The history of mosaic art dates back over 4,000 years. The earliest found to date were made using terracotta cones that were pushed point-first into a background to provide decoration.
In the centuries to follow, the art of mosaic graduated to stones and glass, then to manufactured pieces called tesserae, which provided options for more detail and colour. The fact that this art form flourishes today is a testament to its beauty and appeal.
Our feature home is a testament to the art form and the artist whose patience and talent have culminated in a unique and decorative decor.
Pick a surface, any surface, in Gail Fraser's house and it will have been artistically enhanced by her creative hand. Nearly every inch of the floors, ceilings, walls and countertops have been revamped by her original brand of free-form mosaic. Her home is a montage of salvage finds, including vintage ceramic and stone tiles, mannequins, glass beads, river rock and barn boards. Various unique accessories dot her house and yard, including a ring of old skeleton keys and a grouping of vintage manual meat-grinders stationed along the top of her fence in the backyard.
Gail has created decorative pillars for her home using Sonotubes (concrete forms) which she painted in a faux marble paint finish. Another pillar in the bathroom has had a mosaic treatment using stone. The pillars add a sense of grandeur and Old World charm to her whimsical home.
This homeowner loves to tile; using tile, stones, beads, rocks or whatever she may happen to find that she deems visually interesting. Gail is definitely a "colour-outside-the-lines kind of gal." If you study any one of her numerous tiling projects you will note one pattern melds into another in a symbiotic pattern without the definite borders that you might expect in a regular tiling job. This gives her decor visual movement without harsh lines.
There aren't many interior walls in Gail's home nor are there many defined doorways on the main floor. Each room gently flows into the next in a kaleidoscope of pattern and colour.
I asked Gail how it all began.
"Years back a friend introduced me to the mad world of tiling. She and I shared common interests and I do love her dearly for giving me her gift.
"I have since passed the love onto one of my neighbours who has just moved to the country. Everything they don't use they pass on to their family members who now are tile mosaic artists as well."
Where does she find her supplies? Well, currently she is working for Ames Tiles & Stone Ltd. and has access to odds and ends that would otherwise end up in the trash. Ames Tiles also gives away tiles to schools and other organizations when they can, which helps the artistic community as a whole. Gail also gets items from friends who know her artistic needs.
Over the years, she's found everything from mannequins and barnboard to parts from a trashed piano. Anything she sees that's slated for the trash is fair game.
I asked Gail what inspires her.
"Well, it started as a replacement for stained-glassing. I took a course at Prairie Stained Glass years back. I fell in love with the art form. I wanted to have a nice place to display my stained glass. My house was the perfect project. I met a fellow Dumpster-diver and as I mentioned, she introduced me to the tile world, well let's say that I have not stained-glass yet for I am still decorating the house."
Gail shared a funny story that happened as a result of her unique artistic tastes.
"I had placed two mannequins in my backyard when I was going through a mannequin phase. A person climbed up my fence grabbed one of my girls and in doing so the mannequin that he was taking kicked the mannequin sitting on the tree stump, smashing her to pieces. I didn't know whether to call 911 and report a kidnapping and murder or what!" she laughed. "So I took the broken mannequin pieces and created art. Who would know that such a negative would be inspirational?"
"I change one room then the next room doesn't match. If I scan my house and my eyes don't get stuck in an area and everything flows, that means it's done," says Gail. "I'm getting close to completion. All my family and friends say that I will never stop but my body tells me different. My inspiration was to create a house different from what everyone is used to by doing what I envision."
Gail is currently working on a mermaid project from a mannequin she hung from the ceiling on the main floor.
Her handiwork has made its way to the outside of her home as well. Eye-catching finishes on the front of her home give it real curb appeal. In the summer, her yard abounds with whimsical touches that are sometimes tongue-in-cheek, like a 'beach bum,' which is made from the actual backside of a mannequin.
In the summer, one half of her double garage is used for entertaining. It is also tiled and bejeweled and is a great place to relax and enjoy the company of friends.
Gail is an animal lover and has a 180-pound "puppy" that somehow manages to stay out of her way when she's working on a project. Her bull mastiff is a great companion even though he's practically double her weight and stands waist-high.
This home is a real testament to recycling and creativity. Most of the items used in her decor might have otherwise ended up in the landfill. Previously loved items and salvage finds are what keep Gail going.
You never know what's going to cross your path on any given day and that's what keeps the artistic juices flowing.
connieoliver@shaw.ca
