I’ve just finished my latest mosaic project, a chiminea. I purchased the chiminea in July 2019 but I spend several months contemplating the design. I finally decided on a dragon design for the top. The dragon is hovering in swirling smoke. The bottom of the chiminea is intended to look like flames started by the dragon.
Everything was done with hand-cut glass tiles. Because the piece is designed for outdoor use, the tiles are adhered with thinset mortar. I started working on the project in early November 2019. While I couldn’t work on it every day and took time off for the holidays, it took about two months to complete.
Below is a photo gallery to see the step by step progress of the project.
That chiminea is outstanding! Can you still build a fire in it or will tiles pop off with the heat?
Thanks Chris. The tiles are applied with thin-set mortar, which is typical for outdoor uses. Most mortar is fireproof to some extent. There is tile cement specially formulated for use in high temperature conditions, but I did not use that in this case. I also think heating and cooling might cause the clay to expand and contract. I worked too hard on this chiminea to risk building a fire in it and have the tiles pop off. That’s fine with me as it was only intended to be an art piece. I’m sure with some care and the right materials it could be done.