Embedded Files
Object: Front Landing
Materials: Vitreous Glass with Med Grey Grout on a Concrete Slab
Method: Direct on Mesh
I took this on to explore the challenges of:
1. a larger project
2. that is constructed in pieces offsite
3. and then reassembled during the installation
A few unrelated smaller pieces were done first to get comfortable with using mesh before embarking on the landing.
The landing is the 11' x 5' slab in front of the porch. I worked on this in between other projects.
Needing the storage for these other projects, I decided to install the border. Reassembling the puzzle was painstaking but went without any unforeseen problems.
The dolphins were assembled and finally placed inside the existing border. I hope the detail shots give you a nice glimpse of the how I got from my initial inspiration below, an old tourist rug, to the final floor.
"Kalimera" is the name of our house and is a Greek salutation. Used most of the day as a "hello"; literally translated "good morning". The year 2001 is in the background, commemorating the start of the construction of the home.
Close-ups & Process
Close-ups & Process
01 The finished landing.
02 Detail
03 Detail
04 At the beginning, the very first row ... many little tiles ago.
In the small sample piece pictured, I experimented with various ways of how the tiles should flow through the waves before settling on the directions I used.
05 This is how two neighboring pieces lock together. The tiles are mortared down on two separate pieces of mesh before trimming the mesh edges so everything lays flat.
06 A few tiles later ...
The entire pattern was drawn out in advance. I scrolled open the long drawing a little at a time in a conveyer belt type of fashion. When one section was done, I would start on the neighboring section for a locking fit before removing the one already completed.
07 The slab was prepped with slurry before applying the tiles with mortar. After it cured for a day, I applied the grey grout.
08 The start of the strip containing the name.
09 The Greek name spelling "kalimera" was installed shortly after the wave key. The strip of mesh containing the letters was mortared to the slab, as seen above. The few tiles that fell out during that process, as well as rows to merge the name and the waves section together, were added before grouting the addition.
10 The installed perimeter patiently waiting for the center decoration.
11 Meanwhile the center decoration was being worked on.
The paper with the design is rolled up on one side since the design is wider than my work table.
12 Dolphins are popular images in Romano-British mosaics. My resulting design is a mix of many of their designs, heavily weighted to a mosaic I saw at the Fishbourne Roman Palace. There was a deliberate effort to stay away from sea monster look ... this is a welcome mat after all!
I choose to imply water with the movement in the background tiles, vs making graphic wavy lines sometimes seen in old works.
13 As large sections were completed, they were cut & stored in manageable pieces.
14 Here are all the cut sections waiting for installation.
15 The sections were assembled, dry-fitted. Marks were made for reassembly as each piece was removed. Here they are being reassembled. I would slurry & mortar one section at a time to ensure a snug fit.
16 The sections were created while leaving the space for one row between the new pieces and the existing border, already installed. After all the sections were down, one row "seamed" the new and old together.
17 All the tiles are down. The center dolphin section is still ungrouted here. It is important to note that the color is meant to be softened considerably by the mortar. You can see that in the saturated look of the dolphins vs the key wave (which is grouted).
18 The final step, grouting the dolphins.
19 Detail
20 Finis.
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