Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeannette Brossart.
Hi Jeannette, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When my sons were toddlers, I was feeling a bit lost in early motherhood and was seeking some creative inspiration and an activity for just me. During one visit to storytime at the Public Library, there was a contemporary mosaic art book on display. I had been thinking about how to tile a backsplash area in my kitchen, and was enthralled with the idea of a custom design. That book helped me get started with the basics of mosaic design and construction, and after a bit of practice, I had people asking how much I would charge for custom projects. My science background contributed to the curiosity and experimental side of trying something new. That was almost 30 years ago, I never thought it would become a full time business.
I moved back to NC in 2005 and boosted my creative teaching skills by working with the Scrap Exchange in Durham, Creating mosaics for juried shows and juried commissions led to some very key opportunities. My largest mosaic to date was created in 2009 for a parking deck in uptown Charlotte. That work took one year and taught me so much about collaboration, contracts, and art as a business. Around that time was also when a local rural school system asked me about doing 9 unique mosaic murals with their Elementary schools, all during one school year. That was a fantastic way for me to learn how to work in classrooms, with many participants at once, with time and materials constraints, and how to make the experience fun, educational, and equitable. Those experiences have led to an incredible array of mosaic projects and connections from Murphy to Ocracoke.
Since then, I have facilitated over 250 school (over 15,000 kids!) and community mosaic projects, and have many public and private mosaic installations, mainly in North Carolina. My most recent Durham public installation is a collaborative entryway sculpture for Merrick-Moore Park, and in Raleigh last Fall, installed a 4 panel mosaic at Lions Park highlighting environmental concerns. I learn something from every project and every interaction.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a creative entrepreneur always has challenges, especially in a niche market. I love working with schools and communities, but the budgets are extremely tight right now, and materials costs continue to escalate. I wish every school and every student could have this creative collaborative opportunity! The first time I was sent a 16 page municipal contract was very scary so I asked for some help with it, and had a great outcome after a bit of negotiation. Learning the administrative side of running a creative business has been a journey, and difficult to be adept at everything needed to be successful; taxes, marketing, accounting, photography/video, social media, contracts, proposals, insurance. These things take more time than the actual art making, which is hard to reconcile sometimes.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Mosaic art has been around for 5000 years. There are many materials, methods, and styles. I really enjoy working with a client or group that has a theme or idea that we can brainstorm together. Not every design will work well in mosaic, the scale, size, and type of construction is extremely important. With a group it is really important to me that participation is equitable and accessible, so often portioning a design for 200 elementary students to complete in one hour classes then means a design must be modified to those ideals. The last kid in the last class should have the same opportunity to participate as the first kid in the first class. If I am completing the mosaic myself, then a more sophisticated design is possible, but then it’s just one person assembling and time is a consideration. I am a planner and very organized with how I approach the work, and find joy in the process of collaborating with others as well as creating alone in my studio. I have found that a balance between the two is really good for me and keeps me interested and wanting to do more, and share more with others.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I have learned to be a creative advocate in the community. I started a group for teaching artists during the pandemic, and we continue to zoom every other week. We share our joys and challenges, also opportunities and art shares. There is so much evidence to support that creativity is an essential part of education, successful communities, and healthy humans, we need more reminders of that. The value of making something with your hands is a very primal touchstone within us and is an essential experience at every age and stage of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mothernaturemosaics.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeannettebrossart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeannette.brossart
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannette-brossart-27100835/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jeannettebrossart6374
