Lecanto Italy

created by sandra groeneveld

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Object: Italy Theme Commission

Selected for the "Mosaic Arts International Exhibition 2012"

SAMA's Annual International Juried Exhibition

On display in 2012 (as printed enlargement): March 1 - April 30

At the Lexington Center Museum and Gallery (Lexington, Kentucky)

Materials: Direct and Indirect (using clear tile tape)

Dimensions: 194" x 24" panel split in two ( thus just over 16 feet total length)

Design Notes: TThe Italy theme is the "pasta station" where one can find, well ... pasta and its brethren. Images symbolic of this beautiful country were requested by the client.

My original thought was to have city, sea and rural landscape represented. The colorful small town was always popular with folks but a rural vignette gave way to a more powerful and far more iconic symbol, the Colosseum.

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 & center )) and the approved sketch ( bottom ). The 16 x 2 foot mosaic hangs over access panels for equipment in the counters. Splitting the artwork into two sections makes removing the panels more practical.

02 Framed Left panel. Where the two panels meet, a thin metal strip protects the edge of the tiles while not interfering with the image depicted.

03 The colorful buildings are not specific to any one location in Italy, though everyone has an idea which town it reminds them of.

04 A lovely mix of 4 different colors cut into thin pieces gives just the needed texture to evoke the barrel tiled roofs.

05 A "Duomo" is an often seen structure in many a town.

06 Detail.

07 Framed Right panel.

08 Each of the 3 value mixes for the Colosseum had an associated grey to keep the overall color from becoming too pure.

09 These trees were very memorable to me when I first visited the Colosseum.

10 I often use thicker grout lines to surround and separate elements from each other.

11 Including my little windsurfer signature is always a challenge for me. One gets lost in the zone and forgets about items which are not part of the overall design.

12 The Italian theme graces the "pasta station". Photographs of Venice and the Tower of Pisa bring up the rear.

13 Detail.

14 Detail.

Process

15 The approved design sketch. Quarter cut tiles are required for the detail of the buildings on the left and right. A more restful section in the center was done with full and 1/2 tiles for the sky and ocean.

16 The base colors for the entire design. I rejected the various blues for the ocean since the area was not tall enough for an effective gradient. Instead, another type of tile was chosen which contain a mix of blues within each tile.

17 Some of the color swatch tests before grouting. Juxtaposition & size, along with the grout color, all work together to give a specific feel. Instead of a smooth gradation of tans for the Colosseum (left-bottom), I decided on a more blocked-in approach.

18 A lot of squinting was needed to make the Colosseum. Choosing just the right values to suggest highlights and shadows is key to giving the structure a solidity.

19 Ready ... set ... go!

20 I started at the center and worked towards the right. In the following shots you might be able to see that I darkened the horizontal sweeping areas for a better greater sense of curvature.

21 At the top you see the 3 basic value blocks I was working with.

22 Almost done.

23 After the drawing is removed, the tile tape is cut with a X-Acto blade into manageable pieces.

24 With the color swatches as reference, the buildings go up quickly.

25 The thin tiles for the roofs and Duomo gave me a chance to do some subtle shading with the various terra cotta colors.

26 Early in the morning the sun rakes over the work. Very inviting way to start the day.

27 Detail.

28 Detail.

29 The edge of the Left panel is placed next to the work of the Right panel to ensure a smooth continuance of the ocean.

30 Making puzzles. Chopping up the tiled tape into smaller sections.

31 All the tile tape sections completed and dry fit into place.

32 The sections are outlined and then removed. The outlines are guides for the mortaring process. Horizontal lines are in place to keep the sky and ocean tiles straight.

33 After the tile taped areas are mortared down, a mix of reds, whites and greens are placed for the flag border.

34 Detail.

35 The tile tape is now removed to reveal the true color of the tiles. This is always a fun part of the process.

36 Ready to fill in the sky. The execution of this design has a contemporary feel since the foreground elements are not outlined in the background colors. Also, the sky and ocean tiles are not quartered as those for the buildings, mountains or Colosseum are.

37 A mix of 5 colors is used for the sky. This is not for an obvious gradated effect but rather it is to keep the swath of color lively.

38 Planning where to start rows of full-sized tiles is important. You want to end up with the cuts in desired locations which may occur many feet away from where you start. Note that is now night, laying full tiles takes a lot longer than one might think!