Funded by Canada Council for the Arts and in development now for over two years, the Patchworked process has been a labour of love (in which we questioned our sanity at every step). After making our final selections from the “tile farm,” we spent many days packing them and a stressful three months waiting for the uninsurable shipment of the tiles to arrive from Lisbon.
Since that initial phase, many followed, starting with designing the mural as a whole, which took on several forms before its finalization. As we worked with the tiles we thought back to the streets of Lisbon. There, when tiles broke off the walls of buildings, they would be replaced with other tiles—often completely different in colour and vintage. Sometimes they were even replaced by the painted stencils of tiles in their place. It created a sort of patchwork on the walls of the city, indicating the layers of time. As we arranged our collection at our studio in Vancouver, another kind of patchwork emerged.
The next many steps included washing, photographing, numbering, cutting, stamping, magnetizing, packing and shipping. Many of the tiles were also refired with 24K gold decals for some lucky finders. By the end, we had formed a relationship with each piece, making their imminent gifting all the more personal.
24K gold decals
Planning decal arrangements
Applying magnets
Another uninsurable trip back East
