Mosaic Installation at Camp Ocean Pines

Camp Ocean Pines Workshop

Here is the workshop at Camp Ocean Pines! The new concrete risers were just installed, and there is a channel in each riser. Our job was to install mosaic strips into those channels. In my previous blog, I showed how we made the strips at Passiflora Mosaics in Grover Beach, California. Now we've all gathered at the installation sight in Cambria. There were about 10 volunteers in addition to Fred and Donnell, our leaders and creators of these strips (see my previous blog). 

They had set all the strips where they were to be installed. Fred mixed up many bags of thinset, and we were ready to go. I spent most of the morning on my side in the dirt gluing strips into the channel. I was hot and dirty and my back and knees were struggling to work properly, but it was a very rewarding endeavor. We worked all morning and by lunchtime all the strips were installed. 

At the front of the installation, Donnell created a beautiful design with tiles, stones and some pieces from (I think) a car that Fred used to own. It looked beautiful and very California! 

After a great lunch prepared for us by the talented chef at Camp Ocean Pines, I had to leave. Our show at Salon Patine had to be taken down at 4pm, so I jetted home to get out of my dirty clothes and meet my friend Gary at the salon. 

The taking down of the show certainly went faster than the putting up, thank goodness. At the end, I sold nine pieces and enjoyed the whole process. Thanks again to Rob Hofberg for allowing us to have a show at his shop.

Creation of Mosaic at Passiflora Mosaics in Grover Beach

In April I drove to Grover Beach to join the volunteer group creating the first part of a 250 linear foot mosaic. There were 13 volunteers, and we finished almost everything in one day. The design was created by Donnell and Fred Paison, owners of Passiflora Mosaics in Grover Beach. Fred had already prepared the mesh strips, and our job was to glue the various materials to the mesh. Each strip was about three feet long. Heavy plastic was taped to the tables and then mesh was taped on top.

An empty canvas

This is how the tables looked when we arrived. Fred and Donnell taped the mesh to the tables with marks to show the width the tiles had to be. If the tiles or plates or marbles didn't fit inside the lines, then they wouldn't fit in the channel that would be made at the final installation site at Camp Ocean Pines.

So we were given instructions and we started glue.

Donnell gives instructions

Starting to glue

I cut more plastic to go under the mesh

Fred makes more strips

Donnell glues

Lots of strips done!

Once we were finished, we removed the mesh pieces from the plastic strips so they could be transported to Camp Ocean Pines in a couple weeks. It was a very enjoyable and satisfying endeavor.

Next I'll tell you all about the installation.