September 1- 7, 2013: Issue 126

 Meredith Scott 

Website: www.memsmosaics.com/

To open our Spring 2013 celebration of Pittwater Ladies we have the beautiful mosaics of Meredith Scott, who is having a mini-exhibition on our Artist of the Month page for the first month of Spring, and a few insights on her wok and its workings from the lady herself. These brilliant colours, amassed into limitless subjects, must place Meredith among Australia's foremost mosaic exponents. This ancient art is acquiring new focus through the hands and inspirations of Meredith Scott, one of our Pittwater Artists Trail participants.

Meredith, as you will see from reading these small insights, is very community minded and among other community spirit instilling initiatives, created a beautiful Bird Bath to honour Karen Draddy for the Peace Garden at Mona Vale Hospital in June this year.

From Pooch Portraits to Byzantine themes I use traditional and experimental methods to create contemporary mosaics.
With a background in art/ textiles and craft therapy, I have found my medium in mosaics.  Mosaicing offers me boundless possibilities for expression.

For the  last 4 years I have been studying and practicing mosaics (including a  Master Class in Orsoni, Venice, Italy). I love to mix glass, experimenting with its rich and varied qualities with found and recycled objects.

I am the co founder and a participant of the Pittwater Artists Trail (which is now in its 3rd year). I am also a Suzuki and AMEB piano teacher in Pittwater (for the last 16 years).

I also enjoy being and active member of the Pittwater community and have recently started teaching mosaic courses from my home which has been great fun. 
Opening times and appointments available. Classes available on Fridays. Please email or phone for the above. All enquiries welcome.

Tel:(02) 9979 8495 
Mob: 0425 357115
Email: meredithscott@optusnet.com.au

• Trained Art/Craft therapist (Diversional Therapy Diploma - Red Cross Sydney, Australia)
• Worked and trained in Weaving/Textile Workshop (Sturt Australian Contemporary Craft Centre, Mittagong)
• Established and ran the Craft/Art Centre - using only recycled materials with up to 100 children a week (Royal far West Children’s Home - Manly, Sydney)
• PR/Art &Craft Manager (“The Cottage” Middle Harbour Recreation Centre)
• Director - Creative Arts/Craft Program (University NSW - University Union)
• Community Arts Publication/Promotion Manager (Powerhouse Museum)
• 3 years studying and practising mosaics. Master Class Orsoni Venice Italy
• Co Founder and participating artist - Pittwater Artist Trail Home Studios (now in its 3rd year)

EXHIBITIONS
• Weaving/Textiles - Sturt Gallery (Sturt Australian Contemporary Craft Centre, Mittagong)
• Mixed Media Exhibitions (Uni NSW Union)
• Mosaics - PCA Art Show(Pittwater Community Arts) 4 x annual shows (2009 - 2012)
• Mosaics -PAT (Pittwater Artists trail) Winter Exhibition (2011 - over 1,000 visitors over the weekend) and Christmas Show (2012)
• Mosaics - PAT (Pittwater Artists trail) 8 open weekends (over 500 visitors to my Home Studio Exhibitions)
*2013 Easter Art Exhibition (Pittwater Uniting Church)
*June 2013 Guest Artist at Craft and Quilt Fair, Sydney, Darling Harbour (largest Craft show in Australasia)
*August - October  2013 Finalist in MAANZ (Mosaic Association Australia and New Zealand) juried exhibition (Bundoora Arts Centre, Melbourne, VIC)

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

I was born and grew up in Sydney.

What is your first clear conscious memory of having a creative talent and what did you create?

Looking back I realise helping my mother as a teenager to restore an old, depressing, federation house to make it liveable was a creative lesson and inspiration. Revealing stain glass, wooden floors, beautiful fire places, tiles, patterned ceilings covered for years in layers of paint and neglect and turning it into a beautiful home and living space opened my mind.

Who/what have been the influences on your work and its development?

Studying at an art school in Mexico and travelling to Europe and seeing the art. A recent trip to Paris and visiting Rudolf Nureyev's grave inspired me most as to the possibilities of mosaics.

You clearly have a great love of others inherent in what you have developed and chosen to do as a person; where does this stem from?

As a young person at university I felt disengaged and left to train as an Art/Craft therapist. I loved using art/craft to occupy and inspire others. 

I then got a scholarship through the Australia Council and worked and trained in Weaving/Textile Workshop (Sturt Australian Contemporary Craft Centre, Mittagong). It was very community based and I loved the interaction. 

Once back in Sydney for many years my career involved using creativity within community projects.

�Tthe Craft/Art Centre - using only recycled materials with up to 100 children a week (Royal far West Children�s Home - Manly, Sydney)

� PR/Art &Craft Manager (The Cottage Middle Harbour Recreation Centre)

� Director - Creative Arts/Craft Program (University NSW - University Union)

� Community Arts Publication/Promotion Manager (Powerhouse Museum) 

Your beautiful mosaics; how do you choose your subjects or do they choose for you? 

This question has made me think. I am an observer and often see an image that inspires me. Often the mosaic chooses me.  I am not commercially minded with my subject choice and often get obsessed with an idea, do it to death and then need to move on to a new one.

Materials used-

Recycled, found and new.

Glass (Italian and Mexican smalti), millefiori, glass pebbles, gold leaf glass, stained glass, smashed windscreen glass, tempered and recycled glass, ceramic tiles, glass tiles, shells, second hand jewellery, drift wood, recycled palings, broken fine bone china, wire, found stones, found beach glass.

You are now sharing this knowledge and teaching others to make mosaics. Please outline a little of what those attending these classes may expect 

My mosaic classes are wonderful and so much fun. I am meeting some great people and am able to inspire and be inspired. Here is an outline of the Friday 6 week course (3 hourly sessions).;

Learn to mosaic a round bowl or a round mirror frame to make a spectacular  piece of usable art.  If you have something in mind that you would like to mosaic please bring it along. Various design options will be covered. A variety of mosaics will be shown for inspiration.Advice will be given on a wide range of materials that can be used such as- ceramic and glass tiles, miniature tiles, stained glass, beads, china & found objects. Cutting techniques will be  covered and the direct method will be used. Also please bring along your own materials, decorative treasures or any objects that you have saved or collected.  A range of supplies will be covered.

Describe your perfect day. 

Exercise, coffee, mosaicing!

What is your favourite place in Pittwater and why?

In the surf at "Cooksie" (south end of Mona Vale Beach) on a beautiful day and then lying in the sun looking at the huge cliff and ocean.

Meredith Scott at Nureyev's grave, at a Russian cemetery in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois near Paris, features a tomb draped in a mosaic of an oriental carpet. In 1996 his friends and admirers built a beautiful memorial to him in the shape and colours of the oriental kilim rugs which Nureyev loved to carry with him. The carpet designed by his artist friend Ezio Frigerio is made of mosaic tiles of several shades of red, blue and gold.

Bird Bath for Karen Draddy - Mona Vale Hospital Peace Garden
   

 Copyright Meredith Scott, 2013.