Here are my new tools for cutting marble: the hardie, a steel chisel, embedded in a block of wood, and the steel hammer. I couldn't find a 6x6 block of wood, so I came up with the brilliant idea of gluing several pieces of 2x6 together. Seems to work fine, though it's not as attractive as a solid block would be. I'll keep my eyes open for a scrap.
As my dear friend Margo warned me, there is a steep learning curve for cutting marble. I'm shattering about 20% of the pieces I'm cutting -- which are the 9/16-inch squares, the only mosaic tiles of colored marble that I could find in small quantities. I'd love it if all of them were the 3/8-inch cubes, but those seem to be in short supply. Also, I'm learning that different marble types behave differently when struck: The off-white called crema marfil cuts cleanly and evenly; the rosin yellow and pure white crumble very easily; the lotus green (a variegated white/green) breaks off in chunks. I've learned that I can make small cuts with a tile nipper, which helps too.
I have learned something about marble chemistry. When I found out that blue marble is (gasp!) $70-$80 per square foot, I adjusted the design so I'd need only a third of what I originally planned, because I certainly didn't budget for that! A friend in the tile industry told me that that's because blue is not only scarce, but that what makes the blue color in marble is gold. Who knew?
This method also has its particular hazards. While it doesn't have the sharp edges that glass does, every time I whack that hammer I run the risk of also whacking fingers and thumbs, which I've done more times than I like to think about. Somebody suggested holding the piece I'm whacking with long tweezers - brilliant! The only problem is holding the tweezers steady enough.
But progress is being made. I've almost finished the two orchid pots that are the main features of this design; most of the rest is background, which will be a breeze.
I just received this photo from the client for whom I made this variation on my blue and green mosaic called "Summer School." Since they live across the state, I didn't install it myself. I think they did a wonderful job with the color of the alcove walls. Originally we had talked about adding flexible molding around the inside edges, but we both agree that this looks much better. Bravo John and Donna!
This is the sketch for a new commission. The clients have a fairly modern condo right on the beach (I mosaicked three walls in their master bath with a wave design -- pictures on website). They have beautiful contemporary furnishings, but the electrical panel in the middle of the hallway is an eyesore, so they've commissioned me to create something to hide it. Because the panel sticks out from the wall about an inch and a half, I'm having a carpenter build a frame first. He'll attach a piano hinge on the right side and a magnetic closure on the left side. I've ordered an amber-colored square glass knob that will go with my design to attach over the magnet for ease of opening. The wall color is a rich mustard color, so my design will incorporate a mixture of tiles in yellows, golds, beiges, and browns, in all different sizes, from 2" down to 3/8". I've got some glass gems for sparkle and some millefiori rectangles for fun. It will be a contemporary look that will be intriguing to look at as well as functional. I'll mosaic the sides as well as the front panel; the whole thing will be about 39" high and 19" wide. I'm looking forward to getting started!
