I am a Scot of Italian extraction and I have have been active in mosaic since 1991 when I commenced study for the professional diploma in Mosaic Design and Production at the Albe Steiner Institute, Ravenna Italy. I have been privileged to have been instructed by, and collaborated with, some of the more prestigious names of the Ravenna mosaic school: master mosaicists such as Santo Sparta`; Sergio Cicognani and, in 1992, was so fortunate to have completed an internship at the studio of Renato Signorini, the patriarch of the modern Ravenna school. My qualification was attained after three years' full time instruction. On graduation I joined the Cooperativa Mosaicisti Studio Ravenna as a mosaic artist until 2008. Here I produced large-scale public art projects for both domestic and foreign markets. I now work independently in Glasgow with occasional stints in Ravenna to teach mosaic and to carry out other short contract work. My work has allowed me to travel extensively in Europe and, more recently, in the United States.
If I have a mission, it is to maintain as far as possible the traditional aspects of mosaic art as it has been taught to me, ensuring technical and artistic innovation elevates the craft, but never denigrates its ancient principles.
In addition to commissioned pictorial translation for which I was trained, I have my own artistic direction. It is more embracing of conceptual, as opposed to representational work, and draws much inspiration from postmodernism. Although currently working alone, I am actively searching for a suitable collaborator with a similar artistic background and goals, with particular interest in the North American market.
If I have a mission, it is to maintain as far as possible the traditional aspects of mosaic art as it has been taught to me, ensuring technical and artistic innovation elevates the craft, but never denigrates its ancient principles.
In addition to commissioned pictorial translation for which I was trained, I have my own artistic direction. It is more embracing of conceptual, as opposed to representational work, and draws much inspiration from postmodernism. Although currently working alone, I am actively searching for a suitable collaborator with a similar artistic background and goals, with particular interest in the North American market.
Where I've been, where I'm going
Paul Zanotti
