We’re always thinking about mosaic art as we research our blog topics. Our love of all types of mosaic news keeps our brains busy! It’s also a font of inspiration for writers, philosophers, and other deep thinkers.
For example, Mozaico is known for its detailed custom work and lifelike mosaic portraits. We couldn’t help but notice: Each step of creating a commemorative piece can become a thought exercise. Every life has its own mosaic — so let’s imagine yours!
Seeing the Tiles
Our life, at any point, can be seen as a mosaic. Its composition isn’t, however, the usual glass or stone tiles. Instead, imagine that each tile is made of a decision or action you’ve committed.
It can be hard to see all these tiles coming together, so try this: Pull out a piece of paper and some colored pencils and sketch out what you think each tile might look like. Acts of love, generosity, and compassion could each have a different hue or shape in your imagination.
Every tile builds in relation to the next one, creating larger patterns, deepening the overall color scheme, and creating a larger image. If we imagine the life mosaic of someone we admire, we can see years of meaningful kindnesses, pure generosity, anonymous good works, and service.
At the same time, our daily decisions can lay down additional top-quality tiles. Just as every mosaic gains beauty from the beautiful natural stones, semi-precious gems, and glass tessera that are used — so do our lives. When we live thoughtfully and strive to be more intentional about our daily decisions — we add more of those small beauties to our personal mosaic.
The Design Emerges
The result of our well-spent life creates a beautiful image, built of the finest tiles. When we look at our actions from this perspective, we can see both the bigger picture — but also the smaller elements. Our good acts obscure the harmful ones, and our lives can be viewed as a blend of harmonious colors and elements.
So, what about our failures? Our mistakes? The things we’re not proud of? The same perspective applies. While you’re sketching out what your “positive” tile piece looks like, consider the negatives you’re not so proud of. Give them their own space and presence in the overall picture. They’re part of our lives, too.
Are they a smaller part of the image than you thought? Do they help highlight the more positive parts and emotions? Even the people we admire most aren’t perfect — and they, too, have to make mistakes to grow.
Now — Imagine…
Fully imagining what your own life mosaic would look like can be a profound exercise. Bear in mind, a self-portrait is only one way to commemorate a life. Here at our workshops, we create not only realistic portraits but also mark special moments and times with a variety of images. Here are a few ideas to help spur your imagination.
Perhaps your life has required the courage of a lion? Your journey has taken many twists and turns and required a variety of skills and talents — each represented in your thought by a different color. This magnificent leonine portrait is a powerful totem!
Have you always found your purpose in nurturing others? Are some of your happiest moments anchored in the strong roots you’ve created in your community, church, or family? The grounded beauty that exists in a Tree of Life image is filled with symmetry and calm.
If your journey has been one of pursuing your moral compass and staying on a True North course, you might find that your mosaic resembles a compass and anchor motif! It’s a powerful symbol that many people incorporate into their life.
An image of butterflies can carry a lot of weight. Just as we discussed above, there are deep contrasts in the wing patterns. Here we see both dark and light mixing for a balanced, glorious result. As these fluttering beauties emerge from their chrysalises, they soar into the light, a perfect conclusion.
Gardens are also a meaningful image and source for much metaphor in literature and art. If your own colorful tiles are created from a life of cultivation — whether that be joy, knowledge, love, good works, or even literal flowers — picture them in a lush botanical scene.
Summarizing — And Planning Ahead
This exercise in imagination and reflection can help shape our lives in the future. Being more present in our daily decisions — choosing the best tile — can help us slow down and think about our impact on the world.
At the same time, picturing the shape and forms of these tiles, and the patterns they are building gives us a rare opportunity to observe our life from a more objective place. As we build our mosaic, we can see how each part of our life enhances the others. If the life mosaic we’ve pictured is losing form, we can always add more tiles of the right type to bring it back into focus.
Checking in with our mosaic progress is a wonderful way to affirm and consider our life choices. We’re curious: How do you picture your own life mosaic? Is it a portrait, an image, or still coming into focus as you determine what the tiles look like?
If you’ve been thinking about preserving a favorite memory with a stunning mosaic portrait or bringing your own vision to life — we can help! Simply contact us to start the process. We’ll consult with you to help you with decisions on what materials make up your artwork (stone, marble, or glass), and provide you with complimentary art proofs to help you visualize your creation before it’s set in stone.
