ATM: Art, Tiles, Mosaics... an adventure in creativity

How I got interested in Roman mosaics.

I have a very vivid memory of a field trip to a Roman Villa somewhere in the south of England when I was a child. I remember the remains of some walls perhaps a foot high surrounding some mosaics. One mosaic in particular of stylized plants in blues and greens stands out in my mind. I remember nothing about the rest of the trip, just that flash. I didn't ever actually think actively about that scene, but it must have remained tucked away in some corner of my brain, because when it came to the forefront again a couple of years ago, it was not a surprise to me that it had been lurking there all my life.

Even before I became interested in painting ceramic tiles or collecting them, I was fond of a book in my library on Islamic architecture which of course incorporated photos of tiles and mosaics. I bought it at least thirty years ago and looked at it often over the years, but it did not bring forth that childhood memory. Even when I traveled to Andalucia, Spain because I wanted to see the tiles and mosaics at the Alhambra in Granada and the Great Mosque at Sevilla, I did not think of that mosaic.

But in my first year of classes in the Archaeology Program at UCLA, the students were asked by one of the professors to talk about our specific area of interest. The memory of that mosaic popped into my head and I knew that was why I had signed up for the program. Since then I have developed a true passion for ancient mosaics, particularly from the Roman Empire. This ties in nicely, of course, with my love of tiles. And now, after a lifetime, I know for sure what my mission in life is: to find out anything and everything I can about mosaics and tiles, to immerse myself in that subject. But I don't have a specific goal. Perhaps I will find that as I walk along the path... or maybe there is no goal. It doesn't really matter. I am enjoying my passion, and that is exactly what it is all about.

Postscript:
I lived in Worthing, Sussex when I visited the Villa, so the excavation must have been close by. If anybody has any information about where this might have been I would appreciate hearing from you.