Testimonials

Jan’s tiles have to be tough to survive, writes John Paul Breslin

MOSAICS are a common feature of the sun-drenched countries of the Mediterranean.

But while they're not quite so common in this country, if we do happen to come across a display of the tiny tiles it’s often enough to rekindle happy holiday memories of relaxing by a pool sipping a cool drink.

This feel-good aspect to the art form isn’t to be underestimated according to Scottish artist Jan Kilpatrick. She’s spent the last 14 years teaching people how to bring a bit of continental colour to their homes and gardens. And she reckons the images created can act as a tonic to wet weather and dull days in Scotland.

“Mosaics bring so much life into a garden during winter,” she smiles.

“In fact, a lot of these works of art look their best in the rain, which is just as well in this country.”

Jan has developed techniques to ensure the sometimes fragile works of art can survive Scotland’s climate.

Ruined

“Most ceramics you see on the continent would be ruined by a Scottish winter,” she explains.

“You have to make sure the products and materials you use are strong enough to cope with the large amounts of rain and freezing temperatures as well as the heat we occasionally get in the summer.

“It’s been a slow process as there are no books on the subject but I’ve reached the stage where I know the pieces I’m working on will last for years.”

Mosaics are works of art composed of variously coloured small pieces of glass, stone, ceramics or other materials.

Often used to decorate floors, walls and ceiling surfaces, they can also be applied to sculptures, panels and other threedimensional objects.

Jan learned the basic techniques when she enrolled for night classes in her home town of Ullapool 14 years ago.

At the time she was working as an English teacher though she was also a painter, selling her artworks in local shops and galleries.

While the course sparked Jan’s imagination she felt the traditional mosaicmaking methods were too formulaic and were limiting what she could create.

Experiments

Determined to develop her own style she began experimenting with different materials.

“Most books and courses copy the Roman approach to mosaics which is very systematic,” she says.

“I wanted my work to be more expressive than that.

“Instead of using the traditional small square tiles I started smashing up bits of crockery and working with whatever shapes I was left with.

“I’d trawl charity shops for plates, cups and saucers that I could break up and use."

“Some of the shops started holding on to any chipped or broken crockery that was handed in to give to me instead of putting it in the bin."

“I also used the glass from wine bottles and other coloured bottles and jars."

“Friends started collecting these for me so I’d often find bags of bottles left at the end of my driveway."

“All of this stuff was either free or cheap helping me cut down on the cost of my materials."

“You can’t tell what shapes you’ll be left with when you break these things so you have to alter your design to suit.”

Seven years ago Jan decided to turn her artistic hobby into a fulltime career and left her teaching post to run mosaic workshops. She hosts weekend and five-day courses offering different levels of expertise.

Jan usually begins by showing students how to create mosaics on small items like stepping stones. Once they’ve mastered the basics, she can teach them how to apply the technique to threedimensional objects.

One of Jan’s top students is Katy Galbraith who was so inspired by the classes she went on to create mosaics throughout her home, Galvelmore House in Crieff.

Everywhere you look there are bright designs of coloured tiles and pieces of glass.

Katy and her husband David run the house as a B & B and say guests frequently comment on the artistic look.

A flat they rent out features a kitchen and bathroom decorated in a similar style and their garden has a flourish of mosaic items including stepping stones, tables and a bird bath.

However, some of Katy’s creations are more unusual than others.

“I found a pair of fibreglass mannequin legs in a skip and decided to cover them in mosaic tiles,” she reveals. “I have them jutting out of the ground in my garden now."

“I think people find them a bit of a surprising ornament.”

Jan believes using objects with emotional significance can help people create works of art that can have a special meaning for them.

Beautiful

"One night I woke to this awful crashing sound and ran downstairs to find the rack had fallen off the wall, smashing the lot.

"At first I was devastated but then I decided to use the leftover shards to create different mosaics.

"The great thing is that whenever I spot these pieces in my work I think of my gran and my aunt.

Jan is preparing to hold her first exhibition in several years at her studio in Ullapool, beginning in November and hopes to participate in the Highlands Open Studios trail in 2010.

(July 2009)

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