Angie Heinrich, ZMG
Angie Heinrich
Zetamari Mosaic Artworks
Seattle, Washington
"I go to work each day in my home studio, enveloping myself with beautiful music, the sound of a waterfall, and a rainbow of colored glass and beads that line my walls. My creative process usually begins with a sketch that is often influenced by the rhythm and symmetry of Greek and Moroccan art and architecture.
"Each sketch is then transferred to birch plywood and shaped with standard shop tools. I deliberately shape and set each mosaic piece (tessera) using traditional opus styles, producing just the andamento I desire―the sense of movement and rhythm created by the grout lines. Once the setting is complete, I use colored cement to grout the piece, giving it a unified and finished look.
"My studies have drawn me to masters around the US, Spain, and Italy, and have instilled in me a pride of workmanship and technique, whether modern or ancient. I use Italian smalti (a classical mosaic material), 24k gold, marble, vitreous glass, hand-painted glass, beads — materials from around the world that I choose for their exceptional quality.
"I find the creation of each work a meditative and cathartic way of working with my hands. I take pride in the work that I do and I hope to educate the public about this ancient art form and to increase public appreciation for hand-crafted artwork. I also hope to bring to the homes of others the joy of spirit I feel during the creation of each piece."