“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
C.S. Lewis
Out and About
Did you have the January Blues? what’s your approach to the new year?
As I’ve got older, I’ve become cautious about making any promises of what I’m going to do with my year. I think January is one of the most challenging months so why make it feel like even more of a task? I like to reflect on what’s happened in the last year, recover from the chaos of Xmas and then, as January draws to and end I start to feel optimistic enough to plan the next few months.
Last year, my daughter and I joined the gym in February, and I think we were lucky. The new year resolutions people had made were starting to go pear shaped and it wasn’t so packed as to intimidate us! A year later we are still going and most weeks make it 2-3 times! I don’t think I’ve lost any weight, that wasn’t the point for me, it was about feeling stronger whilst spending quality time with my daughter, doing something ‘(generally) enjoyable!
My husband & I had a great visit up to London a few weeks ago, to be honest I wasn’t in the mood before we went, a cold Wednesday in January! He’d booked tickets back in November to see the artist, Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms. We had to queue to go into each of the two rooms, accompanied by strict instructions about what to expect and how to behave…in the two minutes we had per room. Two minutes! It was something of a social media-friendly photogenic spectacle, but it was worth the wait. I’ll put the link below as its been extended, as well as some of my poor phone photos!
We then strolled along towards borough market and stumbled across the Cross Bones Graveyard. A place worth visiting, it’s the site where the local cathedral buried the prostitutes they themselves managed ( known as ‘Geese’) as it was un-consecrated ground. Over time has come to represent a place for people rejected by mainstream society to remember their losses, one example was a stature for trans people, with each stick laid beside it representing a trans murder!!! How sad is that?
From there we headed up to Green Park and along some of the very high end galleries of Mayfair (The type with no price tags!) and with dogged determination and asking a few doormen we made it to the David Zwirner gallery. They were exhibiting work by a glass installation artist Dan Flavin, whose neon light installations inspired me in the early 90’s. It was quite the opposite experience to the Kusama show as it was nearly impossible to get a photo that did justice to full beauty of the different coloured lights. In this case, you had to be there.
Workshops
RHS Hyde Hall workshops 2023
Following on from my Star Mosaic Class in December I’ve been fortunate enough to have a fully booked date for mosaic hearts on the first Saturday in February. I’ve been busy getting prepared and I’ll include some photos in the next newsletter.
Student makes –Thank you to everyone who has sent me pictures of their grouted mosaics. I thought it would be nice to share some with you here. Please keep sending them into me as it gives me so much joy to see your finished makes.
Christmas mosaic session
With some of my advanced mosaic students we had a special Christmas session where they mosaicked some festive gonks and also experimented with the copperfoil glass technique. It was a sunny day in the studio and as you can see from the photos below, they made lovely pieces. We then shared a festive lunch, a special end to the year.
David Lloyd Exhibition – I’ve been offered a great opportunity to display my mosaic work in the Café of David Lloyd – Southend during March. I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, and I am keen to expand on my bird head collection. With only three completed to date I have got to get my head down and create. I’m hoping for a productive half term!
Loyalty Card – I’ve been giving some thought about introducing a Mrs Mosaic loyalty card. For example, something that offers discounts, or a free class when you have a certain number of ‘stamps’. I’d be interested to hear what you think? If a quiz is your thing, sign up to my newsletter, and there’s a quick survey for your opinion on there.
February made me shiver…
I started writing this newsletter a few weeks ago with the intention of it going out in January , and then, well you know what it’s like, I was side-lined by lots of distractions. In particular my elderly dog, Bouncer, he had been a bit under the weather since Xmas and wasn’t really responding 100% to the vet’s guidance and medication. Unfortunately, he deteriorated very quickly. We had to say goodbye to our beautiful boy last week, we are all heartbroken as he has left a huge gap in our family and the house is so quiet! So I’m ending this letter with a dedication to the best pet a family could have- I am so grateful that we decided to adopt two rescue dogs 12 years ago.
Thank you for reading and continuing to support Mrs Mosaic. If you know of someone who would enjoy reading my newsletter, please feel free to forward this on.
PS I’ve got a few mosaic heart workshops if you’re looking for that loving feeling! Head to my website for available dates or drop me an email.
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