When I think of a mosaic table, I think of something that I would see in my great-grandmother’s backyard. It would be something reminiscent of a skill learned from the troubling times of the Great Depression. In my mind, mosaics stem from when times were so tough, that the people enduring the hardships made absolutely sure that nothing was going to waste. In doing so, small portions and chunks of discarded tile were collected and used as the medium for a new style of artwork. While I know that the roots of mosaic far out date America’s Great Depression, Alexey Stashak’s interpretation is like nothing I’ve seen. In this project, he takes the idea of mosaic murals and gracefully integrates two designs into the top of a table that is to be placed in a small bar. The meeting of an Orange Tree branch and a Cherry Blossom is delicate and simple enough to allow the rugged wood and broken tiles to culminate into a thing of absolute beauty.
Drawing the table design.
This ceramic tile will be broken and shaped to fit the overall design.
With the help of a router, the design is now engraved into the pine.
With the recessed design, the ceramic tile will fit more flush with the top of the wood. This will be much more functional as the piece of artwork must also serve as a functional table.
The time has come to place the ceramic in the recessed design.
After meticulous placement of the broken tile, the orange tree branch is coming along nicely.
The ceramic and grout is all set on the orange tree branch portion of this artistic mosaic bar table.
Alexey draws the cherry blossom branch on the pine table top.
It appears as if the concept is complete.
Now Alexey goes back to the router to recess the inside of the cherry blossom design.
We’re getting closer as the tile is inlaid into this portion of the design.
The cherry blossom portion is tiled and grouted and looks amazing.
Here’s a long view of how the pieces will look together as a completed table.
With the help of his bottle of wine, age implications are painted and stained into the bright wood.
Alexey takes a break as he reflects upon his progress.
The artist has chosen to leave some portions lighter than the others.
This particular light spot kind of looks like a raven trapped in the white space as the branches come together.
I’m not quite sure if this is a paint lid or some sort of a coaster that will be left of the table once completed.
As the blue disc is moving around, I think it’s safe to say it’s not part of the finished product!
The finished product is an absolute thing of beauty!
More info: Alexey Steshak Art Studio
This artistic interpretation of a mosaic has really opened my eyes as to the true beauty that can be achieved. I guess this is one of those circumstances where less is definitely more. Just using a little bit of tile work seems to have created a vastly more powerful effect than if this piece of art were constructed entirely of tile. The natural movement of the wood is used as the background, where other people might have used the natural wood to implicate the actual branches. This is a fine piece and any bar, or private residence for that matter, should be proud to own such a unique piece of art.