Artist gets personal with Memory Mosaics
Posted Feb 5, 2010 By Sarah Kelford
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Tweet ThisEMC News - For the past few years, Stittsville resident Caroline Zentner has provided her clients with personalized art through Memory Mosaics.
"They are a series of five-by-five centimeter squares done in coloured pencil. Each square bears a different symbol of that person," said Zentner, who is an art teacher at Sacred Heart Catholic High School.
The memory mosaics began as a project with her Grade 12 students. She then decided to make one for her husband.
"People started to see it and asked me to make them mosaics," she said.
After her first year, Zentner had created at least 30 Memory Mosaics - all from word of mouth.
Now, she has done more than 300. And each are very personal.
The experience begins with 40 brainstorming questions so Zentner and the client can be on the same page. Often clients will send photographs that Zentner can use to create a symbol.
"This puts together my understanding of the person (that the mosaic is for)," Zentner explained. "It's a nice connection with people. The people who commission me to do (a mosaic) for someone, really love that person and are really excited about celebrating the person."
Zentner has been creating art since she was 11. Her mom initially wanted her to play piano, but during her lessons she fell in love with the paintings on the wall and has been creating artwork since.
Even though her Memory Mosaics came as a surprise, Zentner said she enjoys making them and usually only takes six to eight weeks, but has worked on shorter deadlines.
"I've never had to say 'no' to anybody," she noted. "To me, this marries two things, my artistic ability, but the big thing is, I love getting underneath people and finding out about their lives. I love talking to people who are so genuinely love other people. This continually renews my faith in people."
Zentner said the majority of her Memory Mosaics are created for anniversary presents, birthdays, weddings and retirement gifts.
"It's ordinary people, doing ordinary things, but they're so well loved," Zentner said. "I'm so lucky to have found something that suits me so well. This is more than just a pretty picture, it's a meaningful gift for people. I've been really lucky."
For more information visit www.memorymosaics.ca or email Zentner at memorymosaics@rogers.com.
