Mosaic Workshops, Canberra ACT

So I’ve finally gotten my act together and will be offering classes beginning this Winter. I will be working out of my studio here in Canberra (Northside) and am offering the following workshops:

• Interior Mosaic Basics
• Exterior Mosaic Basics
• Beginning Tempered Glass Mosaics
• Kids’ Mosaics (two age groups: 3-6 years and 7 and up)
• Grout Clinic

More will come, eventually. I also plan on doing a reverse indirect class and a mural making class, so they are all in the pipeline but for now I think I have my hands full. 😉

Classes are currently restricted in size to a maximum of 4 students, minimum is 2. Perfect for beginners who have had no mosaic experience and are also adaptable for those seeking more of a challenge.

I’m also offering one on one tuition and can travel, given the right circumstances 🙂 Please just contact me if you’re interested.

All the info can be found on my newly renovated website: kimgrantmosaics.com

Happy Mosaicing All!! 🙂

Mosaic Time Walk – Centennial Park at Cooma

Cooma is the major town of the Snowy Mountains region of NSW, Australia and one of the state’s many “gold rush” towns. A hundred years after the Cooma Township was settled by Europeans in 1849, it became the headquarters for the huge Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme. Its historic Avenue of Flags beside the Mosaic Walk represents the people of those 27 nations who came to the Snowies to help build one of Australia’s greatest feats in engineering.

The Time Walk is a unique presentation of the history of the Monaro District, re-created in 40 ceramic mosaics which were constructed to commemorate Australia’s Bicentenary in 1988.

The events represented in the mosaics are:

• Monaro aboriginals
• the discovery of the Monaro by European settlers
• the early squatters
• law and order
• Mount Kosciuszko
• Inns and accommodation
• religion
• health services
• mining
• business
• transport
• Nimmitabel
• education
• bush rangers
• building
• forestry
• sheep
• wool
• cattle
• snow sports
• Dalgety-Berridale
• mountain horses
• Wragg’s observatory
• pastoral & agricultural
• trout fishing
• Adaminaby
• Jindabyne
• local government
• Snowy River march
• mountain life style
• communications
• Michelago/Bredbo
• armed services
• tourism
• Kosciuszko National Park
• Snowy Mountains Scheme
• pioneer women and other organisations.

The mosaics were created by local artist Chris Graham and students at the local TAFE College in 1988 (Australia’s Bicentennial Year).

The Centennial Park is located at the corner of Sharp & Bombala Streets in Cooma, NSW.

For more pics on these mosaics (can’t show them all here as there are so many!!!) check out my Cooma Mosaics Set on Flickr.

Brisbane’s South Bank Parkland Mosaics

Back to something a little more local(ish), heading up to Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. I had family visit well over a year ago and they came back with some pictures of these mosaics for me. They are located in the South Bank Parklands and are installed into a the footpath known as the Clem Jones Promenade.

At this point all I know about it is that it is a commemoration to Clem Jones AO “who provided the vision and direction to acquire South Bank Riverside Land on behalf of the people of Brisbane.” Clem Jones was the Lord Mayor of Brisbane for 14 years. Not 100% sure but as I understand the Parklands are privately owned and obviously somewhat of a major attraction.

I have made enquiries about who the artist is, but have not yet heard anything… Will update when and if I find out.

The mosaics appear to be made from unglazed porcelain and if memory serves me well are a metre square. Hopefully the visitor’s centre will know more about it (!). Can you believe noone knows? Tried the city council, the general tourist centre, the Parkland’s tourist centre… Noone knows!!! One would think that a HUGE plaque stating the name of the artist is just a given. I know I’d want my name on any public art installation I went to the effort to create.

Anyway, enjoy…

Florey Primary School

I’ve been wanting to do a mural at my childrens’ school for some time and along with a friend and one of the Kindy teachers thought there was a keen team. After 6 months of talking about it, the principal suggested a location. It was inside, at the end of a very long corridor where noone would ever see it. Needless to say I was disappointed… I always think it’s a shame when people don’t seem to value art, particularly amongst children. I really think it would be an invaluable gift for the children involved. Anyway, we shall see. I will go in and make an appointment to see the principal, and to really gauge how lukewarm the reception is.

Meanwhile, a friend let me know about some mosaics at the primary school in Florey so since it is not far from where I live, as I was heading home on a day off Molly and I ducked in to take a look-see. I always sign in and let the staff know I’m there and try to gather as much information as I can. The principal of Florey met me and she was absolutely lovely. In fact she was the principal over at Macquarie when the mosaics were made there (see post).

Anyway, it was made by a parent who obviously had a keen interest in mosaics, but also making her own tile. The principal was going to give me her name, but we ended up chatting so much that we forgot (!). It was made and installed in 2005 and I understand that is was done during school hours with some of the older children. It is made up of handmade ceramic tile aswell as plain ceramic tile and covers a fairly vast expanse. It has all been made on cement sheet and then screwed into the brick.

What is so great is that the current principal started a new project with the Y6 kids – a chess pit with the large sized chess pieces too. I lOVE that there are teachers and principals out there who really value art. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside 😉 lol This is the kids’ gift to the school.It is yet to be installed. Apparently that is happening in the next few weeks. Will go to the opening of it and take pics…

This is where the installation will take place. It will really liven this section of the playground up.