Artist of the Week- Callas Mosaics!

What's your real name? How did you come up with your shop name?

My real name is Carla Dake. My father-in-law always used to call me Calla. He was born in Alabama. He hadn't lived there for years, but still had a accent. 1949...you guessed it, was the year I was born! My father-in-law passed away 10 years ago.

What inspired you do create your first mosaic?

I had sold a few things on Ebay and one day saw some mosaics. I thought they were so pretty. That started it. That was 2-3 years ago. I never read any how to books but got on a couple mosaic groups on Ebay. Through discussions I learned how to make them. This year for Christmas, I got a couple mosaic books. If it wasn't for the mosaic groups on Ebay and Etsy, I never would have learned the right way to do it.

Has mosaic art lead you to any other art forms/been a lead to any other passions?

I have tried a couple resin pieces. I'm looking forward to making a mosaic with tempered glass. I also want to make some small mosaics.

Where does your inspiration come from?

My inspiration comes from everything around me. I love reading quotes and my all time favorite one is..."Everything Has Its Beauty..But Not Everyone Sees It!" I don't remember who wrote that but that pretty much sums it up. I have those words on my wall in my living room.

Do you have any mosaic daydreams?...... is there one thing that you dream of being able to create someday?

I have this daydream that one day something will come to me in the form of a mosaic and it will be brilliant! LOL! I never know what I'm making...till I do it. I don't draw anything out. Say I want to do a frog. I will sit the frog on my table then walk around and look at all my dishes. I will pull the ones I think will look good together.

Is being an artist your full-time job? What other jobs or hobbies consume your time?

Being an artist is my hobby. I own a packaging company. We sell packaging supplies to various companies. I have always been somewhat creative. I have worked in a antique/upholstery shop. At that time I custom mixed stain colors, sold antiques and fabrics. I repaired frames. I have worked with silk flowers and decorated for complete weddings. All the arrangements for the bride plus all the decorations for the hall. I also love to cook! I get that from my grandmother! She was a wonderful cook. I also work outside in my gardens. I don't mind getting my hands dirty!

Tell us ,briefly, about your family.

I'm married! When I was living in my first apartment with my cousin, this guy downstairs invited me down for dinner. He was very nice but to make this short...I married his brother. They were living together, downstairs. This year it will be 40 years. It truly does seem like yesterday! We have one daughter. She will be 34 this year. We moved up here 3 years ago. We added on to his mothers house and she lives on the other side. She comes over for supper almost every night. Our daughter is going to move up here. Her company moved out so soon as she sells her house, she will come up here to live. She isn't married...yet!

Do you have one or two creations that have been favorites?

I think the things I like to make the best are birdhouses. I entered a birdhouse contest last year. It was for the Pittsfield Garden Club, in Massachusetts. They sent out 50 birdhouses. Of these 50, 12 were judged and selected by a panel of professional artists to be featured in the 2009 Legacy Banks calendar. Mine was one of the 12. These 12 were auctioned off. The money went to the garden club, to use on projects to beautify the town. A lady in one of the mosaic groups on Ebay, used to live there and told us about the contest.

I think the fairy house I just completed for the "Winged Challenge," is my best piece yet. I had such a good time making it!

To see more work from Callas Mosaics, please visit Carla's Esty shop by clicking here: Callas Mosaics