Mosaics are one of the earliest art forms known to humanity.
The beautiful colors and shapes of the tessera (small pieces of glass, stone, or other nature-based materials) have stood the test of time for thousands of years, revealing insight to the mysteries of ancient times and providing inspiration to artists like me ever since.
The earliest known mosaics were from the 3rd millennium BC. They were found in a Mesopotamian temple and were made of ivory, seashells and stones to decorate the temple in abstract shapes. Thousands of years later, in Ancient Greece and Rome, classical mosaic artists evolved the mosaic style to include patterns and pictures in their designs.
Ever since, mosaics have decorated the walls of sacred spaces of worship, important buildings and houses of government, and more.
The fantastic part of these ancient mosaics is that they survived for so long in such good condition. Unlike paint, which will peel and fade, a mosaic is mortared into place by a binding substance, so the design is preserved for far longer than other art forms.
Mosaics are a lasting legacy that we leave on the world, and the desire to create art seems to have been woven into our DNA since the beginning of time. Being a mosaic artist often makes me reflect on the possibility that the art I create today may be around for thousands of years, just like the ancient mosaics of Mesopotamia.
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