There’s the Basilica (www.cathedralstl.org) of course – everyone knows that one. And the startlingly whimsical and beautiful City Museum. Next time you go, (shame on you if you haven’t yet) notice which kinds of tesserae (mosaic talk for the things in the mosaic - http://en.wiki-pedia.org/wiki/Mosaic) are grouted and which kinds are not. There is a method to the somewhat visual madness.

On more of an every-day-life scale, Straub’s Grocery in Webster Groves has jumped on the mosaic bandwagon. There’s a wide “band” behind the deli and meat counter—beautiful to look at while you’re waiting for your two pounds of lean ground beef. Straub’s also commissioned a ceiling-to-floor wall mosaic that leads you enthusiastically straight into the produce section. Artist Red Keel (www.artfullred.com) has a wonderful subtle technique of painting her grout on this botanical design. Keel, one of the original mosaic artists at City Museum, has many works throughout St. Louis, including Cyrano’s (http://www.saucemagazine.com/cyranos), the College School (http://www.thecolleges-chool.org), Venice Café (http://www.thevenicecafe.com/VenicePics.asp) and countless private residences.

The compelling beauty of mosaics tends to draw people through the “how’s it work?” questions direction to, “how do I get started?” And not surprisingly, because mosaic is a very accessible art form to people of all abilities and interests. WHY??

Saint Louis recently became a fairly easy place to try your hand at a mosaic project of your very own. You can do mosaics at the open Yucandu Art Studio in Webster Groves It’s a great resource for artists, and a one-stop haven for not-so-artistic folks who want to learn a little, or a lot, about how to do various art forms and give them a try.

Yucandu specializes in several kinds of art, including mosaics! They have frames, boxes and several garden items that you can mosaic right there in their open studio. You can create many pieces of art from a beatuiful mosaic stepping stone to a graceful metal trellis with inset panels to mosaic. If you want to work on your project at home, Yucandu is the place in town you can find the greatest variety of mosaic tile in bulk as well as all the tools and adhesives you’ll need to complete your own master work. They have new as well as vintage Venetian glass tiles, Italian-made glass tiles made specifically for mosaic art. When Yucandu opened five years ago, they stumbled upon nearly 5,000 pounds of vintage glass tile rumored to have been left over from the decoration of the Basilica.

Yucandu Art Studio (www.yucandu.com) is located at 20 Allen Avenue, just two doors down from Straub’s. Their hours are Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Drop by – anybody interested in creating is always welcome. Project prices include all of the basic materials to finish a project and there are plenty of fun extras available. The $3-per-hour studio fee covers instruction and help from the staff, as well as clean up –a major bonus, especially when making mosaics.

Be sure to check out Yucandu’s mosaic projects for the garden , such as gazing balls (a bowling ball is the substrate — more mosaic lingo, meaning the thing under the tiles), trellises, stepping stones, tables and even birdbaths.

On a much grander scale, you can revel in the mosaics of artist Niki de Saint Phalle in the seasonal splendor of the Missouri Botanical Garden now through October 31. Forty playful, larger-than life mosaic sculptures in a rainbow of colors will be available to touch, to climb or to inspire you. Niki’s works range from four to 18 feet tall, some weighing a ton or more, such as the amazing six-ton skull. (see cover of this magazine) and visit www.mobot.org/events/NIKI/Niki.asp.

Ricardo Cat, one of Niki’s sculptures is permanently located at Laumeier Sculpture Park (www.laumeier.com), located at 12580 Rott Road, near the southeast intersection of I-270 and I-44. The sculpture is over 12 feet tall and is designed to allow viewers to sit inside while the park setting is reflected from it’s mirrored walls.

Because mosaics are relatively inexpensive, easy to learn and personalize, many people are doing it themselves. This could be the time to start saving those precious yet broken or chipped dishes (you can even break them on purpose, if you want) that grandma gave you years ago to incorporate into a mosaic.

Whether it’s a stepping stone, a wall or a giant sculpture, how does someone come to own an original mosaic? You can commission one made, or you can buy one. But with mosaic inspiration all around Saint Louis and a local studio that makes the art form so easy to learn, Kim Harris, co-owner of Yucandu says, “Make one yourself. You can do it. We’ll teach you how.”

MOSAIC AT THE ZOO
This multi-panel mosaic was completed by artists Steve Strickland and Mary Brong in 2004 for the entrance to the St. Louis Zoo’s flight cage to commemorate the centennial of the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, where the flight cage was unveiled. The mosaic is more than 5 feet high and 54 feet long and made of natural stone, marbles, quartz and tile.

MOSAIC HISTORY
Mosaic is one of the oldest and most enduring art forms. The first known example of mosaic is 5,000 years old. It was found in the walls and columns of a building in the part of the world now known as Iraq. Mosaic decoration took a “vacation” because the next examples of its use are dated 2,000 years later!

People from the Greek empire liked mosaic as a decorating style and they used it in many places as they built floors, walls, important buildings and homes.

Making mosaics has continued for 3,000 years, and the art form is more popular than ever today. Look carefully. You’ll see examples of old and modern styles of mosaic everywhere!