Mosaic Artists

Today, there are lots of mosaics artists around the world. Even little kids can be mosaic artists if they want to. Age is not a determining factor for being an artist. Some of the world’s most popular mosaic artists today are Boris Anrep, Emma Biggs, Francis Scott Bradford, Trevor Caley, Martin Cheek, Zoe Coles, gery Drostle, and Nuala Flynn. Get to know them better.

Boris Anrep was a good mosaic artist. His works can be found in the Blessed Sacrament chapel. He made the mosaics back in the 1950s to 1960s. Most of his works are religion based.

Last March 2004, the mosaics of Emma Biggs were unveiled. The smalti and marble pavement mosaics can be found at Wharf Walk; which runs the length of Jubilee Palace. The mosaics theme was derived from the dockland history. The mosaics include – Billingsgate fishwives, 19th century furniture using shells, the captain of the ship given a hat as a bribe, 1858 rope, textiles trading, tortoise shell open market, vaults under the London docks, dockers, and the Canary Wharf.

Francis Scott Bradford died in 1961 yet his mosaics survived through these years. If you want to see his works, visit the American Cemetery and Memorial. This place is about three miles away, west of Cambridge. It is a graveyard for the 3,812 American crew members based in British Isles. You can find the mosaics of Bradford at the chapel of the cemetery – the east wall and the high ceiling. When you look up to the ceiling, you will see aircraft squadrons and mourning angels. The planes were headed to the last judgment and resurrection. Over the chapel’s altar, you can see Archangel.

Last 1999, Trevor Caley created a mosaic of Saint Patrick.

Among the classical mosaics themes is the ‘unswept floor’. You can find this kind of mosaic in Vatican. Martin Cheek also created a mosaic using such theme and it can be found in Canterbury Butchery Lane at the Roman Museum. The mosaic includes a discarded core of an apple, fish skeleton, a mouse, and mussel shells. This mosaic was created in the year 2000 as seen near the mussel shells in Roman numerals (MM).

You can find the work of Zoe Coles which was finished in 1999. You can find the mosaic in a shelter in Cawsand. Passengers can stay in the shelter as they wait for the ferry. The mosaic shows different scenes such as local life, wildlife like herring, tern, marine creatures (fishes, octopus, crabs, and shellfish), and gulls.

Gary Drostle helped the South Norwood community in creating a 9-panel mosaic. Together with Rob Turner, they finished the project in 1997. You can find this mosaic near Portland Road on the wall of a railway bridge. The theme is about the history of the original settlers, the means of transportation by various kinds of people, literary, cultural, industrial, and agricultural heritage.

Nuala Flynn created the Green Man. You can find this mosaic at Leytonstone High Road and it was installed in the year 2000. It is situated on John Drinkwater Close’s end wall.

These mosaic artists have created valuable masterpieces. Who knows… their works will be cherished by the next generations the same way that the people of today value the ancient mosaics. Check them out now. There are online sites that features photos of the mosaics.