Wow, had the most wonderful back to back workshops here at the studio over the weekend and reached new “mosaic highs”. Got to love thinset and more!More new tips and tricks emerged yesterday, it just keeps getting better ... Found something to do with sealer that has my mosaic mojo on fire.

The students make the most incredible things with thinset – they are gobsmacked, one girl was so emotional over her work and would not put the lid on the box as she could not stop looking at it. It’s mosaic nirvana when that happens. I know that feeling, when I make a mosaic and can’t go to bed at all, I just have to sit and look at it, welcome it to my mosaic world and lose myself in Zone 4…..it’s very special.

I have on video, the most freaky thing! When one of the students, Leilani, cut an antique fine china cup, of her grandmothers, a very, very, very special cup, we blessed the cup in the mosaic ritual…, (you have to be here - to know how we bless the cups, we really always want to preserve the main china bits but keep the base for a wheel, the most amazing thing happened; the cup broke in half, the base fell off in a perfect circle and well, 6 students and I were gobsmacked.

I have seen lots of amazing things, when cutting china, but this was extraordinary. When I get time I will put the clip in MANA. The bonsai tree created in one mosaic, in the background is called “Pear in a Partridge Tree”. Dave is uploading the photos now and I will put in MANA tomorrow – hilarious. You will not believe what these students created in one day and the special mosaic effects.

The mosaic pieces are to die for. There was a couple in the advanced class, yesterday from the Sunshine Coast and the fellow was really good for a mosaic ”tease”. Poor fellow. His work was so exquisite and you could not meet a nicer couple who mosaic together…sort of makes your h’art sing.

This is what makes getting up worthwhile:

A student emailed this today; II have been filling the Hordern treasure chest with special mosaic momentos……. It’s very touching -

“What I got out of the Advanced/3D Workshop….I loved the process of breaking Grandma’s precious tea cup and then seeing it as petals of a beautiful flower and the fact that it lives on in a 3D mosaic. I loved that from cut tiles, broken wine bottles, copper wire, beads, shells and slate that I created a mosaic that came to life. The added pleasure is that it was made with my own hands and my imagination, Sandy you give of yourself and in turn give us a very special gift, the ability to believe that we are all artists. Thank you. Leilani”


Even though it was non stop weekend and we had a visitor, a “mosaic stARTIST”, my new name for beginners to mosaic stARTIST workshops, staying in the Diva Suite for 3 days, it was incredibly good fun -not to mention the photographs and the music. Dave spoilt us all with great food and we can’t wait to have our house guests over MAANZ and the fun time at Oz Zoo and the smashing and crashing time on the “mosaic menu”. Those coming to the Sunday Mosaic Madness afternoon and evening will certainly be in for a smashing good time!

I had a wonderful chat with Scott Harrower last week, an amazing mosaic artist in New South Wales. A good catch up!

I am sorry I have been AWOL from MANA for a few days, I even had to CLEAN THE HOUSE! Yes, very frightening words but it felt so good when it was done. I am coming into a good mosaic phase now. So many plans to come to fruition finally. One the big seating arena is done and installed in a couple of weeks, it’s all systems go!

Brad has an amazing girlfriend here from Canada for a year and she is perfect in every way. I am so lucky as she helps me “empty” Chardonnay bottles (perfect brand and colour for mosaic foliage) and even loves mosaics and helped set up the studio last week for workshops.

We have found a new tile distributor (2!!!) and will introduce these very gorgeous tiles so the students can make more interesting mosaics. We have a gigantic sample box and yesterday we road tested some of them. They are yummy.

It’s now always about what you make in mosaics but about what mosaics make out of you.

Now to get ready for huge day working on panels tomorrow, with Polly, Rebecca, Mosaicking Mum …..and planning out the Big Ball…..The weather is wonderful, the smell of
Spring is soooooooooooo good. I had a break today, went out with a girlfriend for an hour’s lunch for her birthday and arrived home for dinner!

A newsletter will be going out to all MANA members very soon with some fun things in it…..Thanks to all who have signed in on MANA and the discussion groups are being compiled. Thanks Edna for your input. We will test the CHAT room soon.

So much to do and oh how wonderful, it’s raining!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now off for a tipple.

Oh, more more thing, whilst I was at lunch, I was waiting for my third megachino ( can’t resist) - I was lucky enough to view an incredible Italian fashion catwalk extravaganza on tv...

I am now planning new workshops based on something awesome for next year. I cannot wait…to get going on it. Everything “fell into place”…..it’s been brewing in my sub-conscious for a long time and it was a “mosaic moment”.

People wondered what I was doing, standing in the middle of a huge room, holding two huge mugs of coffee and not moving….I was “in another place”. Don’t you love those “light bulb” moments.

.....Sending great mosaic vibes to everyone~ Happy Smashing - especially my students: I would not be who I am without you.

Sandra Robertson - Mosaic Artist/Teacher Studio OzMosaics - http://www.ozmosaics.com/
Everything for mosaic art. Workshops, classes, lessons, mosaic supplies - break something, it's so good for you.
Brisbane, Queensland Australia.
Warning - mosaic art is addictive! It's fantastic!