Mosaic sign by Nutmeg Designs for a home called Turtle Camp in the Adirondacks.
This commission began when the clients sought us out at a craft show, after seeing one of our house numbers in person, and evolved into a mosaic of the name Turtle Camp rather than a number, with the totem turtle. They wanted people to be able to appreciate the mosaic, and see it up close on the house, rather than a number at the end of the drive. Wayne designed a turtle, and selected some ring mottled stained glass for the shell.
Ring Mottle glass was synonymous with Tiffany, and he used it in his studios to create color variation without having to paint the glass. The technique involves creating crystals that form at different rates making rings of translucence among the opalescent ground. When Tiffany studios closed, the technique was lost, but in the 1960s, Uroboros glass revived it.
We learn about interesting things when we talk with our clients. This couple told us about the North Creek Mosaic Project undertaken by artist Kate Hartley. An epic concrete retaining wall runs through the town of North Creek, and Kate Hartley started organizing the community to participate in the making of a mosaic mural in 2010. The scenes highlight features of the Adirondacks, and each plant or creature is comes from a different person or group from children’s camps, to boyscouts, and adult volunteers.