Colored Glass Tile Mosaic “Quilt” #8

Sold at a neighborhood art show. Dimensions: Height 11.25 inches, Width 9 inches, Thickness .75 inch, Weight 1.5 pounds. Do you love stained glass, like I do? Well this is essentially a faux stained-glass window, made from precut squares of glass tile, glued to a pane of glass, with charcoal-colored grout taking the place of lead. It would add a nice dash of color to your home or office. Two D-rings are attached so you can use wire, string or a chain to connect the two in an A-shape and hang the frame from a nail or hook in front of a window where lots of sunlight comes in. Or you can just sit it on the sill and lean it against the window. Because they are metallic vitreous glass tiles, this piece looks pretty good even when light isn’t shining through from behind; light in front of it will highlight the sparkly gold streaks on the front of each tile. $150.

The Story

A young woman living across the street from my house in the Glover Park neighborhood of D.C. either moved out or was evicted. In any case, several framed photographs were set on the top of a trash can in the alley, from where I rescued four of them that were not damaged. I threw away the photos and backing pieces; sanded away the black paint on the front, inside, and outside edges of the frames; and stained them with Minwax “Espresso” for a more rustic, natural look. I used my computer to develop different design options, then I chose colors from the over 15 different types I had on hand (thanks, Maryland Mosaics!) that would go together well. The way the grout gets down around the tiles to make the edges look slightly rounded, the grooves on the back of the tiles, plus the little air bubbles that form behind the tiles—all this combines, in my view, to make this brand new piece look like really old stained glass. It’s a distinctive look that I hope others like, too.

Related Items: Colored Glass Tile Mosaic “Quilts” #1-4, Colored Glass Tile Mosaic “Quilts” #5-7, Colored Glass Tile Mosaic “Quilts” #9-10.