Gloucester Treasure: Born to Dance . . . Movement in Slate at Tessera Tile and Stone

Made entirely of slate gathered from around the world by ceramic and stone artist Eric Rattan and reminiscent of the movement, scale, and passion of Picasso's Guernica, this 12' w x 8' h triptych (Guernica is 25'w x 11'h) Born to Dance was not something I was expecting to see when I walked into Tessera Tile and Stone on Bass Avenue in Gloucester this afternoon. 

Molly Andrew of Tessera
Tile with her hands on the
warm countertop that
demonstrates to the touch
the comfort of radiant
heat under tile.

My Cape Ann painter friend Anna Comolli had told me that I would see materials at Tessera Tile that I wouldn't see anywhere else and she was right. Not only do Molly Andrews and Dennis Bryant have a full range of exquisite tiles in glass, porcelain, and ceramic, they attract and represent the work of accomplished artists like Eric.

To extract a piece from Eric's website santafedesignstudio.com, "The Indian, Chinese, Brazilian and Pennsylvania slate mosaic Born To Dance was created from slate, garnets, and micaceous slates. The mosaic loosely portrays the teachings of Paracelsus, a sixteenth century alchemist, philosopher, mystic, astronomer and physician. The mosaic also reflects the commonality and potentiality of the components of our universe. In this case, the slates coming out of the ground closely relate to our above ground earthly environs and to what we see in the sky . . . Depending on the size of the commission, 300 to 2000 stones are washed and sealed, then scattered at random about the room. It is a challenging process to explain that the picture is already there on the rocks: creative selection will allow the picture to develop and reveal itself, piece by piece. It involves watching and listening so that the stones can guide the picture along using the artists hand and eye to audition each stone and execute an image that is preconceived but not completely finished or assembled. No preliminary sketches are made or offered."

It was very clear to me after spending just a few moments in Tessera Tile and Stone that Molly and Dennis are artists themselves, dedicated to creating beauty not only in every display in their showroom but also as catalysts for creativity in the community. They offer workshops, family craft days, and design support so that customers can Dream • Design • Create their way to tile and stone solutions that express the individual style and aesthetic of each customer. Vision to creation. So the next time you've got a flooring, wall, or back splash to tackle, you should drive up to Gloucester and get inspired!

Tessera Tile and Stone is located at 90 Bass Avenue, Gloucester MA 01930, Telephone: 978-515-7223