Mosaic Art and Wine / MAANZ

 We are home safe and sound from MAANZ Symposium 2011, Tanunda, Barossa Valley, South Australia.
What a mix - mosaics, Symposium, good mosaic mates and wine!

Dave and I had a great trip down to MAANZ flying with JetStar. The staff on the ground and in the air with JetStar were so friendly and we had a wonderful flight to Adelaide.  Service with style all the way. Thanks so much.

We stayed at a B&B and the thoughfulness of the owners was very much appreciated.  It was cosy, warm and had everything we could possibly need to be comfortable during our stay in Tanuda.

The MAANZ Symposium was held in Tanunda and the Theatre complex, was a perfect setting for OzMosaics Vendor Stand and the MAANZ Symposium presenters etc.  The gallery in Tanunda was so interesting featuirng a brilliantly restored organ.  The history of Tanuda is so interesting and the backdrop of the vineyards is beautiful. 

We caught up with friends, made new ones and we can't wait for the next Symposium in Melbourne 2012.

I will upload photos of my experience at MAANZ 2011 soon.  We are very busy unpacking a new shipment of Dynasty smalti and new products which will be in our online store next week. I look forward to my workshop at the Redcliffe Festival on Saturday and hope my students enjoy the one day workshop I have planned for them.
Happy mosaics!
Sandra and Dave Robertson
Studio OzMosaics
mosaic materials and supplies
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commissions
public and community art
...everything you need for mosaics.
http://www.ozmosaics.com.au/
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Online School coming soon!

See Sandy's mosaics at the Bribie Art Gallery!

Sandy's work is on display at the Liz & Friends Art Exhibition at Bribie Island Community ARt Centre - Gallery.

It's a wonderful art show and if you have time over the Easter Break, take a drive to Bribie Island and enjoy the beautiful Bribie! I enjoyed setting up the show last Saturday and had time out for a refreshing paddle and chased some soldier crabs. I took lots of photos at the gallery of my mosaics and also of the ocean!

It's a great day out all round! I will be back on Tuesday for a mosaic workshop - planning, demo of techniques and discussion for the new mural for the mosaic sign at the Centre. Can't wait to meet the enthusiastic artists!

Here are a few pics fromt the exhibition. All artworks are on sale and you will love the mosaics, pottery, quilts, painting and much more!

Great Falls of China! Half done! Work in progress mosaic mural by Sandy Robertson. (c)
A great meld of English Mosaic Blues and Fine China! Check back to see finished in a few days.
This shows a mosaic uncleaned, in progress and how you need to stick with the vision as it unfolds......this type of mosaic comes from the heart, a journey that takes it's own course, as does a waterfall...it's fabulous to be so free!

The Learning Seat aka "the everybody chair" Mosaic Art

Hi from Sandy!
Visit this link for view a slideshow on the making of the mosaic seat at Karalee. It's finally completed and it's incredible. An amazing mix of Gaudi inspired mosaics, Aboriginal art design, traditional and whimsical mosaic tesserae, methods - but mainly the fun making the mosaic, the lessons learned by all and the frienship is what I will remember.

The opening of the Community Hall is this Saturday and we will be there with "bells on!". It's so exciting and no photos do justice to the wonderful art produced by the students. I am so proud to be the artist in residence on this massive project, aided by mosaic addict volunteers, parents, teachers and Jannette Evans, a very talented Aboriginal Artist. The project was a wonderful collaboration and David Robertson, (my husband), Shirley Hinkley (my mosaicking mum), Maureen Randolph (aka the Popette) and Polly from the Trolley (aka Shirley Whitton) and many others put many long hours behind the scenes at my OzMosaics Mosaic Studio and helped keep me on track.

Cheryl Charlton, the deputy head at Karalee State Primary School, is an amazing person and I can't say enough about her enthusiasm for the arts, the school and all things mosaic. Thank you so much Cheryl for inviting me to be part of this huge adventure. The teachers were all so helpful, the staff were simply perfect and of course, the students have touched my heart forever. Thanks students for all the laughs, the friendship and making me think outside the square constantly. I hope most of you take the skills and the memories into your future lives and remember the people who introduced you to smashing and breaking, nipping and tiling and most of all enjoying mosaic art.

I cannot wait till Saturday, two more sleeps!
Cheers and wonderful work everyone!
Sandy Robertson
Studio OzMosaics
http://www.ozmosaics.com/
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Learn to mosaic
Workshops
Mosaic supplies and shop
commissions
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Mosaic Artist visits Canberra

I am currently visiting Canberra, ACT for a few days R & R. Visiting the War Memorial, Parliament House, ARt Galleries, Museum, and lots of markets and funky whatnot shops. Enjoying the place but not the cold weather and wind. Went to the football yesterday to be miserable and watch the Broncos lose to the Raiders. Bad.

However, Broncos were not full strength team after SOO - so not a bad effort actually.

Bought a wonderful old artist easel yesterday, over 75 years old (at least) and I love it. Wish I knew it's history will do some research when I get back to OzMosaics.

Found some beautiful mosaics in Canberra to share photos soon.
Off to visit more fabulous places today - back home soon. Miss the cat and the fish.
cheers
SAndy
and big waves to Shirley, Popette, Polly and my mosaic mates.
xx

Karalee Mosaic Chair Project - 11 June 2008

http://mosaicdiva.smugmug.com/?preview=1
Please visit the link above and click on Karalee Seat gallery - Learning Seat. There are lots of fabulous photos in a slide show to view of the chair progress. The painting started today by an indigenous artist and it looks great.

The mosaics on the chair are completed, cleaned and sealed and once the paintwork is done to surround the mosaics all is well! The opening of the Community Hall at Karalee State Primary school, Karalee, Ipswich Queensland is on SAt 20 June 2008 2pm with a Fete. If you are able, please visit and have fun, chat and view the chair and the wonderful huge community hall.

Congratulations to all who have been involved. Karalee is a lovely school and students, teachers and community should be so proud of their achievements and their school. Thanks to the faculty who went out of their way to make us so welcome during the artist in residence program and the installation of the mosaics.

We will miss you very much but can't wait for the opening.
Cheryl you are an amazing lady!
cheers
Sandy Robertson
Mosaic Arist/teacher OzMosaics Studio, Brisbane Qld Australia.
http://www.ozmosaics.com/
shop for everything you need to make mosaics at OzMosaics studio shop by appointment.
workshops/classes and commissions.

Mosaic Artist Sandy Robertson - Mosaic Chair Project - Karalee Australia

Almost finished the seating chair project! Here are some pics of the mosaic chair before final cleaning and scrubbing, applying some more beads and fill, more tiles around the tree skirt....then comes the sealer and afterwards all non-mosaic covered areas will be painted!

This chair was dubbed the "everybody chair" as just about everybody in the school has put down a piece of tile or tesserae. The project was a wonderful collaboration - mosaic artist, cement man who built the fantastic chair, landscape architect, indigenous artist, teachers, faculty, family and the STUDENTS, plus community helpers and mosaic addicts and a special thanks to Dave, Shirley, Shirley, Popette, Brenda, Jan, , Cheryl and so many others!

We will be back at school, unless it's raining cats and dogs, which it is now (!)...I have to go to hairdressers at 6am! ....and then to school to finish the project. The opening is Saturday week and before then I have a trip to Canberra as well! So much to do, so little time! We will take a video tomorrow as it's impossible for me to photograph the chair in one go, it's so big and so many curves and corners. Oh dear, the paperwork is piling up but it will have to wait until next week!

ps - here are a few pics of waterfall mosaic made at a workshop recently for a park project at Ingham NQ.

Now for some sleep!
cheers
Sandy Robertson
Mosaic Artist, Mosaic teacher
Mosaic Workshops, mosaic shop, mosaic addicts group....
http://www.ozmosaics.com/
sandy@ozmosaics.com
Brisbane Queensland Australia

Mosaic your 'art out!

Mosaic Shop upgrade

Re the mosaic shop at OzMosaics website. We are currently upgrading it and the product photos are being reentered due to an upgrade problem.

Please be patient while we upload all the photos of the products.

If you wish any product info please contact dave@ozmosaics.com or phone 07 38474873.
Thank you.
Kind regards
Sandy Robertson
www.ozmosaics.com

Karalee Mosaic Seat update - WIP OzMosaics Mosaic Studio

Here are a few more photos from the work in progress on the mosaic seat at Karalee State Primary School, Ipswich Queensland Australia.
Sandy is very proud of the mosaic art on this chair, made by the students at the school and a collaboration with parents, teachers and mosaic addicts, helping to piece together the artwork to fit onto the huge concrete chair.

Pieces are still being added to the chair using thinset (cement adhesives). Approx one more week to put down all the mosaic, grout, fill in a few gaps, polish and seal. After this another artist will work with some of the students to paint indigenous artworks on any areas not adorned with magical mosaic artworks. It will be quite stunning. The vinegar will be working overtime to bring up the lustre of the mosaic tile and mirror......the final seal will enhance the black grout and bring the chair to "life". We are sure Gaudi is looking down and smiling.....the grid work done by students looks really exciting and forms "cushions" on the seat. The big gum leaves will be polished and grouted.

More mosaic koalas, kangaroos, magpies, hearts, greenery and general mosaic artworks by the students will be applied next week. We had to down tools today due to rain (I always bring rain on a big outdoor mosaic installation!!!)......so we hope it fines up after raining all weekend, to allow us to keep on schedule. Thanks again to Dave, Shirley and Maureen for their incredible support and assistance working on this mural installation.

Hi to all the students and teachers who have been so encouraging and such fun! We are looking forward to the opening day! Gosh, it's really pouring down hard now on our Queenslander tin roof - what a beautiful sound. I am looking forward welcoming the ladies from Ingham tomorrow for our project development workshop at the studio this weekend. I can't wait to assist in the design of the incredible waterfall mural, tabletop and pavers for the park renovation.....!!
till next update....note in your calendars the mosaic MAANZ conference for October 2009, Brisbane is the venue!
cheers
Mosaic Artist and Mosaic teacher, Sandy Robertson
http://www.ozmosaics.com/
shop, supplies, tools, grout, mastic, thinset, workshops, classes, mosaic fibreglass mesh, tiles - everything you need to make mosaics! Contact dave@ozmosaics.com for class bookings, supplies or helpful assistance. Visits to the studio are by appointment please. 07 38474873

Saturday, May 24th 2008 Beginner Mosaic Workshop.

Beginner Workshop - 24th May 2008 was great fun and very busy. Six students began their mosaic journey with Sandy. The mosaic photos above show the mosaic in progress; cleaning and polishing is to be done when thinset has cured.

A mosaic wheelbarrow full of vitreous tile florals and wine bottle leaves, mirror and greenery was made by 6 students. From mosaic tile borders, opus palladianum (crazy paving), inserting beaded blings and mesh boings, using mosaic nippers, cutters, scorers, cutting machines and files, pretty white ceramic tile wheelbarrows were produced.

Students learnt how to build a background and grout it before applying 3-D flowers using black thinset (cement based adhesive). Pebbles were inserted with the push-in method; some included little shells (given to Sandy by a student years ago).

The wheelbarrow handle extended out over the tile border which looked very arty. The students always enjoy the scoring of ceramic tile and mirror but the Leponitt mosaic cutters always win hands down as the best tool for mosaic art - as they allow cutting of china, mirror, tile and so much more!

Sandy tries to pass on as much info as possible in this mosaic mad day - students leave a little grotty (black thinset is fun) but happy. Many express great interest in making mosaic pictures after viewing Sandy's own mosaic art.

The weather was beautiful yesterday and thanks to all the students for their passion and willingness to push the boundaries.

I look forward to seeing what these students produce in their future mosaic artworks.

I am back to Karalee State Primary School tomorrow with David to continue the mosaic chair.

Cheers

Sandy Robertson

Mosaic Artist & Mosaic Teacher

Studio OzMosaic Mosaic Workshops

Brisbane Queensland Australia

www.ozmosaics.com

Classes, workshops, mosaic materials and supplies

Commissions - community art