted to be part of the current sculpture trail at Mottisfont Abbey of stars. I mosaiced a 3D star and it proudly sits outside in the formal gardens at the front of the house ( near the mosaic angel).

 



   





It was a challenge, as the structure is made from steel rods and each side needed a substrate to adere the tiles too and still be waterproof and reflect and twinkle as stars do!

I am very pleased of the finished product and the placing of the star, as as the sun catches the tiles, this star really does twinkle.

The making of a heart...





 

I really enjoy using my creativity and mosaic skills for public art and fundrasing for good causes..so I applied to mosaic a table top heart to raise money for a very good cause..a hospital in San Francisco!

The heart was shipped over and the fun began! The heart was mosaiced with mini white, silver glitter hearts, all handmade.  The mini hearts were happily stuck on by the kids on the childrens' ward of Poole hospital..there was only one little problem..getting the heart to the hospital..so I flew with the heart to San Francisco..what an artist will do for their art!

The heart will be part of 'Heroes and hearts 2013' and will be on exhibited at Macy's until the public auction on Valentines day. To find out more click here: https://www.sfghfoundation.net/hh/hearts_and_artists.html

 

 

 

And so..

 I am very lucky to wake up and work on projects that stretch my creativity and create mosaics with love, a bit of twinkle and normally a mug of earl grey tea in the other. I would like to thank my lucky stars for these projects and for the love and support of friends and family for their help. (and the lashings of tea!)
Each year I am amazed at the projects I am lucky to work on and the mosaic madness - so here's to more wonderful projects, be it grand private commissions and wonderful public and charity mosaics that work hand it hand - the private commissions allow me to indulge in charity mosaics and think of
those 'out of the box' ideas...'wishing you all a wonderful 2013and I will keep you posted of my mosaics.

Natalie Guy Mosaics - Fabergè Big Egg Hunt 2012

The Faberge Big Egg Hunt in London 2012

 The Faberge Big Egg Hunt in London 2012 - introducing  'Time to Bloom' &  'Love & Flourish' mosaic eggs
(by Natalie Guy)

 

13th January 2012

Both of my eggs  named,  'Love and Flourish' and 'Time to Bloom' are now in a London warehouse awaiting their fate and a new home outside on the streets of London by a
 famous landmark on the 21st February for 6 weeks. An array of 200 different designed
eggs will be around London and will then be auctioned off for 2 wonderful charities - the Elephant family and Action for Children. Maps with clues will be available for purchase
nearer the time, with each egg having a unique code. When all codes have been collected,
 the participants can enter into the draw for the Big Egg hunt prize.

My story...

It's been a great journey and with many hundreds of loving hours poured over carefully cutting and sticking tesseri onto these enormous eggs to create the intricate designs once mapped out on paper.

The eggs are 775mm high, 570mm wide and weigh 5.5kilos without their bases. These eggs have taken thousands, upon thousands of very beautiful tiles, cut individually and shaped to the exact size needed, that sparkle and catch the light, just as the sun twinkles on the sea to bring the designs to reality. 

The majority of the eggs are painted using Farrow and Ball paint, but there is something about the process and the finish of a mosaic piece that adds dimension and form to the blank shape.

The tiles are fabulous to use and come from a lovely company based in the next county - 
 I live in Dorset and Original Style head office is based in Devon, Exeter to be exact.   The Mosaic ranges I have used are really beautiful and range from iridescent tiles,  recycled
ones, gold ones, and a range named after cocktails including Joan Collins, Harvey wall
banger, Blue heaven ( used on Love and Flourish part of the Highlight range).  These tiles  reflect fashion including a new range that has a reptile surface, pop art tiles,  swimming
 pool blues and gorgeous stone wear ones too. 

Their catalogues are online at http://www.originalstyle.com/. Email info@originalstyle.com or telephone 01392 473000.

 http://www.originalstyle.com/dwbrochures/popart/index.html is one of my new favourites, as I love the reptile tiles- just need a project to use them!!

I have previously used Original Style tiles on other public event projects  and have found the finish and colours to be outstanding...I am hooked, as you can tell!  I would like to say a BIG thank you to the company, as they donated the tiles for this project and really have  helped me to create something special for the charities and for this event.

The inspiration behind the designs of the eggs:

The designs:

 'Time to Bloom'

'Time to Bloom' egg design features  pink blossom that is always a welcome sight in the Spring
 time and represents  new beginnings. The flowers are so delicate and beautiful  with their
 defined 5 petal shape.

I have used this flower to symbolise the delicate nature of our bio diverse planet, where we need
 take care of the fragility of life, whether it be an animal, plant or even a human life, we
can all individuality and collectively play our part to change small things that will make a big
difference to the world we live in.

'Love and Flourish' The 'Love and Flourish' mosaic egg has two flowers - the orchid is the
chosen flower of Thailand, the home of many elephants in Asia and the rose, the flower of
 England.

Flowers as with  animals and children need the right conditions to grow and develop into their
 full beauty, as well as love and protective surroundings.

I have chosen the white rose, with its meaning of purity, innocence and pure love  that all
human beings should have as a child.

White roses also remind me of happy childhood memories as my nan bought me a white rose
as a child, that grew and flowered with abundance into a sea of beautiful flowers.

The orchid with its delicate petals symbolises love, luxury, beauty and strength.

I have used delicate and an extravagant palette to define the design and mirror tiles to reflect
 the light and make the egg sparkle!

 The Charities: The aim is to raise £1 million for each of the charities - The Elephant family and Action for Children.

The Big Egg Hunt is 100% charitable event that will raise vital conservation issues for The Elephant family and help to secure a future for some of the UK's most vulnerable and neglected children - Action for Children.

Dates for your diary:

Tuesday 21^st February
Eggs are on the streets of London – Let the hunt begin!
Tuesday 20^Th March
Grand auction 
Friday 6^Th – Sunday 8th April
All 200 eggs come together 
Sunday 8^Th April
Hunt concludes and winner crowned
Sunday 8^Th April
Guinness World Record broken for most participants
Sunday 8^Th April
Online auction closes

The final word....

I hope that this event raises a great amount of vital funds for both charities, loads of smiles and great times hunting out the eggs across London. OHH, I'm so Eggcited!

With thanks to Original Style for their help and support, Double Exposure Photography for the lovely images, family and friends for their endless cups of tea and patience.

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