Mosaic art workshop coming to Museum of Dufferin

Written By Paula Brown

Local residents who are interested in learning how to create their own piece of mosaic art, now have the opportunity to with the latest Museum of Dufferin Masterclass. 

Caledon-based artist Mary Lou Hurley will be hosting a mosaic workshop at the Museum of Dufferin (MoD) from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 10, where participants will be introduced to the world of mixed media mosaic art. 

“I enjoy sharing my passion for mosaics and I'm excited for this opportunity to host a workshop at the MoD,” she said. “I have some new mixed media projects that I believe will inspire some new mosaic artists.” 

During the workshop, participants will learn how to use a variety of tools to break tile, dishes and glass and then will be guided by Hurley in the design and grouting of their own mosaic piece. 

While not formally trained in the arts, Hurley has more than 20 years of experience and describes herself as always having been “a maker of things.” Her passion for creating mosaic art started from an interest in collecting old items such as tiles and dishes that she would eventually use to created mosaics on furniture.

Hurley practices the traditional technique of ‘andamento,' which requires carefully placing rows of tesserae to establish visual flows in a piece. As a contemporary artist, she also looks to break the “classical rules” and has experimented with covering other items including lamps, guitars and mannequins with mosaic designs. 

“Mosaic art is an ancient art form that has such history and I've embraced a unique approach to creating mosaics,” said Hurley. “I have found so much creative freedom working three dimensional. The sheer joy of discovering new texture, colours, and possibilities of mixed media keep the passion alive.” 

Hurley is currently one of 16 artists whose work is on display at the museum as part of a “Unity in Diversity” exhibit, held in partnership with the Dufferin County Multicultural Foundation. The exhibit is located in the Silo Gallery at the museum and will be on display until Aug. 31. 

Hurley's piece of art, a mannequin called “Gerald Dean is Geraldine”, is an exploration of masculinity and femininity; giving a playful look at a male's discovery of his feminine side and a female's discovery of her male side. 

“When I learned of the ‘Unity in Diversity' Exhibit at the MoD, I knew that my mannequin “Gerald Dean is Geraldine” would be a perfect fit,” explained Hurley. “I believe it is vital to human co-existence that we respect our diverse human natures.”

Those interested in taking the mosaic workshop with Mary Lou Hurley, can registered on the Museum of Dufferin website. The price to take the workshop is $85 plus HST per person.