Object: Humphead Wrasse           Commission

Materials: Mexican Smalti & Epoxy Grout on Fiberglass Mesh

Dimensions: 17.75" x 11.75"

Method: Double reverse

This mosaic is a part of a bathroom renovation. My clients Ira & Trevor are wonderfully adventurous. Never having met them, I deduce this from some of their choices in the bathroom redesign as well as the scuba diving done in the Red Sea, which inspired their chosen subject matter above. I was asked to create a mosaic to be inset in the shower which consisted of white and black tiles.

The Humphead Wrasse was the final choice of species amongst a variety of contenders. It is one of the many creatures they enjoyed seeing on their dives. The photographic, as well as video reference, I reviewed made me a fan as well. The size of their hump as well as the patterning on their skin varies greatly, but their gentle, curious demeanor is always there.

Mexican Smalti was my choice of material; for its color variety within each piece, flat surface, durability as well as its perfect thickness to match the field tiles which would surround the finished mosaic. Given that many, many miles lie between myself and my clients, creating a simple-to-install mosaic was important. With a combination of fiberglass mesh and epoxy grout I was able to create one solid ship-able "tile" which could be inserted, giving me control over as many aspects of the quality of the work as possible.