Mosaic is Me

Mosaic is Me.

The truth is I don’t know much about the Cheryl Powling as an artist because she is a woman in her 60s who lives in North London with her husband and four tiny dogs and I’ve only met her once, but once was enough. What I really want to talk about is the house that belongs to Cheryl Powling and what she has filled with it. I had never seen a house quite like hers. From the outside, you have no idea you are about to step into this cottage-like mosaic masterpiece finished with designs and centrepieces all made by Cheryl.

I had originally gone to her house for a class in stained glass making but left knowing I would be back to get my hands on what I had now learned was mosaic. It was when I was walking through her kitchen on the way to the bathroom after already being at her studio for about three hours, that I fully realised where I was. There was something extremely charming, enchanting and magical about her bathroom, like something

straight out of a fairytale. Suddenly, it felt like I was in one of Disney’s classics, maybe Snow White or Alice in Wonderland.

I entered what is known as a bathroom but instead didn’t look or feel like one. Immediately, I sighted my first Cheryl Powling masterpiece, and I was completely mesmerised. I couldn’t make sense of what it was because I didn’t know what it was, but it was stunning, gorgeous, one of a kind and honestly left me speechless. In fact, I connected with this piece of art so deeply, it almost felt alive. I didn’t want to leave this bathroom because I had never felt so seen, I had never been so inspired by this thing called art before. Was this really happening? What was this thing that fully captivated my soul and awoke my most supressed self? This part of me I didn’t know or perhaps forgot existed?

Now my senses were fully attuned to the house of Cheryl Powling — where actually was I? I had no idea houses could be fully engraved with so much passion and beauty with the works of people like Cheryl. Before I knew it, my eyes were catching every shape, tile and colour of broken ceramics carefully placed and pieced together to create something I will never forget. It wasn’t just what I was seeing, it was also how I was feeling. Walking back through the kitchen now, I see all patterns of tiles. Gliding my fingers slowly through the cracks and crevices of this backsplash, with my jaw slightly dropped. Of course, it was another Cheryl Powling work of art — very much not hidden but waiting to be discovered. I enjoyed her playful placement; it was thrilling; it was brilliant. I looked up into her skylight, the open kitchen plan that flowed into her living room — all designed to true perfection. At Cherly Powling’s house I learned art could be perfect. I was forced to not question the idea of perfection but instead look at it for what it was and fully accept that was what was in front of me, this was perfection, this was art.

On my way back to the studio, I had all the questions for Cheryl but I finally left her house knowing some things deep within myself and that was I would be back to make art of my own; art makes you feel alive once you find the piece that your soul connects with and fairytales are not always told but sometimes actually experienced.

That day, I learned what mosaic was, I might have even fallen in love with it because I most certainly fell in love with Cheryl Powling’s house. Mosaic can be organised and defined, mosaic can also be abstract and random, mosaic is definitely colourful, mosaic is also beautiful, mosaic is full of life, mosaic is bold, mosaic is strong, mosaic is me.