Meet Dotti Stone *********** Mosaic Arts Instructor

                                               Dotti Stone
 Artist in residence, Dotti Stone, maintains her studio (Smith Mountain Lake Mosaics) at the Bower Center. Dotti teaches both youth and adult mosaic art
classes.  Dotti relocated to Southwest Virginia in 2007 after many years as a professional photographer in the Washington, D.C. area. She also was the owner/designer of Great Falls Stained Glass Studio where she taught classes and created commissioned pieces of art. Dotti enjoys working with the many
different materials: glass, marble and different tiles, that make up the art of
mosaics.
 Mosaic art can be traced back to the 8th century B.C. in Turkey where pebbles were used. The cubic shapes (tesserae) of mosaic tiles were later
developed as levels of craftmanship increased over the centuries. The Greek, Roman, and Byzantine empires were rich with mosaic art that covered the floors, walls and ceilings in churches, mosques, public buildings, and in homes to symbolize wealth.
 Animals and decorative patterns were the earliest and most frequent subject
matters. They were made with stone pebbles and marble. Later on when glass
was incorporated the pieces became more vibrant and lifelike. Religious and mythological figures were often recreated. The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. contains over 75,000 square feet of mosaics. They were created using techniques that had barely changed in thousands of years. Though the shrine was completed in 1959, embellishments to it continue to this day, including mosaics, many of them shipped from Italy.
Today, mosaics continue to be a beautiful art form with endless possibilities. It is a wonderful past time and an activity the entire family can become involved with creating projects for both home and garden.
                                             Dotti's Fall Mosaic Classes
In September Dotti will begin offering her 'Introduction to Mosaics' and 'Mosaic Techniques'. Each class consists of 8 - 2 1/2 hr. sessions. Dotti's been busy working with the summer arts programs but she's never too busy to answer any questions you may have about her classes. You can stop by the Bower to register early for any one of these classes or email dottie at dottistone@yahoo.com for a class outline, dates and fees.