Artisan of the Month Mo Hart AKA Mo Saics

 

 

 

 

• Tell us a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, and personal stuff).  

My name is Mo Hart and I currently live in Satwa, Dubai. Im 44 years, married to Sean with four children. Before Dubai we lived and worked in Brunei for approx 8 years with a 2 year gap in UK. Before that I worked as a teacher in Kenya for 3 years (where I met Sean) and before that I worked in Tanzania for 2 years as a VSO, before that I taught in London. I did a degree in Art and Art history at Manchester Polytechnic and then a PGCE to teach at Charlotte Mason College of Higher Education! in Ambleside, Lake District

 

• What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from? 

Lots of things inspire me and give me ideas: the prints, jewellery and colours from when I was in Africa I often use old photos from there. The thick many greens of the jungle and the muddy rivers in Brunei. Mosaic books with amazing mosaics, Gaudi for obvious reasons, kandinsky for colours, Andy Goldsworthy for wonderful art using found and natural objects Jeannie Baker for her collage books, especially Window which I love and led me to do a series of mosaics and collages of views from my own windows. Textiles, jewellery I see, magazines and kitchen pottery which Im always accidentally breaking to put into mosaics. Think that almost covers it!

 

 

• Greatest claim to fame (with respect to your craft) 

Being interviewed about my mosaics on City 7 tv because my children asked if that meant I was famous now!  

 

• Where were you born  ? 

Born in Leicester, UK.

 

 

• How long have you been doing your craft ?  

Been creating mosaics for about 7 years before that was mostly collageing.

 

   

• How did you learn your craft  ? 

Learnt through a course in Brunei run by a friend and once completely hooked used books and experimentation to learn more.

 

 

• Favourite film of all time  ?  

Favourite film of all time Educating Rita Have watched it at least 30 times and it still makes me laugh.

 

 

• What was the last CD you bought ?  

Music for productivity and motivation( I recently did a course called the Listening Plan for auditory development !)

 

 

• Are you married ?  

Yes, my Husband Sean works at Dubai Womens college.

 

    

• Do you have kids ?  if so please tell us more about them 

Children are Anna 11, Katie 9, Joe 7, and Evie 3. Annas now at DESC and others are at Horizon School. They all love mosaics too and really like helping me break things to use and find shiny things on the floor for mosics.

 

 

• How long have you been in the UAE ? 

Been in Dubai for 3 years and will probably stay another 3. 

 

 

• Do you belong to any other groups ? 

Belong to a book club.

 

 

• What are your favourite materials? 

Favourite media- multi media, stained glass, metal, wood, broken crockery, shiny smooth glass and shiny objects found, paua shell, coloured mirrors, pebbles, plain glass and pictures/photos and tiles obviously.

 

 

• What is your favourite colour?  

Favourite colour cherry red (especially in combination with lime, aqua or cream)

 

 

• What are you reading right now? 

2 books on the go Arthur and George Julian Barnes and The Red Tent Anita Diamant ( which have read before and really loved)

 

 

• Any tips on selling handmade stuff? 

If youre selling crafts dont under price, really think about how much time you spend on making things and think of the minimum you could let it go for especially if you really like it, even if youre not very good at looking at your craft as a profitable business. Package your things as nicely as possible think it makes a difference to what people will spend

 

 

• Apart from creating things, what else do you do? 

Work as a learning support teacher at Horizon School

 

• Your star sign  

Pisces

 

 

 

• How can ARTE be improved ? 

Think Arte is run pretty well to be honest. I have no complaints. Would be nice to achieve the high profile and many extras of June Soukh every month to make it a well known and popular event for every month, but am fully aware that would need a lot more work and money. I really like the mix of people and crafts. Despite Al Ghazal not being so well known I think other malls could swamp the Soukh rather than enhance it and they may restrict what is sold more which would be a shame.

 

Mo can be contacted via Email at mo-saics@hotmail.com