Over the years we’ve covered many manufacturers and suppliers of mosaics – companies like Porcelanosa, Onix and Hisbalit. These companies expertly craft the miniscule tiles for applications like swimming pools, kitchen splashbacks and even architectural projects.
And while the manufacture of mosaic tiles is an incredibly impressive, difficult process, they present an equal challenge to the tiler. After all, with such small, finicky pieces, mosaic installations present far more individual opportunities to make mistakes than a standard tiling installation, and although today there are ways to make mosaic tiling more efficient, it remains one of the most highly skilled niches within the industry.
That’s why we’re taking the opportunity in this feature to shine a spotlight on some of the top mosaic fitters who have been featured in TSJ in recent years.
For example, Oliver Budd is a mosaicist who was born in 1960 in Kent, and has has spent his professional life creating artistic, functional pieces for dozens of public and private clients. We spoke to him back in September of 2024 and learned about some of his eye-catching projects, including the (back then recently completed) Jumbie Jubilation, a series of large decorative panels commissioned for the exterior of the Ruby Zoe Hotel in Notting Hill.
Jumbie Jubilation is a a collaborative piece: while Budd hand-crafted the mosaic panels, their designs are the work of British-Trinidadian artist Zac Ove. The piece itself is based around carnival, explained Budd, hence the connection to Notting Hill, while its imagery draws from African folklore.
The project was an enormous undertaking, requiring 18 months of technical and intensive labour, but the finished result speaks for itself. “I love the intensity of it,” Budd said. “I’ve done loads of projects over the years, but I think this is probably the most vibrant, exciting piece I’ve ever made.” Interestingly, while the designs for each panel were supplied to him as computer generated images by Ove, Budd did have to take some creative license in the process of translating the artwork to mosaic form. Areas of block colour in the original images, for example, became more dynamic with multiple shades of tile used in the mosaics.
Back in 2023, we chatted with David Arnott, another mosaic tiler who gained social media virality after creating mosaic interpretations of famous celebrities and characters, including Audrey Hepburn, David Bowie and even Marvel’s Avengers. Arnott initially struggled in the world of wall and floor tiling, however once he found his niche he developed an impressive reputation, finding himself working with clients like Mercedes Benz and Nike.
Despite that, Arnott hasn’t let the success go to his head. Although he’s travelled all across the globe for work, he still lives in Salford, and when asked where he’s most proud to see his artwork hanging, he answered without hesitation: “Probably my mum and dad’s house.”
Both Budd and Arnott showcase the high levels of patience, technique and perseverance required to become successful mosaicists. If you’ve completed or seen any high-quality mosaic tiling jobs recently, please feel free to send them in to lauren.mccarthy@kick-startpublishing.co.uk. We’d love to see them and, if they’re really impressive, feature them in a future issue!
