Mosaic workshops for 'Splashing Back'

29 and 30 October 2011, Toowoomba

Journal entry: Beverley Ridsdill-Kenny (AoT Artist)

Having just returned from a weekend spent ‘mosaicing’ with participants from the Toowoomba Arts Society and having met the most inspiring and engaging group of artists I think I must have the best job in the world.

The project at hand was to develop mosaic skills within the Toowoomba community to enable the people of Toowoomba to express through art their experience in the devastating floods of Jan/Feb 2011. The workshop was filled to capacity not only with eager participants but with energy, enthusiasm and a need to express and be heard. The workshop was about creating visual art to demonstrate a resilience and community strength in the face of adversity. It was about ‘putting lives and businesses back together’ and what better way to express this than through the art of mosaic where pieces of ‘tesserae’ are assembled to recreate an image of beauty, meaning and significance, a work of art that withstands the tests and trials of time. This intensive two day workshop certainly created works of deep significance, meaning and outstanding beauty.

Day one was abuzz with discussion on mosaic technique and material information, design ideas, sharing ‘stories’ and getting started on each individual’s mosaic. It soon became apparent to me that the narrative behind these works of art was as vital to the story as the artwork itself, these stories had to be told and these stories needed to be heard. It was suggested that each artist write their story to their own artwork. This idea developed further, with the suggestion that both the images and narratives be compiled into a book, an idea being considered for 2012.

During the course of the two days the artists shared their stories, their losses and their unity as a community. There was the occasional tear or we would share a ‘goose bump’ moment, but mainly what I got from this group of devoted artists was strength, resilience and pride. The silence that often enveloped the work studio was one of intention and absorption; these artists were deeply connected to their works.

It was the intention of the artists involved in this project to make a prototype ‘sample mosaic’ to illustrate to businesses around Toowoomba their desire to create a collaborative public artwork documenting the resilience shown by the community in the 2011 floods. The expression through mixed medium mosaic was engaging, meaningful and inspiring. The use of colour, texture, shape and form to illustrate meaning and intent was significant. Certainly the results of the workshop were telling and inspiring.

I will await with baited breath the creations and stories yet to unfold in this most worthy of artistic projects. It has been an absolute privilege to work with this strong and devoted group of artists; I thank them for sharing their stories.

Images: workshop participant hard at work, workshop participants with Beverley.