This four-foot polymer mosaic for our home’s new front porch was icing on this summer’s cake. The shape of our house had come to resemble a bowling alley after several long additions. It needed some details to restore its curb appeal.
Architect/polymer artist Maggie Maggio helped us with the porch design which I envisioned in Photoshop and my husband made into reality. He was happy to add more square footage to his man cave in the bargain. You can follow the porch progress here.
My mosaic (polymer glazed with colored liquid polymer) balances out the offset front door. The drawer of rubber stamps and molds that I’ve collected were finally put to good use. I was surprised at how the variety of stamps could make a cohesive aesthetic.
Even though I created some of the stamps myself, I’ll always look at this piece and express gratitude to Laurie Mika for inspiration and to Barbara McGuire, Wendy Malinow, Victoria James and Helen Breil for favorite images.
Long ago Richard Bassett brought his stash of metal stampings to a Shrinemont retreat and we scurried to make molds. All those collected bits and bobs found a home in a colorful and sentimental piece.
Now it looks like the old front door needs a similar embellishment! My husband cut out a masonite base so it’s back to the studio to make more tiles. To be continued.
Melanie West ,
Ooolala! Cynthia, such wonderful work! Some day I hope I can get a tour of your amazing, creative home (not to mention your stamp collection). You are a real inspiration, my friend. Thanks so much for sharing!
Carolyn Good ,
I love how your mosaic turned out. The colors and design blend so beautifully! What a nice touch it must add to your home.
Judy Belcher ,
Took that tour with my kids a couple of weekends ago while visiting my sister. It’s all they talked about all the way home! An amazing array of fabulous art that lives comfortably in their home.
Christine Damm ,
Beautiful piece, Cynthia! You’ve inspired me to try something for my home as well–been thinking of a border around the top of my shower. Polymer would be light and shed the water well. Thanks for the photo!
Elaine Luther ,
Lovely. I’m wondering if you can tell us more about how it will hold up outside? How cold are the winters where you are?
Thanks!
Norma ,
Impressive and wonderful mosaic. The porch’s evolution pictures are very interesting too. The mosaic is just right for the porch. Definitely an inspiration to do something for my home out of polymer clay. After so many years I just made some mosaic work myself. Thanks for sharing.
Sherry Bailey ,
Looks great (no surprise there!) You are going to enjoy sitting there admiring your mosaic with your friends!!
Helen Breil ,
Great work Cynthia! I’m honored you choose to use my texture stamps in your creation. I think I even see one of my old resin textures in there! What a fun project that must have been.
Lenora Kandiner ,
Both the progress and the resulting mosaic are really inspirational. I have a drawer in my studio that I’m calling “archaeology” – things I found while doing a studio cleanout a couple of months ago – and a mosaic might just be the way to use I don’t know how many years of creative history.
Maureen Thomas ,
Lovely! Will this be brought indoors for the winter months? What a lovely way to say “Artists live here”!
Jeannie ,
Hey Cynthia the Maggie Maggio link is not working.
This is just….ah, gahhhhhhhhhhh. I’d be so afraid something would happen to it being outside.
Some of the best stamps I own are ones I made with styrofoam (bottom of cup) with a stylus tool.
LaLa ,
Awesome Cynthia! You and your “team” did a great job with the front porch and your mosaic is positively inspirational! Let us know how it does out in the elements. Thank you so much for sharing!
marcia ,
Absolutely stunning! Food for the eyes! Fantastic work of art!
Priscilla Lane ,
Isn’t it wonderful to have a handy man around? How great that your work and his complement each other.
The close up of your mosaic tiles shows that each piece is its own work of art. What a wonderful compliation of beautiful tiles.
Bechtel’s trendy bits ,
[…] people asked about how the polymer mosaic on my porch would withstand Ohio’s weather. I primed and painted the frame on both sides per […]
Carol Shelton ,
Cynthia
Regarding your beautiful mosaic on your front porch: if I recall correctly, it faces north. It’s also on a cul-de-sac. The sun wouldn’t have much effect. It should stay beautiful for many years.
Leslie ,
AWSOME! My sister turned me onto PC just 2 months ago. Everyday I discover new things to do with PC. I just can’t get enough. I can’t wait to try a mosaic wall hanging.
Deborah Groom ,
Thanks so much for sharing this. I’m currently working on a polymer clay mosaic piece that I’m taking to Istanbul! I was invited by the Istanbul Mosaic Guild to contribute a piece to celebrate Istanbul being named Europe’s cultural capital for 2010. I’ve been designing and creating tiles for the Nov. exhibit at the Taksim Gallery. It will be the only polymer clay piece and I’m glad I have your site to refer traditional mosaic artists to, to see how versatile polymer clay really is!
Your work is beautiful. There are no limits.