Mosaic Tile Project – Gaudi Comes to Ladbroke Grove

By Audrey Patterson

A 66-year-old Londoner has created a Gaudi-inspired mosaic in her garden, with tiles donated by Tile Giant following her request.

The creative lady got in touch with the retailer to ask for some broken tiles, as she needed a creative boost in lockdown.

Touched by her request, Tile Giant sent Denise 60 brand new tiles in multiple colours. The design of the mosaic was inspired by the work of celebrated Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi who used colourful tiles extensively in many of the iconic buildings he created in Barcelona, Spain.

The design of the mosaic was inspired by the work of celebrated Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi who used colourful tiles extensively in many of the iconic buildings he created in Barcelona, Spain.

Former civil servant Denise explains, “I’ve always loved Gaudi and the sunny colours he uses, though I’ve never been to Barcelona myself. I wanted some sunshine in my life and this has provided it.”

Denise, who walks with the help of crutches due to long-term knee problems, says making the mosaic, which depicts sunshine, proved a welcome respite from the challenges of lockdown.

“Exhilarating once I got started”

She explains, “I’ve always been quite creative, and used to draw every day but lockdown really drained me of any desire to do anything creative at all. So, doing this project came at just the right time and really gave me a boost.

It was really exhilarating once I got started on it. I know it’s nowhere near perfect: I can see all the mistakes, but I don’t mind them. It was the best I could have done. I’m just chuffed that it’s stayed on the wall so far.”

Initially, Denise got a helping hand from her husband of 48 years. Alan, 67, plastered a 5ft by 4ft area of the wall the mosaic appears on.

Denise now relishes the chance to sit in the garden of her ground-floor flat, admiring her handiwork, though she bears the scars to show for her efforts.

She explains, “Before this I’d never cut a tile in my life. I had to learn how to do it by trial and error – and it left me with plenty of cuts and bruises. I got a huge sense of achievement when I finished it.

“It gives me so much joy to look at”

“It may not be a masterpiece, but it gives me so much joy to look at. It brings me a ray of sunshine every time I sit outside and have a cup of tea. The current pandemic has given us the worst of times, but it’s brought out the very best in people, so thank you Tile Giant.”

Tile Giant Managing Director James Heese commented, “Lockdown has been hard for many people. We’re glad to learn that working on the project gave Denise a real boost during these challenging times.

“As a business we were really touched by Denise’s request and were very happy to give a helping hand to Ladbroke Grove’s answer to Gaudi.”