Fusions masterclass description

7 Day Mosaic Masterclass:
Glass Fusions & Ceramic Elements
at Martin’s studio in Broadstairs, Kent, UK

Martin Cheek Mosaic Masterclass at Flint House, Broadstairs 2009

Dates: June 8-14 2009

Course fee: £525.00 (including a deposit of £150.00)

Schedule:

Day 1: Martin will give a lecture on mosaic incorporating the use of glass fusions and clay elements. Martin will analyse your design(s) and give advise on how best to take them in terms of making a mosaic.
In the afternoon we will make glass fusions using smalti roti and millefiori. These are placed on a kiln shelf and then fired overnight.

Day 2: We will then roll out clay and make our own clay elements. This is optional – you can choose not to do this and concentrate on your mosaic work if you wish. While the kiln is cooling down we will continue work on our mosaics. Meanwhile we will place our clay elements on top of the kiln to dry out.
By the afternoon we will be able to take our fusions out of the kiln and fire the next batch.

Day 3: Martin will demonstrate how to make a plaster press mould for your tile(s) and / or ceramic elements. The clay elements will be dry enough to fire now so be slowly bisque fired overnight.

Day 4: We will go to London where Martin will conduct a tour of some of London’s finest mosaics. These will consist of: Westminster Cathedral (Victorian to the present day), The National Gallery (1950’s Boris Anrep), Tottenham Court Road (Eduardo Paolozzi 1980’s) and Leytonstone (Alfred Hitchcock Mosaics 1990’s.)
London is 1 hr 45 minutes by train. We will catch the 10.03 arriving at 11.48.
Click here to see the itinerary in full

Day 5: While the kiln is cooling down we will continue work on our mosaics. By the afternoon we will be able to take our clay elements from the kiln – they are now ceramic. In the afternoon we will paint them with ‘paint your own pottery’ glazes. The ceramic elements will then be glazed fired overnight.

Day 6: We will continue working on our mosaics, incorporating the finished clay elements if desired.

Day 7: We will continue working on our mosaics. If finished they can be grouted. In any case Martin will demonstrate grouting techniques.

This course aims to… provide an opportunity for those who have previously made some mosaics and therefore have some experience in mosaic making. It aims to expand on those existing skills and develop your personal style and creativity. The course will instruct further in direct and indirect mosaic techniques, using a variety of materials including glass and ceramic tesserae. Grouting techniques will also be covered.

What’s special about this course… is that Martin is going to run it from his own studio in Broadstairs on the Kentish coast in the UK. This means that you will have access to Martin’s kiln – we will be making and firing ceramic elements and smalti glass fusions which you can incorporate into your mosaic work – just like Martin does! See the Schedule below. You can see many examples of this technique on Martin’s website: www.martincheekmosaics.com
Also by special request Martin is breaking up the week with a one day mosaic tour of London.

It is for… Those with some experience of making mosaics

During the course… You will design and make 2 mosaics approx. 30 x 30 cm in area, or one mosaic approx. 30 x 60 in area. Martin will cover numerous techniques to help you understand further about mosaic design.

By the end of the course… a combination of lectures on Roman techniques, demonstrations and individual help will ensure that students will go home fully inspired and equipped to go and tackle larger projects such as patios, tables and murals.

After the course… Many previous participants have gone on to become professional mosaicists whilst others have taken it on as a serious hobby.

Please bring… work clothes – preferably an apron, an idea for your mosaic: i.e.: some sort of reference material, sunglasses, a notebook / sketchbook, a digital camera (if available) and a pair of binoculars (if you have any!)

Additional Costs…materials – ranging from £6 per kg – £34 per kg.
Accommodation. Bed and Breakfast starts at around £25 per night. Martin can help you find accommodation if you wish or you can visit the Flint House art courses website: www.flinthouseart.com where a list of hotels and B&Bs are listed.

The tutor…Martin Cheek graduated in graphic design from Exeter College of Art & Design in 1981. Having made award winning films as a student, he subsequently worked on several puppet animation projects including ‘The Wind in the Willows’, ‘Paddington Bear’, ‘Noddy in Toyland’ and ‘Portland Bill’. He then set up his own production company Cheeky Films Ltd. For many years Martin wads a part time lecturer at the Royal College of Art. He is a former art critic for the Daily Express and now works full time as a professional mosaic artist. Martin is regularly commissioned by both private and corporate clients as well as by museums. His work also appears in leading National magazines and newspapers as well as on television. His weekend courses in the UK and abroad continue to be popular with students from all over the world keen to learn the art of making mosaic. Over 1200 people have now attended Martin’s courses.

You can view Martin’s work by visiting his website:
http://www.martincheekmosaics.