Recycled Art: Eco-Mosaics (10 Projects with Video)

Mosaics may have been one of the earliest examples of eco-art. Mosaics embody the same theatrical decorative effects as many other pattern work DIY projects – knitting, needlepoint, embroidery, quilting, graphic textiles and stonework. Mosaics can be created using recycled broken tile, shells, buttons and glass, making them an eco-conscious art form from the get-go.

Functional and decorative home decor projects can be beautifully embellished with mosaics. Broken pottery, pieces of glass, tile, jewelry, shells and stones, are materials that can be used to dress up a ceramic urn, tabletop, bowl, sink, birdbath, walkways or even a wall or backsplash.

Creating mosaics requires a keen eye for detail, as the items take on a puzzle-like quality. The use of lots of colors makes making mosaics an interesting art form. I’ve dabbled in mosaic-making, and have even shamelessly admitted to dumpster diving to collect materials. A few years ago, I wrote about creating mosaic flower pots with kids here for Family Fun magazine. On a trip to Barcelona, I was highly inspired by the Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi’s use of broken tiles on decorative building facades.

History of Mosaics

“Thousands of years ago, mosaic art was created with the help of basic tools combined with creativity. Splendid works of mosaic art have been found in various periods of different civilizations. The accurate origins of mosaic art have been difficult to trace. In the earliest seen examples, historians mention pavements that made use of mosaic art. This design was created with the technique of raised pebbles. The pebbles were placed in a particular manner to create geometrical patterns and shapes. The Greeks particularly used this technique in 4th century BC.”

Read more mosaic history here.

Making Eco-Friendly Mosaics

How to Eco-Mosaic:

What You Need:
Bucket
Small trowel or knife
Natural tile adhesive – Here is a water-based commercial product and a natural tile adhesive.
Grout – Care2′s homemade grout recipe

What To Do:
1. Mix adhesive to form a paste. The paste should be somewhat dry so that the crockery pieces don’t slip off the vessel.
2. Apply a layer of adhesive about 1/8″ thick to the back of a piece of the mosaic piece, and hold it in place on the vessel until it sticks.
3. Cover the vessel with mosaic pieces, taking care to keep to leave spaces between the pieces.
4. Allow the adhesive to dry for 24 hours.
5. Grout the entire piece and wipe off excess.

Next: 10 DIY Eco-Mosaic Projects

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Read more: Crafts & Design, EcoNesting DIY, Home, art, artists, crafts, DIY, Home, home decor, recycling

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Miriam N.

9:52AM PDT on Sep 27, 2011

Oh dear ! Look what I found in Ancestry.com about your family name, isn't that terrible? :))))
Quote:
"Citron Name Meaning and History
Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): ornamental name from German Zitrone ‘lemon (tree)’; in some cases it may be a metonymic occupational name as in 2 below.
French: from Old French citron ‘lemon’ (from Latin citrus ‘lemon tree’), and so a metonymic occupational name for a grower or seller of lemons, or perhaps a nickname for a sharp and disagreeable person." Unquote.

send a green star

5:00AM PDT on Sep 26, 2011

From WIKIPEDIA:
"The earliest known examples of mosaics made of different materials were found at a temple building in Abra, Mesopotamia, and are dated to the second half of 3rd millennium BC. They consist of pieces of colored stones, shells and ivory. Excavations at Susa and Choqa Zanbil show evidence of the first glazed tiles, dating from around 1500 BC."
- According to the above, it seems your historical account of the mosaic art is incorrect and misleading. Moreover, you completely ignore the fantastic mosaic works found in ancient SYNAGOGUES ( Jewish temples of prayer) in Gaza, Beth Shean, Negev, etc. It's truly sad that a talented person as yourself should purposely discriminate important sectors of your own branch of activity and, worse yet, discriminate the PEOPLE deeply involved in it since ancient times. We call this MIS-INFORMATION.

3:41PM PDT on Sep 25, 2011

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT "THE UPLOADER DIDN'T MAKE THE VIDEO AVAILABLE TO YOUR COUNTRY" ? MY COUNTRY IS I S R A E L - CAN ANYONE AT CARE2 GIVE ME A REPLY TO THIS SO I CAN DECIDE WHAT STEPS I WILL TAKE IN TURN.
THANKS IN ADVANCE. THIS WILL ALSO GO TO FACEBOOK .

Susan S.

7:04AM PDT on Apr 2, 2011

These are great. Thank you.

Ree O.

4:22AM PDT on Apr 2, 2011

Thanks for this!

Camila K.

8:29PM PDT on Apr 1, 2011

mosaic murals are the most beautiful gifts to cities. I wish there would be more, everywhere

Past Member .

6:02PM PDT on Jul 5, 2010

Thanks..this is great!