Pebble Mosiacs Underfoot
For thousands of years we have been pressing pebbles into patterns onto earthen floors. And numerous fine artists continue the tradition today...




Pebble mosaic by Gwyn Kaitis. www.jolietmosaics.com





Pebble mosaic in Bournemouth Square, UK. By Maggy Howarth. maggyhowarth.co.uk





Pebble mosaic in Bournemouth Square, UK. By Maggy Howarth. maggyhowarth.co.uk





Pebble mosaic in Bournemouth Square, UK. By Maggy Howarth. maggyhowarth.co.uk





Pebble mosaic by Maggy Howarth at the 2010 Chelsea Flower Show. Image via: wendylady1.livejournal.com






Pebble mosaic by Maggy Howarth. 4m x 3m mosaic made up of carefully arranged beach pebbles. Image via: wendylady1.livejournal.com






Pebble mosaic by Maggy Howarth at the 2010 Chelsea Flower Show. Image via: wendylady1.livejournal.com






Pebble mosaic at Gresgarth, Lancashire, UK by Maggy Howarth. maggyhowarth.co.uk





Pebble Mosaic at the Trout River Plaza in Jacksonville Zoo, Florida. Created by Mark Kretzmeier of MetaMosaics.com





Pebble Mosaic at the Trout River Plaza in Jacksonville Zoo, Florida. Created by MetaMosaics.com






Miro Mosaic Parking Strip by Jeffrey Bale. Mother giving birth with the moon in her hair. jeffreygardens.blogspot.com






Pebble mosaic using Miro inspired design for clients in Portland, Oregon. "Cyphers and Constellations in Love with a Woman" by Jeffrey Bale. jeffreygardens.blogspot.com






Miro inspired pebble mosaic by Jeffrey Bale. jeffreygardens.blogspot.com





Miro inspired pebble mosaic by Jeffrey Bale. Detail of mosaic 'Cyphers and Constellations in Love with a Woman'. jeffreygardens.blogspot.com






Cosmic Persian Carpet in Portland, Oregon by Jeff Bale. jeffreygardens.blogspot.com






Round step stone with marbles, Indonesian Turquoise, Red Montana Rainbow, Black Mexican Beach and center beach stone. By Jeffrey Bale. jeffreygardens.blogspot.com






Entry walk, Portland, Oregon by Jeff Bale. jeffreygardens.blogspot.com





Pebble mosaic with old tools and horseshoes!!! By Jeffrey Bale jeffreygardens.com





Morrocan inspired pebble mosaic carpet. The elaborate design took Jeff a month to lay out and set. He first arranged the entire mosaic in a bed of sand on site and then disassembled it and set it in mortar, using forms to break it up into sections. jeffreygardens.blogspot.com





Pebble mosaic floor outside a church on Symi Island, Greece. Image by Katherine Martinelli. www.flickr.com

Pebble mosaic and apricot trees in Malaga,Spain by Decoration Malaga Heloísa. Via: www.nuevo-estilo.es





Ancient pebble mosaic octopus.





Pebble mosaic of a cheetah, Genova, Italy. Copyright © 2004 Mark Tomsheck, www.tomsheck.om





Pebble mosaic of a fish in Nice, France. Photo by Corianton Hale. www.flickr.com





Pebble mosaic turtle now living in the shallow end of a pool, thinset was used to bond the mosaic to the shell of the pool. By Kevin Carman, [email protected] of Sarasota, Florida. www.flickr.com





Pebble mosaic 'Birds at Beach' by Kevin Carman, [email protected], more images: www.flickr.com





Mosaic pebble (detai)l by Kevin Carman, [email protected], more images: www.flickr.com






Pebble mosaic by Pete Hancock. www.stonefishmosaics.co.uk






Pebble mosaic by Pete Hancock. www.stonefishmosaics.co.uk


There are three ways to make a pebble mosaic. One way is to work in small molds, build a mold, pour a cement mix into the bottom and arrange your pebbles on top. A second way is the “upside-down” method, where one builds a mold and pours a layer of sand into it, then arrange your stones in the sand (touching the bottom of the mold so that you end up with a flat surface) and then fill the top with cement. When dry remove the mold and brush away the sand. The third way, is to have everything prepared and by your side, and then pour small areas of cement on site, onto the prepared subsurface and push stones into cement. You could also use a dry concrete mix and then wet the concrete to activate hardening, although this might be more prone to cracking.


About Maggy Howarth:

Maggy Howarth is one of the world's leading authorities on pebble mosaics. Her commissions fetch high prices and appear in city squares, hospital grounds and public gardens and fountains. Her company is Cobblestone Designs Pebble Mosaics, UK.


About Gwyn Kaitis: 

Gwyn traveled to England to study pebble mosaics with Maggy Howarth. Her work has been exhibited nationally and is held in several private collections. Gwyn is a member of the Society of American Mosaic Artists and currently serves on their Board of Trustees. She is an instructor of mosaic at both the Chicago Mosaic School and in her studio located in Joliet, Illinois.

About Jeffrey Bale:

"I am a builder of gardens by trade. Growing up in Eugene, Oregon, I have had a lifelong connection to Nature in the Pacific Northwest. After graduating with a degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Oregon, I began to travel. I’ve made it a habit to travel as much as I can ever since. 3 to 5 month forays have defined every winter for the past 27 years. First Mexico, then Thailand, which led to 12 successive journeys through much of S.E. Asia, Sri Lanka, the Nepali Himalaya, and 6 trips to India. Then on to South America over 11 winters, and now the Mediterranean. I spent the last two winters in Morocco and Southern Spain. When I am home I build gardens for a living, and have become known for my pebble mosaic work. My work is heavily influenced by my travels. Everywhere I go I document beautiful things, with an eye for how they were made and why. There is a story behind every design. What inspires me the most is when art works in harmony with nature." www.jeffreygardens.com


How To:

Fine Gardening Magazine - Create a Pebble Mosaic by Jeffrey Bale.
www.finegardening.com

This Old House - Make a Pebble Mosaic
www.thisoldhouse.com

Maggy Howarth - The Complete Pebble Mosaic Handbook
Click look inside to see first pages of basics: www.amazon.com

DVD. Step-by-step, Maggy guides you through the technique for making traditional-style pebblework. She demonstrates making a pebble mosaic in a box; which is a handy way for beginners to start. She talks about which pebbles to use, the cement mixes, making a design and points out the little details to master, which make the work special. www.maggyhowarth.co.uk



Small Scale Inspiration:

See Robert Thomas' pebble mosaic set on flickr: www.flickr.com
LOTS more design ideas here: www.youtube.com (turn down sound!)
Laura Stone Mosaics: www.laurastonemosaics.com


For this to be a green project, pebbles should be collected locally, choose flat, elliptical, rounded or flat-topped rocks. Pet stores (aquarium supplies), quarries and stone yards might be helpful for large projects.




By Iain Blake: 500px.com



More:

Pebble Mosaics page TWO --- inspirationgreen.com/pebble-mosaics

Pebble Paths --- inspirationgreen.com/pebble-pathways

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TRACY OBRAY
Posts: 2

pepple paths
Reply #2 on : Wed January 30, 2013, 13:45:06

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and my boyfriend thinks I`am crazy for collecting rocks. thanks for the inspiration ! T.A.O.

Pauline A. Robertson
Posts: 2

excellent mosaic art
Reply #1 on : Mon August 13, 2012, 02:20:44

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Wonderful work, every one! I'm excited to see all these links available. Once upon a time, if you didn't apprentice or find a great book of Roman Mosaics to study, it was anybody's guess how to proceed. I love the Internet for its dissemination of images and techniques for those who can't venture afar to learn. I had the great fortune to be available when the Vatican mosaic exhibition came through New Orleans---what an inspiration! And, the images I've seen here are such an inspiration. Keep up the great work!