Hi everyone,

Welcome to the all the new people that have joined. I have to apologise for not writing in a while, we have started a new range called Ukwenza Mosaics which has kept me incredibly busy for the last 3 months. Ukwenza means "to make" in Zulu. We are currently creating mosaiced african masks. It's our contemporary take on a traditional art form here in Africa.

If anyone is interested in our catalogue, give me a shout at kirsty@mosaicpatternsonline.com and I'll send you an e-mail version.

What I thought I would write about today is 2 books that I have and use extensively.

The first is "Mosaic Techniques" by Emma Biggs. I bought the book when I first started mosaicing and it's brilliant.

She covers everything from cutting tiles to the different methods used in laying tiles. If you're looking for a book that explains the art of mosaicing in a clear and simple way, this is the book for you. Her writing style is simple and concise. There are also beautiful pictures that are very inspirational for someone starting out in this art form.


The second book is "Mosaic art and style" by JoAnn Locklow. It's a visual feast in photography. If you are looking for inspiration and want to know what can be accomplished with mosaicing, buy this book!

The book covers different mosaicing styles and where mosaicing has been successfully integrated into living spaces. Over 75 artists are featured and it's quite interesting to see how different artists use colour and technique. I often sit with a cup of coffee and browse the photos.

I'm finishing off a new table runner, so I'll probably be sending out another mail next week. To give a hint of what it's about... cherry blossoms. I've been very inspired by fabric patterns :-)

For those of you who have finished making mosaicing any of the patterns, please send me a picture. I would love to put it up in the gallery. If anyone has a problem downloading a free pattern, send me a mail and I'll e-mail the pattern to you directly.

If you don't want to receive the newsletter anymore, send me a mail at kirsty@mosaicpatternsonline.com and I'll remove you immediately.

regards,
Kirsty Fletcher
www.mosaicpatternsonline.com