Lecanto Farm
created by sandra groeneveld
Object: Farm Theme Commission
Materials: Direct and Indirect (using clear tile tape)
Dimensions:
134-3/4", 51-7/8" & 24-3/16" x 24" ( 3 panels roughly totaling 17.5 feet )
Method: Direct and Indirect (using clear tile tape)
Design Notes: Chicken sandwiches are one of the many items served to the students from this station. The mosaic design started with a scenic representation: dairy cows, a red barn, silos and ready-to-harvest crops in the field. Shepherding this design through the approval process resulted in a fresh take on the theme; an abstract concept with some of the original key elements driving the color and pattern choices.
Commission Notes: This commission entailed the design and execution of four themes to identify the various food stations at Lecanto High School cafeteria in Florida. It was an impressive remodeling project with longevity in mind: from mechanisms which can switch from hot to cold for evolving menus to access panels & wiring designed for easy maintenance. While all this planning was going into "function", "form" was by no means forgotten. Providing an inviting place to eat was certainly a big part of the mix.
Instead of permanent traditional signage, there are themed decorative mosaic panels running the length of the counters. The look of each of the four stations informs you of the type of food being served, leaving the exact menus flexible.
I congratulate the vision of the Citrus County School Board. All of the students and faculty of Lecanto High School will be able to benefit from this investment in their school for years to come. I was proud to be a part of this project.
Close Ups
01 The finished panels (top) and the approved sketch (bottom). The panels are hung on a counter which has 3 angles. The colored horizontal bars help connect the three pieces together to make them read as one.
02 The Left panel only. As with the other pieces, many final decisions get made when I have the tile in hand. I discarded the banded circles radiating from the center sun as seen in the original sketch. Instead, I sprinkled the gold color from the sides into the white creating a more interesting and organic mix.
03 Having the sun be made up of just pure white separated it enough from the rest of the background in order for it to read.
04 Transition of color and direction.
05 Four different blues for blue, two for red and three for the black keep the blocks of "single" color interesting.
06 Detail.
07 At the last minute, the reinforcing background photos were changed, eliminating the wheat fields the design was meant to support. The primary colors, nevertheless, continue to tie in well with the final backlit images and green floor.
08 Detail.
09 Detail.
Process
10 The design phase is rarely a simple straight line. You can see where the design of this theme started and consequently evolved. It was "deconstructed" into some basic ideas for a farm. Vertical golden rows reaching for the sky, classic red barn accents, all warmed by the sun.
11 The first colors assembled to start the golden palette.
12 Color tests.
13 The horizontal blocks were done separately on one sheet to maximize efficiency.
14 Blue done. I marked up each sheet with copious notes (good side!!!) to remind me which side is up, down, front and back. There are no other visual cues in this abstract piece to help me keep my bearings.
15 All the pieces cut up, ready to be incorporated into their proper places.
16 Tile tape is placed on the underlying drawing, which is marked with notes where each color gets placed. The blue section, previously completed, was positioned first.
17 Detail.
18 Since each tile must be staggered next to its neighbor, you cannot just make one big block of color and cut it up into strips.
19 Pictured on the left, the back of the tiles face up. On the right, the same panel is now seen with the tiles good side up (with the tile tape on top) in its proper orientation. There is room around most of the edge for the border. Since the red/black bars flow from one panel to the next, they don't get a border at the edge of the panel.
20 The Right and Middle panels done. It is starting to take shape! Colored blocks and the central sun are in place on the Left panel.
21 The sun was done by itself to ensure a clean circular shape.
22 You have to stay on the ball to make sure the central sun merges seamlessly with the circles coming in from either side.
23 Cutting a circular patterned piece into manageable sections is as easy as cutting a straight line. OK, except for when it runs into a colored bar.
24 Having multiple panels to work on gives you lots of extra "tables" to keep things close by. Here the paper covered Italy panels give a helping hand.
25 Stripping off the tape after the mortar has cured for a day.
26 Placing the border tiles. My rule for choosing the colors is to imagine them as light refractors, picking up the colors close to them.
27 Ready to grout.
28 Detail.
29 The prep work of taping off the frames ensures a nice clean edge to the grout.
30 Grouting starts.
31 It is nice to see the patterns of the tiles being emphasized by the grout. The grout color will lighten as it cures. Pre-testing for the right color of grout is an essential part of a successful design.
32 Removal of the tape shortly after grouting. After a few days of curing the sealant is applied. Finis!
