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Page 3 - The Shards of Knowledge

Consider this your friendly heads-up: this blog is a work in progress. Isn’t Everything? I have been attempting to make this part of our sites for a long time. I have so much written content to add, and now is the time for me to make it a regular habit. Articles will appear as I finish them, revise them, rethink them, and occasionally decide they deserve to be torn apart and rebuilt, just like a real mosaic.

I’m Kim Wozniak—mosaic artist, owner of WitsEnd Mosaic, MosaicSmalti.com, and Smalti.com. Along with my daughter, Crystal, and son Jesse, our family has been running this business for over two decades. Our recipe is simple—quality materials, fast, dependable service, honest answers, and showing up for the mosaic community the way they’ve always shown up for us.

This blog follows the same approach. You’ll find practical advice, product breakdowns, explanations that actually make sense, and the kind of real-world tips that come from years of cutting, gluing, grouting, and occasionally muttering under my breath at a stubborn piece of smalti. Keep in mind something I say in every class I teach. “If you ask 10 Mosaic artists how to do something, you’ll get at least six different answers.” Mosaic Art is a continuous learning experience, and every day we learn something new is a good day!

Content will fill in over time. Keep checking back—or subscribe—because there’s a lot more coming.

  1. Selecting a Grout Color
    Getting to Know Grout
    Selecting a Grout Color
    April 28, 2021
    Selecting a grout color can often be the scariest part of any mosaic project. It can make or break your final result. Like...
  2. Types of Grout
    Getting to Know Grout
    Types of Grout
    April 28, 2021
    Grout comes in 4 basic forms:  Sanded, Unsanded, Premixed and Epoxy Based. Sanded grout is the best all-around choice for...
  3. Wood and Wood Composites
    Selecting Mosaic Surfaces
    Wood and Wood Composites
    February 12, 2021
    Wood - Although wood is readily available one must proceed with caution when selecting this as a base material. Wood is vulnerable...
  4. Concrete, Brick, etc.
    Selecting Mosaic Surfaces
    Concrete, Brick, etc.
    February 11, 2021
    Concrete - Concrete is an ideal surface to apply mosaics and comes in many forms, from garden pavers and birdbaths to buildings...
  5. Glass as a Substrate
    Selecting Mosaic Surfaces
    Glass as a Substrate
    February 10, 2021
    Glass - Glass makes a great stable weather-resistant surface to work on, and if you are using translucent materials you can...
  6. HardiBacker & Cement Board
    Selecting Mosaic Surfaces
    HardiBacker & Cement Board
    February 10, 2021
  7. Grout Clean-up & Storage
    Getting to Know Grout
    Grout Clean-up & Storage
    December 30, 2020
    Now that you’re done, it's time to clean up.  If you used a disposable container to mix in, simply toss it in the garbage....

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