Lagniappe Mosaic - Glad You Asked.....

I get a kick out of this picture! When I first started mosaic, this is what my hands looked like! They still do on occasion. Where do you get ideas for your work? To be honest, I haven't been influenced by anything I've seen on the market. I started out creating columns to hold gazing balls which I collect. My preferred style is what I see as textured, rough, bold, organic. Lots of nooks and crannies. But I can also create a piece delicate and well thought out for interior uses. I am a self taught craftsperson and continue to learn from each piece I do and from each client I work with!
Mosaic after nine years: It's still exciting to see a mosaic "becoming!". You start out with a blank canvas and over time your image emerges. What a rush. And in the end a great satisfaction for only you know how much time and energy and "the best of yourself" has gone into the work. Since starting mosaic, I typically find myself apologizing for what I haven't done elsewhere around the house!
Do you have any children or pets? Dave and I have no children. I hope to wake up on day and find a 10-year old person, smaller than myself, doing all the dishes! We have a peek-a-poo dog named Annie.
What is a typical day like for you? No day is typical. I may work way early in the morning, sleep in the middle of the day, and then work late into the night. I have this luxury. When I have a commission, it is my energy focus and I work around it. I do work with a timer, as mosaic is physical. I'm constantly doing mosaic for 30 minutes to an hour, then chores, then mosaic. This gives my body a break.
Is there good mosaic versus a poor product? Yes! There are many generic, poorly made mosaic on the market that will not last a year. My work is hand crafted and no two items are alike. I prefer tight small joints between my tiles, which means more weight, time, and tile per piece. Grout spacing can have its place though. Here are two examples of poor workmanship. Example 1, Example 2
What the heck does "Lagniappe" mean? Lagniappe is a Southern Louisiana term. In the Gulf states, it's commonly used to denote a little bonus, something thrown in for good measure, an extra or unexpected gift given from a shopkeeper to a customer. For me, I've used it to denote the extra care I give my work.
How do you say Lagniappe? Try it is way. Lon yop... It took me a while to say it correctly too! But my godmother Aunt Lou who is now 96, helped me pick this name and learn to say it correctly. It's a very personal word expressing my heritage and the attention I give to each piece of my work.
Around 1963.. me, mom and Marc It was years before I could put more than 4 inches of water in my bubble bath. And I remember from 20 years back, mom being cautious about using too many eggs due to the cost! So I guess the thriftiness of mosaic is second nature to me.	Recycling: I love the fact that recycling is part and parcel of the mosaic process. My mom (Beverly), a "thrifty Cajun woman" taught me early about waste.
I love using old china, dishes, vases, tiles and treasures found at garage sales and thrift stores that would otherwise end up in the landfill. I've heard that anything made by hand contains the spirit of the artist who created it. When you buy a piece of Lagniappe Mosaic art you're purchasing the best of myself at that time. My eye never tires of a piece of artwork that just blows me away. I would like to think that you would enjoy your chosen piece of art much in the same way.