Selep Imaging Blog: August 2020

Monday, August 31, 2020

Mosaic Garden Table

Today is my last chance to share a post in August of 2020.

Mosaic Table Top

August, in a year like no other. In other summers I would have traveled, enjoyed friends, gardens, and rejoiced in summer, one of my favorite seasons. I've enjoyed aspects of this summer, to be sure, but in an entirely different way. I have never, NEVER, spent this much time at home during the summer (at least not since I was a child).

Putting that aside for now, I want to share another mosaic I made. Recently I finished this mosaic outdoor garden table.

Mosaic Table Top, 27 inches diameter

It's the largest table I've made, and the only table destined to stay outside year round. The table top is about 27 inches (68cm) across.

I frequently start mosaics without a vision of the final product. In this table, I knew I wanted to make a border using a vintage set of chipped green plates that I liked.

Mosaic Garden Table Edge Detail

When deciding what to use in the middle, I was inspired by other mosaic artists I know who mix contemporary and vintage much more easily than I do. I decided to work outside my comfort zone, and use a contemporary bunch of orphaned dishes I loved. The second border was an easy way to cover a lot of square inches quickly.

Mosaic Table top Detail

The central design element for the table came from the center of one of the contemporary plates I used for the mosaic. The dishes I used came from estate sale and resale shops. If I had a full set of some of the plates I used I probably would use them for my tableware!

Repurposed Mosaic Table

The sort-of mid-century modern table, rust and all, came from a resale shop in Door County, WI. I liked it because the top was a solid material to mosaic on, and the price was right, but now I think perhaps the table is too rusty. The border wavers and has flaws, but I am getting better with each project, and I like the resulting table brightening my lawn and garden.

Mosaic Detail, triangular piecing

Another goal I made for myself was to consciously try using mostly triangles for the interior - it's a mosaic look I love and wanted to try. I think the results turned out well.

Mosaic Detail

I feel it's great to pause and reflect on the results achieved when a project is completed. I encourage people developing skills to answer these 3 questions.

1. What went well,
2. What could have gone better, and
3. What would you do differently if you could re-do it.

Answering these questions for my mosaic table project, here are my thoughts:

What went well:
I used older and contemporary patterns together
I tried triangular piecing in large sections
I liked my color scheme
I'm getting better at breaking and piecing
I got to reuse some beautiful materials
I'm happy with the material I use - silicon glue, sanded grout, grout sealer.
The project seemed to go fairly fast, and it's finished!

What could have gone better:
The border wavers and has obvious flaws
I could have started with a better table

What would I do differently if I could have a do-over?
I might have removed rust and used rust preventive paint.
I would definitely try to improve the border

Answering these questions for completed projects is something I am trying to remember to do.

Mosaic Bowling Ball in my Garden

An update: The picture above is the repaired mosaic bowling ball I mentioned in this post here. It sits in the garden surrounded by leafy ferns. I have never gardened as much as I have this summer, and "my garden" has never looked better than this year. A pandemic benefit, I guess.

I have been having a creative summer, being at home so much. Here is one of my next mosaic projects in process...

New Mosaic Garden Ball in Process

I'm fortunate in that I don't know anyone who has died from the coronavirus. I know a small handful of people who have had it, and one person whose husband was hospitalized because of Covid. I feel horrible that so many people have had a much worse experience, and I pray that the world heals sooner than later, that in-person life returns soon, that schooling for students becomes effective, that people can return to jobs and events they love, that main street becomes healthy.

Stay sane and healthy,

and do what you can to help others!

I hope you and yours are healthy and well.

Click on the images to see them enlarged.

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