Michelle Greenwood Brown
Michelle Greenwood Brown
5 December 2020 - 31 January 2021, Member Showcase Gallery
A selection of striking mosaics by Teignmouth based Devon Guild Member, Michelle Greenwood Brown.
Exhibition statement written by Michelle in November 2020.
Welcome to my little showcase exhibition. If you are reading this on the wall then everything has worked out well and galleries have been able to open up again after a second lockdown – phew! That was a close thing.
This year, of course, has been very difficult and challenging for everyone in so many different ways. As someone who makes and sells their artwork for a living, along with teaching and community projects, I have experienced it as a lesson in coping with disappointment. As events and bookings were cancelled I have had to dig deep and carry on with my making regardless, in the hope that we will be in a better position soon.
If this showcase had a name it would be ‘Crack On’; an attitude I’ve aspired to adopt and a jokey reference of course to my specialism, mosaic.
My aim has been to represent all of the different materials and ways of making a mosaic that I like to hop between. I don’t think I could settle on one method and be content with that. Fitting pieces together makes me happy and I find the process endlessly intriguing, a continual source of experiment and discovery.
Creating my own pieces and elements, either in glass or clay, has hugely extended the possibilities, pushing the boundaries of the art form and making my ideas a reality. I equally enjoy the challenge of using more traditional materials such as vintage crockery, smalti and heritage porcelain tile.
The question I ask myself when entering my workshop in the morning is ‘what do I feel like working with today?’, and then I crack on with it.
Find out more about Michelle and her practice in her interview here.
“My aim has been to represent all of the different materials and ways of making a mosaic that I like to hop between. I don’t think I could settle on one method and be content with that.”
“Fitting pieces together makes me happy and I find the process endlessly intriguing, a continual source of experiment and discovery.”
“If this showcase had a name it would be ‘Crack On’; an attitude I’ve aspired to adopt and a jokey reference of course to my specialism, mosaic.”
An interview with Michelle Greenwood Brown
1. What were you doing before you became a maker?
Before taking the plunge and becoming a full time self employed maker in 2008 I was largely teaching adult education classes (I am qualified to teach age 16 plus) and running creative workshops for all ages, with groups such as Teignbridge Play Network.
2. When did you become a mosaic artist and what inspired you to start?
On my Fine Art degree I focused on painting and printmaking, I have no talent for 3D work and sculpture. I had always been attracted to the surface qualities of mosaic, ancient and modern, and when I was asked to make a mosaic sign for a local nursery in 2006 I bought some books, tools and tiles and dived in. Once I felt competent enough I started to offer mosaic classes and was fortunate that commissions for more signs and school projects were offered and I was able to quickly develop my new skills.
3. What do you enjoy most about your craft?
One of the aspects of mosaic work that I enjoy the most is the range of materials that can be utilised and combined and the myriad ways of placing them in a composition. There is huge diversity in the different ways that makers use their materials, especially in the USA where the art form is extremely popular and many makers are pushing the traditional boundaries. I also enjoy communicating and sharing images with other mosaic makers on Instagram and I feel that we have a strong global community where people are happy to give advice and tips on techniques.
4. Can you tell us about the process and pieces you use to create your work?
I believe that one of the ways in which I differ from most mosaic makers is that I am happy to use the full range of mosaic materials and move from one style to another, depending on what interests me at the time. After working my way through the standard tesserae, crockery and ceramic tile, I moved on to acquiring a glass kiln and making my own pieces. Five years ago I was able to invest in a ceramic kiln and went about teaching myself how to create the pieces I wanted, with many mistakes on the way. At the moment I am particularly focused on painting with underglazes and making plaster moulds. I have to admit to being very particular about equally spaced grout gaps and perfectly fitted pieces.
5. Where does your inspiration come from?
I have an internal bank of interests and ideas that will swirl about in my imagination before something will emerge from the mists and present itself as a possibility. Usually an image of the finished design will flash up in my mind and then I have to figure out how to make it. My principal passions are; the plants and animals I see around me (birds in particular), traditional tattoo designs, Mexican folk art and my favourite bands. I also really enjoy working up complex abstract mosaics that are purely about colour and surface texture.
6. What has been your most memorable mosaic or maker experience so far?
Over the last few years I have been trusted with a number of public art commissions and these are always memorable, for many different reasons. In 2018/19 I was commissioned by Totnes Town Council to create a series of very large mosaics to be permanently displayed in the market square, once it has been refurbished. I completed the mosaics In December 2019, but the building work on the market area has been seriously delayed, so they are currently stored in the old jail room in the council offices. Hopefully it won’t be too long before they can be installed and people can actually see them.
7. You’ve managed to combine your love of mosaics with music festivals. What do you do at these events and how did it come about?
My partner Robin (a musician) and myself have a passion for live music and have been going to music festivals in numerous parts of the country over the last 30 years, mainly Glastonbury and the Green Gathering (an offshoot of Glastonbury’s Green Fields). Over time we were able to make connections with people working behind the scenes and were able to secure a role on the site décor team. Our main job is to paint decorative signs and scenery in a field, undercover hopefully if raining. I really enjoy the large scale painting, which has to be completed quickly and meet a high standard. We work very hard, long hours a week before the festival begins and then enjoy the attractions once our jobs are completed. Since starting to make mosaics I have created large ones especially to take up to Glastonbury each year and display in the Kidz Field. I was also asked to make a big leaping fish mosaic to decorate the outside of the café in the Greenpeace field. We are of course very sad to be missing the festival again as it is definitely the highlight of our year.
8. You are also a qualified Adult Education teacher. What do you enjoy most about delivering these classes?
I really enjoy passing on skills and take genuine pleasure when my students make a successful piece of work, and carry on with their making after the classes have finished. I have people, who have been to my previous classes years ago, still sending me images of their latest mosaics and asking me technical questions. Over the last year I have been teaching hand built ceramics to a small group, when we haven’t been in lockdown. We have a lot of fun and they have all made some really excellent work. I enjoy single day classes, but to work with a set group of people over a longer period of time is very satisfying and fascinating to see how the group dynamic develops. Students come to the class with ideas for new things to make and this really stretches me when I have to problem solve how this can be successfully achieved.
9. When did you become a Maker Member of the Devon Guild, and what do you enjoy most about being a part of it?
I was very fortunate to become a full Maker Member of the Devon Guild about ten years ago and it has been hugely beneficial to my career development. I really enjoy making work specifically for the annual exhibitions and these are always an important part of my working year. The exhibitions are always so beautifully curated and the work of the other Maker Members are of such a high quality that it’s very validating to see my creations included amongst them. I enjoy the company of other artists and makers and I get a lot out of running drop in workshops, attending private views and being on the Devon Guild’s Selection Committee.
10. What advice would you give to someone who would like to start creating mosaics?
Find a good teacher, who makes their own mosaic work as well as running workshops, and doesn’t advocate smashing up tiles with a hammer! There are very able mosaic tutors offering online learning at the moment and this would be a very good place to start.
11. What have you taken away from the challenges of the past year?
I have been fortunate to have been able to access my large workshop during lockdowns and it has been a safe and quiet place for me to totally focus on making with no disturbances. The most challenging aspect of the current situation has been a lack of income due to not being able to teach and the closure of galleries. Last summer I rediscovered the enjoyment of taking part in craft fairs, with a group of local makers, and I hope to do more of that this year.
12. Is there anything in particular you’d like to do, make or achieve in the future as a maker?
It the short term I am currently making new work for upcoming exhibitions (that may or may not be open!) My main aim is to get better at what I do and find new ways of exploring the possibilities of mosaic.
