This post is about a project I completed a few years ago — a commission to mosaic a curved plastered wall for an outdoor shower and sauna. The client was wonderfully adventurous — by far the most daring yet! She told me, “I want something quirky and fanciful, and I want to notice something new every time I take a shower.” She even entrusted me with her personal collection of mosaic pieces, a small shoebox of interesting fragments, to incorporate into the design.
We began by creating a few tile samples in colors and patterns we thought she would love. Once everything was approved, the real work began: hundreds of handmade square and circular tiles were produced. Some of these tiles I decorated using a wax-resist technique, similar to batik textiles. The wax burns off during an extra pre-glaze firing, leaving the intricate patterns intact. After cleaning, the tiles were glazed in delicate light blues, greens, or clear glazes, giving the finished mosaic a subtle, shimmering charm.
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| 5x5 cm tiles |
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| small hearts and circles |
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| Large plate sized circles, thrown on a wheel. Some were made to dry in a curved shape to fit the curved wall of the shower. |
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We also made many additional tiles in the same colors and patterns to fill the spaces between the circles and to be cut into smaller pieces where needed. Once all the tiles were ready, I prepared the wall with a key coat and bonding liquid and set to work on what would become a month-long mosaicing project.
The wall was set in a beautiful garden, and with the summer sun blazing, I rigged up a shade cloth to keep us cooler while we worked. My son joined me on the project, and I even paid him for his efforts—though honestly, we both enjoyed working together as a team. |
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| I worked from the floor upwards. |
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| the outside nook for sauna and shower |
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| details |
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| details |
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| signed MN |
