Creative Director, Mosaic Artist and Installer: Cathleen Newsham
Mosaic Artist: Melissa Smith
Client: Private Homeowner, Waccabuc, New York
The whimsical mosaic walls shown here can be found in the homeowner’s children’s bathroom. Intending only to create a mosaic backsplash, the client was so enthralled with the potential of the mosaic that she decided to cover the blank walls of the bathroom. Playfully adorned with bits and pieces of favorite plates, treasured toys and ceramic kindergarten art projects, the mosaic artists transformed empty bathroom walls into a distinctive work of art. The homeowner claims her kids love to bring guests to the bathroom and show them the lighthearted mural. Is there a wall in your home you would like to transform? CONTACT US. We look forward to consulting with you.
Custom architectural and fine art mosaics for residential and commercial clients.
Creative Director, Mosaic Artist and Installer: Cathleen Newsham
Mosaic Artist: Jessica Giles
Mosaic Artsist: Cássia Moreira Lago
Installer: Wendy Lipstein
Client: Private Homeowner, Newtown, Connecticut
This extraordinary kitchen backsplash was inspired by the infamous Gustav Klimt painting, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer. Stolen from the Austrian Bloch-Bauer family by the Nazis during WWII, the painting is part of the story behind the film Woman in Gold, starring Helen Mirren. The film tells the story of the recovery of the painting and additional pieces that were valued at over $150 million, making it the most highly valued recovery of Nazi-looted art in history.
Like so many Gustav Klimt admirers, mosaic artist Cathleen Newsham was entranced by the intricate patterns and golden iridescence of the painting. In her pursuit to re-interpret the portrait, Newsham spent countless hours hand-cutting and laying hundreds of pieces of 14k-gold-backed mirror, art glass, Italian smalti, and glass rondelles. Thoughtfully and meticulously designed, it not only covers the wall but also the electrical plates, ensuring the continuity of design. Does your kitchen or bathroom have a backsplash in need of a facelift? CONTACT US to make an appointment.
Custom architectural and fine art mosaics for residential and commercial clients.
Designer, Mosaic Artist and Installer: Cathleen Newsham
Concrete Fabrication Assistance: John Pope
Concrete Transport: Nato Cambareri, Pro-cut Landscaping
A collection of stones gathered over the years from family vacations on Block Island, R.I., inspired this beautiful patio mosaic in Mount Kisco, New York. With hundreds of hand picked stones beginning to spill from thier containers, the family needed a way to display them in their backyard. They decided a patio would be a perfect spot. Motivated by ocean currents and crashing waves, the design team at Modern Mosaic Arts created a mosaic of spiraling stones intertwined with dashes of color. Incorporating stones and pebbles in mosaic design dates back nearly 4000 years, a testament to the durability and lasting beauty of mosaics. Personalize a patio or walkway at your home or business. CONTACT US to develop ideas you may have. We’d be happy to speak with you.
Custom architectural and fine art mosaics for residential and commercial clients.
While wandering through the rooms of Smithsonian Museum’s Native American textile collection, a rug woven in Tees Nos Pos, Arizona between 1900-1920 caught my eye. When searching for the name of the weaver, I was sad to see it was unknown. I reflected on the many Native American artists and craftsman who probably lived and died in anonymity, and decided to honor the unknown artist by recreating the rectangular rug in a circle of mosaic glass.I included every tiny human imperfection seen in the original design; nothing is symmetrical and the hand of the creator is seen in every shard of the 1,500 pieces of hand cut glass. My hope is for the Navajo artist who created this stunning textile to be honored and not forgotten through my reinterpretation of their beautiful work.
This fireplace mosaic was inspired by the change of seasons, winter to spring. Two trees embrace either side of the fireplace surround while layers of colorful leaves blanket the hearth. Hundreds of shapes cut by hand from brilliantly colored glass create the design.
Newsham sketched the design for this project directly onto a paper template then fabricated the mosaic in her studio using the indirect method. Hand cut glass tile was adhered to tile mesh, and once completed, cut into puzzle-like pieces , transported to the home, then fitted back together and adhered to the fireplace surround. Grouting was the final step in creating a stunning focal point in this Ridgefield home.
The fireplace surround is an ideal surface to mosaic. The options are limitless. The design can come from a fabric swatch, a piece of vintage or contemporary wallpaper, a favorite china pattern, or the china itself can be featured. The mosaic design can be bold and bright, or muted and natural. Collections, new and old, can inspire the design: pebbles and shells, reminders of a favorite venue; old glass bottles; watch faces and watch parts; keys; coins…whatever holds meaning for you. And don’t forget the hearth. Mosaic the hearth with a repeated pattern or element from the surround. The hearth mosaic, unlike the fireplace surround, would have to be flat to avoid stubbed toes and falls. CONTACT US to explore the many options for creating your fantasy fireplace surround!
Custom architectural and fine art mosaics for residential and commercial clients.
