Mosaic crafting at Atlanta Public Library

Atlanta Public Library had a free Mosaic Stepping Stone art class Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. where 12 community members explored their creative side and got to take their new artwork home.

The class was taught by Library Director Kendra Harrell, who actually used to work at a stained-glass studio. Harrell even provided/donated the stained glass–which she said was leftover inventory from the store.

“It was so fun getting to do stained glass art again,” Harrell said. “It’s been a few years since I have had the opportunity. I will definitely do another stained glass mosaic class. We have the tools and supplies now, so it’s just a matter of time.”

The class provided each person with a concrete block, with a sheet of No Days glue laying on top of it. Class members picked out from a great variety of stained glass, including marbled accents and glass tubes, and arranged them into whatever pattern or shape they wanted to create.

Each person had a pair of glass nippers to cut out tiny pieces from larger sheets of glass, which Harrell would cut strips off for them prior.

Since they weren’t glued down initially, people could stop and start or change the direction of their project at any time. Some opted for totally abstract pieces, while others fashioned theirs into centralized themes, such as a daisy, the moon over the water, or a letter representing their names.

Once crafters were finished laying out their design on top of the glue strip, they took turns melting the glue down before grouting the pieces. Once grouted, the concrete pieces, which were grey, presented a black background on the mosaic.

Harrell said this was actually the faster of two ways to do mosaics.

“The long way would be to use a regular mosaic glue or thin-set concrete, or to make the mosaic in a concrete mold upside down and pour the concrete directly into the glass,” Harrell said. She recommended to crafters who wanted to try more mosaic art from home that they use glue that drys waterproof and is not UV reactive because using a glue that is reactive to ultraviolet rays would cause the stone mosaic to break down if placed outside, even in minimal sunlight.

Saturday, June 10, Harrell will be teaching another free community art class in which crafters will make windchimes out of wine bottles, with materials provided. Harrell said the class had already filled up by Monday, but that she may end up having to do another.

Stop by the library if interested to inquire about community crafting, the summer reading program, and the many other gems the library has to offer.