Crafty Alfredo
Contemplative Eye
Over that last 5 years, I have experimented with making eyes in different media and designs. This eye was inspired by images at the School of Mosaic in Spilimbergo and created using the traditional hammer and hardy technique.
Smalti and Marble embedded in Thinset on a plyboard base
39 x 39 cm
£1500
Moonchild
This piece was initially inspired by a 60s Biba flower-power photo . However, once I had mosaicked her face, I realised that she was more of a mystical being and she developed organically after that into my strong and spiritual Moonchild.
Ceramic and glass mosaic tiles, stained glass, mirror, vintage crockery, glass beads and ceramic eyes, moons and stars created by a local potter. This mosaic is mounted on Marmox and can be displayed inside or outside.
45 x 35 cm
£495
Curvy Mermaids
My curvy mermaids are inspired by my year round love of sea swimming in the North Sea. When you enjoy swimming in the North Sea in winter, you really do need a bit curvy bio-insulation! I make a range of these mermaids, most of which are commissions. My lovely customers chooses the pose, hair and clam shell colour that matches their inner mermaid.
Ceramic mosaic tiles, glass iridised penny round tiles, mirror, stained glass, fused glass clam shells from a local maker, mille fiore, glass bead eye and part of a cog for her eyelash.
38 x 20cm
£145
About Sheila Downing
Known as Crafty Alfredo, I am a mixed media mosaic artist based in Scarborough.
My background is engineering and after several courses in different art forms, I discovered that mosaic and stained glass both worked really well with both my engineering and creative sides.
I mainly design quirky, colourful contemporary mixed media mosaics, inspired by my love of sea swimming, the gorgeous area and wildlife of North Yorkshire and my own strange musings.
Working with traditional mosaic materials, stained glass and vintage crockery, as well as found and foraged lovelies, I aspire to make the unwanted and unloved items I find into loved and cherished mosaics. As well as using these materials, there is a wealth of talent that surrounds me in this area and I often work with other local artists and makers to incorporate their ceramic and fused glass into my mosaics.
I work on pieces for shops, exhibitions, fairs and commissions and am now developing some day courses that will be held in Scarborough.
Mosaicking is a great passion and I want to keep learning and growing in this medium.
Joining BAMM North is part of my development and I am loving it!
The group is so welcoming and has a great shared mosaic knowledge and artistry that is really inspirational.
I was also lucky enough to attend a short course at the prestigious School of Mosaic in Spilimbergo, Northern Italy last year and this has helped me to develop a different mosaic technique based around the traditional hammer and hardy that I am really looking forward to using in new work.
