Mosaics, Parc Guell, Barcelona

 Parc Guel was designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi and built between 1900 and 1914 and is part of a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Tip If you visit on a hot day and want a good work out first, go by tube and spend 20 min climbing  a steep hill, if you want to save your energy for the parc which is also on a hill with some steps go by cab or bus.

Gaudí's multicolored mosaic salamander fountain, popularly known as"el drac" the dragon shown above, is near the main entrance  

An enormous terrace is surrounded with curving seating like a giant 

sea serpent, with wonderful views over Barcelona to the sea.


This place was top of my list of places to see in Barcelona and was 

even more amazing than I imagined!  In this post I am just 

highlighting the mosaics. I found the scale of their use and the 

colours and patterns of them inspiring. Many of the mosaics here were the work of Gaudi's collaborator Josep Jujol. for more info click here

Trencandis is a type of mosaic done using broken pieces of tiles and dinnerware, waste products from potteries. Gaudi sourced these from Spanish manufacturers. This technique was used for the first time on the Guel Pavilions  The complex curving shapes could be covered by breaking the pieces even smaller. The colourful mosaics on the serpentine seating are said to be the work of Jujol who also included pieces of glass bottles, broken china from his own dinner services, pieces from a broken porcelain doll and tiles he specially commissioned.

I wrote a post earlier in the year that included mosaics from Kaffe Fassett's exhibition in London. I still have the pieces of a broken mug kept after seeing Kaffe talking about making mosaics from broken china, on TV back in the 80s.  here  
I am feeling inspired to find some other pieces and make something from it now!
I would also like to design a silk scarf with mosaic patterning.

Guell Pavillions

Details from the top of this building are shown below.

Kaffe Fassett – A Life in Colour

Exhibition Dates: 22 March – 29 June 2013

at the Fashion and Textile Museum 83, Bermondsey Street, London

  Click on the first picture to see it larger.

This exhibition is a feast of colour, texture and pattern and brilliantly staged. I visited on a very cold grey day and was pleased to swap the icy winds that whipped past the bottom of the Shard for the warm and colourful interior of the Fashion and Textile Museum. 
I was delighted to find that photography is permitted although  I only had an iphone with me.
 I found the exhibition very inspiring and will let the pictures speak for themselves.

Kaffe Fassett was originally a painter before he worked with textiles. The early part of the exhibition shows some of his paintings.
Paintings, knitwear, needlepoint, tapestry and patchwork quilts are arranged in different spaces making the effect of ever changing stage sets as you move around the exhibition and see different combinations from various angles.
 In the first 2 photos  I am looking through archways back at area showing paintings and forwards to a rich and opulent area clothed with brightly coloured and patterned textile pieces. 

Back in the 80s I remember seeing Kaffe on TV. He was making mosaics from broken china. I was inspired to keep a favourite mug that got broken, I still have the pieces somewhere waiting to be turned into a mosaic sometime!
I like the way the bottom of the mug or jug have been incorporated into this mosaic.

I love these hats patterned with buttons.

PS We had a lovely lunch at Jose's just over the road. It is an authentic Spanish Tapas bar. I have written  a review over on my food blog. click here