Sandy's  story

Happily married to David, the love of my life for 32 years; 2006 finds us working together at OzMosaics - it's wonderful to share the dream with someone special.   I am very proud of my two grown sons Mark & Brad.  I count my blessings daily.  Good health, allowing me to make my mosaics & great fortune to live in Australia, such a wonderful country.

 D own Under

 - the red, raw, burnt outback & sun drenched beaches - shimmering blue Barrier Reef  & rich rainforests constantly affect my mosaic art. 

I want to capture the essence, the intensity of the people, the flora, the fauna.  I have filled disk upon disk with photos over many years.

 I have traveled much of Oz and overseas.  My imagination is my mosaic guide, amazing scenes etched on my brain.  Closing my eyes only seems to intensify the colour - I need more time to create my own art;  just to mosaic!

  Cherish the moments! 

 Get away often & explore your hometown and countryside!  We go off in our caravan, with good mates and share laughs around the camp fires under the Southern Cross, there is so much to do, take the time to discover what is around you.

  My amazing mother Shirley

 -a mosaic addict 10 times over!  Mum must have known I was going to be a busy girl delivering me into this world on the 24th July!   I had no trouble naming my web shop - oZmosaicShopon 24-7! Many people playfully suggest  I have cloned myself  (my husband pales in fear!).  The truth is I am totally spoilt by my wonderful husband who does so much   

I am surrounded by true friends & a fantastic family in every sense of the word - no amount of money or success can buy what I value most in life. 

 People " rewards"  are beyond measure

 2006 finds me resolving to take better care of my health and to put my heart into it.   Take more time to relax and spoil other people a little...artists can be selfish at times in the name of their art.  Working often through the night, I have welcomed many a splendid sunrise!

The Shaq rules the studio!

The name tells the story of my sons' sporting passion:  "from little mini-ballers" to over 6'4" tall basket ballers at Churchie! (Oh what wonderful years....).

I am definitely a mosaic addict!

I formed the yahoo mosaic addicts forum (it's free - become a member today!).  Chat worldwide with wonderful artists who share the mosaic dream.  It's fantastic.

 There is no cure for mosaic addiction!

-who wants one?   Some people criticize the term "mosaic addict", but "chocoholic" is ok?  I dare to say that mosaic addiction is WONDERFUL and I can't find another word to describe the mosaic desire. More people should be addicted to good things!

 How did it all start?  

A chance viewing of a television segment featuring a passionate mosaic artist in Tasmania!  This intriguing lady was adorning a lamp base with broken plates.

  It was seven years ago -

I had oiled the furniture with too much Marveer, (probably the last time I really did any serious housework,  I am happy to say.  The hot summer's day caused a family heirloom (a beautiful ceramic plate covered in raised flowers) to slip off a shelf whilst we were at a Broncos match, I remember it clearly!

Once, tears would have fallen,

 I gathered up the shards with glee and ran downstairs and started to rummage for some old tile adhesive and went out into the garden for inspiration!  Voila!  A mosaic in the making... an old bathtub - The bathtub had been dumped in the garden by the pool (renovations were taking place).

I knelt down on the ground and started to stick the broken china plate to an old iron bathtub in the garden.   I knew I was in love with mosaic art! The mosaic passion sharded my heart. I have not stopped making mosaics since that day.

The bath has not been finished or grouted (sigh) but sits there as a reminder of how it all started!  2006 - must finish mosaic garden bath tub!

I mosaicked on the weekends and every spare moment.  I collected tons of recycled items to use in my mosaics. 

  I was enchanted by the mosaic process...

and after many years of designing fashion garments (my own Mulberries label) featuring unique 3-D appliqué-

I had found my true art in mosaics -

I put down my scissors and picked up my nippers! 

I swapped elastic for mastic!   there was no going back!

I will mosaic for as long as I am able, hopefully inspiring many children for years to come.  The children are our future and the more who can be creative from a young age, the better life will be for everyone.

This is the message that the wonderful mosaic artist (who inspired me on television) was telling the reporter - her words were etched on my heart forever!

 Teach the kids & teenagers to mosaic,

 it will change the world!

            Well, I am trying!

2006 finds me with a wonderful mosaic studio, being able to work from home and enjoy my family whilst working whatever hours I please.  I have a fully stocked and equipped mosaic shop and airy teaching area. 

 I don't know where the yellow brick road will take me, but I have a pair of mosaic thongs to slap on - mosaic magic can happen - to me, to you!

 It's all in your attitude. 

One thing leads to another, we all face crossroads, it's the baggage we collect on the way and how we store it that makes the load lighter or heavier to bear.  

I am Vice President of the Mosaic Association of Australia and I am very proud of how the Association has grown over the last few years.

I have attended the SAMA 2003 (Society of American Artists) in Miami USA, the AIMC (Australian International Mosaic Conference) in Melbourne 2004 and the Mos-Oz (Mosaic Assn of Australia) Conference in May 2005. 

 I was a presenter at Mos-Oz 2005 sharing information on working on mosaics in schools.  I have developed many teaching methods for schools for safety and innovative cutting techniques and other installation methods in mosaic art. 

I enjoy being at the cutting edge of new mosaic methods, whilst enjoying traditional methods.  It's all important to me as an artist, to move with the times, but keep the essence of mosaics.

My entry for the 2005 Symposium Art Show, "artBroken" won the viewers choice, with another artist.  It was very exciting to win this award.  Thank you Sydney!

I love Tim Tams, Iced Vovos and Honey Jumbles, licorice and chocolate and most foods!  I enjoy champagne and all Australian reds and whites!

This page is dedicated to Herky who was with us for 30 years - he survived the 1974 floods, thus was called Hercules!  We miss him so much, he amused everyone with his antics.  At the Stitches & Craft Fair 2005 this photo of him wearing Flamingo Fanny's thongs won a "viewer's choice" mosaic picture!

I love mixing smalti and glass, tile and bark, paper and gems, old buttons and cup handles...all go so well to tell my mosaic stories.  My new moZboard 3-D leaves and flowers, give an amazing 3-D uplift to mosaic art.....look out for them soon in the mosaic shop.

I participated in a mosaic exchange recently and sent a floral mosaic featuring 3-D china to USA which was good fun and, quite challenging.

2005  o

I am in consultation with an historical society regarding a mural for a round-a-bout and private commissions, including a mosaic horse for a large outdoor courtyard.

CV

artist's statement

Interview Earth Wind & Tile

BAMM article

Adventures of Mosaicking Molly

.

When both craft and art come together, it's perfect.

 I am a Leo, I am blessed to live in Queensland and I wish everyone the joy of mosaic art....it's good for the heart and soul, it provides an outlet for expression, it's enduring and please, everyone who can, teach a child to mosaic....you will be so glad you do!

copyright 2002-2006  all rights reserved OzMosaics

Sandy installing seats -

Earnshaw State College -Banyo 2005

I confess, I am a chocoholic!

& vegemite is my energy source

 My joy is in teaching

The people I meet inspire

 me every day.

  I am blessed to have all these people in my mosaic life.

Every piece of china is beautiful and special!

 When I break or cut a piece, I say a little prayer for the china.  I think of all the stories it could tell of cups of tea, gossip, family dinners and more.  I tenderly place the tesserae in the mosaic giving it a new home and a new mosaic life.

In the beginning, I studied many mosaic books but none of them gave me what I was looking for in my mosaic art, so I decided to just do what came naturally.  I now have stacks of mosaic books which constantly give me pleasure, every page a gift to the eye.

Making mosaic pictures, 3-D style, breaking all the rules, inventing my own, testing and experimenting with many adhesives and grouts, learning the hard way and knowing what worked and what didn't work.

As I had not done any mosaic courses, I was free to do my own thing, uninhibited by "mosaic rules and tradition"....I knew what I wanted and my hands and heart did the rest.  Suddenly I was so passionate I could not do anything else but mosaic.  It was my destiny to mosaic.  I had to.

I happily exchanged my career in the fashion world to break tiles!  Six years later the passion grew to my own beautiful studio at my Queenslander home. 

I never want to move my studio to a shopping centre or any other place as I love to be able to work late making mosaics at my home studio, to be near my family and be comfortable.

I can work in my pyjamas till the early hours of the morning, I  love working at my home studio. 

We took the plunge early this year and extended the studio to create a very pleasant, well-lit, glassed in studio by the pool.

The entry is separate to our home, very private and everyone who visits is relaxed.   I have my own little kitchen and soon a guest suite will be renovated for visiting artists and students who travel & require accommodation.

I hope to create a mosaic garden  2006 and gallery shop at the studio to retail my art and student's mosaic art.....garden, home decor & fine art  - decorate, renovate or gift ideas.

I have a huge wall around the property that will be covered in mosaic in 2006.

Mesh mosaics are piled up in the studio ready to go!   I have made many mosaics and helped hundreds of students on their mosaic journey. 

It's a never ending story and I enjoy finding new ways to use mosaics in contemporary art.

I see mosaic as fine art and as a relaxing hobby craft.  Using your hands to craft a mosaic pot is wonderful;  creating a mosaic painting or commission is very exciting.  I don't understand people who want to remove the "craft" word from mosaics.

A craftsperson takes pride in crafting their art and artists take pride in honing their skills to create fine art!  Pleasure in being creative on both levels. 

 Artist Built-In

Queensland Education Department:

2004/2005 I worked at the Earnshaw State College at Banyo.  Jessica Pandy and I enjoyed teaching and creating mosaics with the Grade 1 to Grade 12 students.

2006 I was artist-in-residence at Helensvale State School teaching the Grade 7 students to create a gigantic in ground performance area. 

2005 and continuing into 2006 I am artist-in-residence at Karalee State School, Ipswich. teaching and creating a gigantic Gaudi style chair and outdoor mosaic area.  It's very exciting.  For pictures and more information visit the artist in residence link.

I created a large mosaic "Let it Rain" that was auctioned to raise funds for St Columbun's School in Dalby.

2005 - a mural for the seniors of 2004 mosaic gift at Loreto School at Coorparoo featuring the school badge, in gold and blue vitreous tile.  This mural is constructed on moZboard, light and easily to install.  All the mosaic murals produced at Earnshaw college were produced on moZboard, including two large seat.

I have taught students at Dalby, assisted the Manly State School, mentored students in the High Achievers awards at Wynnum High in 2004. 

Holiday school lessons are held at OzMosaics studio and recently some lovely young ladies from St Aidens visited again to make mosaic fairies. 

Children from special schools visit and they are my delight to show around the studio...one even named a frog after me!

I love gardening and my garden is mess at the moment, but I know it is waiting for me to return to dig and find very special places for mosaics.  It's all in my mind and it's very beautiful and it's worth the wait.