Six Hook Custom Coat Racks

June 23, 2017 by Johannah Willsey in Mosaic, Collaborations

We've made quite a few six hook mosaic coat racks this year, each with its own special twist. We thought we'd share a few photos to show you the steps to creating a custom piece like this.

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This first group of photos shows the process of creating the mosaic itself.

In the first three photos, you can see:

creating a color gradient based on photos submitted by the client.
an example of the reclaimed material we use for all our mosaic supports. This particular board's former life was a template for a railing.
a blue mosaic celebrating the couple's anniversary with mementos from their relationship.

Next three photos show:

a mosaic with found objects.
Johannah's mid-process studio mess.
a mosaic featuring coins left over from the customer's travels.

This group shows what happens once the mosaic is complete. First the mosaic is glued into the reclaimed wood frame made by Kyle. Next the mosaic is grouted, a process that often requires plenty of blue tape to protect the frame and some found objects and mementos. Last the hooks are installed. We love seeing the texture and shine of mosaics in raking light. The way mosaics change in the light is a big part of their magic.

And the completed coat racks! Whether you are celebrating a special memory or looking for a unique way to hang your jackets in style all while complementing the room, our mosaic coat racks are the perfect thing. We offer them in three sizes: two hooks, four hooks, and six hooks. We love working with our clients to create a one-of-a-kind piece of functional artwork just for them.

"Beautiful Earth" Mosaic Trivets

April 14, 2017 by Johannah Willsey in Mosaic

This small series of trivets double as kitchen artwork. The mosaics are set in our handmade reclaimed wood frames. The frames have a small keyhole hanger in the back, so you can easily move the trivets from the table to the wall and back again! The colors and design of these pieces are inspired by landscapes from the beautiful world around us: ocean, forest, and desert.

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The photos above show the mosaics in process in the studio. The blue piece is inspired by waves breaking on a sandy beach. The green trivet explores the idea that even nature viewed through a window can help reduce stress. Desert mountains inspired the brown and orange piece.

When we have kitchen art trivets available, you can find them in our main Etsy shop.

Tiny Mosaics art series

March 24, 2017 by Johannah Willsey in Mosaic

Johannah has been exploring a new-to-her technique of setting tesserae (mosaic tile) directly in mortar, rather than gluing tiles and then grouting over them. This is the method used to create the ancient Byzantine and Roman mosaics, as well as an ever-growing body of gorgeous work by modern mosaic artists. She's created a line of miniature pieces in this technique using reclaimed and found materials alongside traditional smalti, a thick opaque glass.

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Working in groups or series is a great way to explore an idea from multiple angles. The top two photos are pieces that center on a found object. The tiny dolls in the top left poke fun at the unrealistic body imagery our culture has for women and men alike. The shape of the found object itself is the focus in the three pieces in the top right photo.

The series in the bottom left photo are miniature landscapes: snow shadows, a drop of rain in a puddle, and a view of kudzu overtaking a rusty train bridge. Finally, the series in the bottom right plays with all sorts of ideas: texture, pattern, color, and negative space, just to name a few!

These last two series started out as lines created from reclaimed terracotta pottery. These pieces are all about the material: the soft color and rich texture of the terracotta, as well as the way the terracotta plays against the bright blue and green reclaimed ceramic and soft gray of the concrete.

You can find a limited selection of these tiny pieces up in our Etsy shop.

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