Every now and again I am asked to make something unusual and this double sided commemorative plaque is no exception. After visiting my open studios last summer, my client approached me with the idea of making a mosaic in remembrance of her late father who had passed away some 3 years earlier. The idea was to include sayings that her Dad had always said when he was alive, including “Touch Wood” and “I’m in the Pink of Condition”! It transpired that he would say the two things together quite often!!!
My client was quite specific about the shape of the mosaic and the colours that she wanted, she even provided me with the piece of wood to go on the Touch Wood side. Initially I made some technical drawings for my Blacksmith, to make sure the armature was something he could fabricate for me and then I started on the designs for the plaque, using the desired colour schemes that my client had requested.
I decided that the Touch Wood side of the plaque would be bold and contrasty, whilst the I’m in the Pink of Condition side would be more subtle. I thought that it would be interesting to have a hidden message on the more gentler side of the piece. I like using text in my work, especially if it is not immediately seen and can create an extra dimension to the mosaic.
