Opus Mosaic Exhibition

5th May to the 28th June 2008

I have some brilliant news to tell you about an event set for next year.

Each year Opus Mosaic has a Mosaic Exhibition. This year exhibition was "Water", all the mosaics related to Water in some way. It was a great success so now we look to the exhibition for 2008.

The topic/event that we have decided to support for 2008 is "The International Year of Planet Earth". This is a major world event that has been designated by UNESCO with most countries of the world signing up to this event. The exhibition is to be held from 5th May to the 28th June 2008, giving you plenty of time to produce a mosaic for the exhibition.

All the info you need is on our website www.opusmosaic.co.uk . You can download the information flyers with full details and an entry form. If you have any problems accessing any of these please let me know and I will send you a hard copy.

This is going to be a major exhibition and we may be looking now for a larger venue to hold it if the response so far is anything to go by. We are starting to get international interest with the Planet Earth team agreeing with our idea and looking to their sponsors for 9 prizes for each theme of the Mosaic exhibition.

Please see the details of the Planet Earth themes on our website they are great for inspiring ideas for mosaics. This exhibition is for complete beginners to professional mosaic artists, so get mosaicing so we can show our support for Planet Earth and have a great exhibition.

If you need any further info please do not hesitate to contact me via email or phone email : opusmosaic@btconnect.com Tele : (0) + 44 1392496393

Regards
Julie
Opus Mosaic

THE GILBERT COLLECTION -
London's spectacular new acquisition at Somerset House

This outstanding collection of decorative art is one of the most important bequests ever made to the British nation. It is the gift of Sir Arthur Gilbert, who was born in London and settled in California in 1949. The collection was originally displayed in Los Angeles but has now found a permanent home in the splendid palace of Somerset House, on the north bank of the Thames by Waterloo Bridge. This magnificent building was for many years the home of the Inland Revenue, alas - but happily the taxman has made way, first for the Courtauld Collection, and now for this recent addition, Sir Arthur's collection of European silver, gold snuff boxes, furniture, clocks, miniatures - and Italian mosaics.

The mosaics are of two kinds; Florentine "pietra dura" (opus sectile miniature pictures made of plain and polychrome marble and semi-precious stones) and micro-mosaics. These evolved in Rome in the late 18th century as souvenirs for rich tourists making the Grand Tour. The glass threads of which they are made are so small as to be barely visible as individual tesserae.

The Collection can be visited from Monday to Saturday (but not Bank Holidays) from 10 am to 6 pm; on Sundays and Bank Holidays from 12 noon to 6 pm. Adults pay £4, under-18s are free. A combined ticket for the Gilbert and Courtauld Collections costs £7.

The Gilbert Collection website address is www.gilbert-collection.org.uk/.

Sadly, Sir Arthur Gilbert recently passed away, so it is even more important now that this great collection is never broken up. To see more about Sir Arthur, his life, the collection and Somerset House go to our Gilbert Collection article on the feature pages.