Mosaic Madness - Mosaic workshops for schools, communities and corporate training - Bristol, UK

I believe that mosaic art can be used to assist individuals and groups to develop their self esteem, self ability, educational needs, empowerment, inclusion and communication skills.

Since the summer of 2002 I've worked full time as a Community Mosaic Artist.

I have the skills needed to carry out a range of different projects ranging from short mosaic tasters workshops to working with a community to create large scale art that has been created by themselves and placed within their community.

I pride myself in achieving projects in a methodical manner within the necessary guidelines, costings and completion dates – and I believe in post project evaluation.

I am passionate that local art should be created by the individuals and groups living and working within the area and so I always describe myself as a Community Mosaic Artist.

Before setting up Mosaic Madness, I was a Learning Disabilities Nurse for ten years which have me a wide range of experience of working with groups and individuals who have specific needs. All of this has then been brought into my current work as a Community Mosaic Artist.

As part of my work I would like to support registered children’s charity:
The Esther Benjamins Trust which helps deprived and disadvantaged Nepalese children and young people.

The Trust’s projects have included teaching mosaic art to deaf school leavers who would otherwise struggle to find work in a country where deaf people are considered to be “stupid”. The Trust has also taught survivors of child trafficking how to make mosaics as part of their rehabilitation after years of abuse.

The Trust has successfully turned these activities into a form of employment for these young people and I am keen to forge links between them and schools in the UK that themselves have an interest in the wonder of mosaic. While doing so I would like to raise badly-needed funds to help schools in deprived areas of Nepal that can become the sites for mosaics that acknowledge the help – and identity – of donor schools. This is the first time this exciting project work has been tried in any part of the world and I hope that you can share my enthusiasm for this initiative.