walking on the wild side...

[Sherdobber]

walking on the wild side is exactly what I'm doing right now and I need a little advice...found this website, so here goes. I just decided to quit my job, with the full support of my husband, and use my art background/hands on 'gumption' and get into tile setting (especially mosaic tilework for showers, fountains etc.) but have absolutely no idea where to begin as far as getting a job. All I know is that this is what I want to do. In Nashville, there are a lot of contractors but there are a few that do really awesome, creative, artistic work...so do I just walk up to them and go 'hey, I want to work for you' and watch them laugh their cahoots off at me because of my minimal experience? I want to learn, I'm very eager and want to get down to it but I'm really green and I want to be respectfull of the craft and I'm not affraid to start out where I need to be to get it done right. Any advice would be great. Thank you very much.

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[e3]

you'll get lots of opinions ,however you might find one of the better tile showroons in your area and see if they will let you tile something (ie: shower) so people can see your work.They get a nice looking install you get your name out there as doing the work!

[Sherdobber]

Thank you, Eric. I'm sure I'll need all the advice that is given. Thank you for taking the time to reply!

[John Bridge]

Hi Sher, Welcome aboard. If that's not close to your name, give us a better one. :)

I want you to send an email to my buddy Eric Rattan. See if he might know someone in the Nashville area. He knows a lot of people. Eric is "cutting edge" when it comes to art and tile setting. He is a tile maker, tile setter, mud man and designer. He lectures all over the globe on those subjects and more.

Here's the kicker, though. He's a beer drinker, and once you get him started he won't quit talking. :D

Tell him I sent ya. eric@santafedesignstudio.com

Check out some of the stuff he does: http://santafedesignstudio.com

[bbcamp]

Dang! Another Tennessean! We might just out-number the Texicans! :D

[Hamilton]

WoW! that guy does some nice work. holy toledo. wow... man thats impressive. thanx for link to his site john. awsome :D im really impressed
to be perfectly honest. ive considered making peices like that in my shop...
that is inspiring. :bow:

[jdm]

Sher --

If that's not a valuable contact, I don't know what is. Phenomenal work.

Good luck.

[tileguytodd]

I have it on good authority that Eric will be At Coverings and will have his own booth.He will be selling tile.(are you drooling yet ??? )
Seeing his work in person should alone make the trip an experiance not soon forgotten.
Now, if we could just teach him to type using 2 fingers instead of 1,right John :D

[Sherdobber]

John,
Thank you so much for the contact...I mean, wow. I'm stunned. I will most certainly email him! I'm a Guiness girl so maybe I can hold my own? :crazy: His work is exaaaaactly the kind of genre I aspire to. Ever since I was in Italy and saw the works there, I knew this is where I needed to be. I can't say thank you enough in email for sending me his info. I am so totally excited! I'll keep you posted.

Sherry (Sher the Dobber) Hunt
Smyrna, TN

[Sherdobber]

Bob,

Hey, that's what 'Volunteers' are for! We Tennesseans always show up to all the good places, usually with the Texans in hot pursuit...but still, what would they do without us?

[Sherdobber]

Jeff,

Thank you for the luck, I appreciate it. And most deffinately a phenomenal contact. Yippee! I'm ready to get to it.

[smee]

Sherry - you may want to check out SAMA. Society of American Mosaic Artists. There is lots of information for you with regards to mosaics and the site can also direct you to other similar orgs around the world.

I don't know if you've had experience with doing mosaics already, if you have some work I'd like to see it.

If you're starting new, and learning I would find a good setter that will teach you setting techniques and also thru Eric or others on SAMA you may find classes you can take to at least get you started.

Awesome choice for a way to spend your time and efforts. It's great fun to do work like this.
And this forum is a fantastic place for you to be as well. So, find a seat and stay a while....these guys are the best.

Good luck. I may be in California - but if you ever need any info, ping me.

:)

Eric makes us all look pedestrian. He's a great guy too!

[John Bridge]

Actually, Eric types quite lengthy emails now. No punctuation and one page-long paragraph. :D

[Eric Philson]

Get a load of that shower & bath pic, 10,000 pieces!!!

[boysmom]

the limestone fireplace gives me something to think of when i try to (someday, hopefully this year!) get to my backsplash!
those carpets are truly gorgeous!!

[John Bridge]

I will, of course, invite Eric, illiterate as he is, to come and read your comments. Don't know if he's progressed enough to actually answer in person, but I'll interpret for him. :D

[John Bridge]

Recieved from Eric: ;)


"Hi John, Thanks for sending along your email. I have been in touch
with sher re: her career plans. Once again I sought to reply and thank
various responders for their kind remarks, but I pushed the " post
reply " button and was informed that i am an outsider and need some
type of password to get in. This is kind of like John Ashcroft's
forum for free speech. Also I am not illiterate, ------- I have spell
check on this machine. Also this is the year 2002 , and you should be
more sensitive to people with disabilities. I have a serious computer
impairment. As for the beer------- well ok you got me . If you all have
a chance to pass through here ( not you Todd, we cancelled your
Wisco/Packer Visa ) Actually I take it back Todd , we'll reinstate the
visa if you agree to a debate on why Randy gets caught with his pants
down, but back to the orig. topic we have a beer here called Lake Louis
which is only avail. in growlers and made in a guys garage in Arena
Wis. and is sometimes made with an alcohol content which will allow
you to impress your friends by igniting your breath and burning off
their eyebrows, and forcing you to consume large amounts of immodium ,
but this beer is also the best I have ever had and I would even share
a growler with a Vikings fan, especially since we have been eating some
humble pie up here since Brett Favre's latest faux pas. So anyway, I
don't have a password but maybe you can pass this on to the forum John,
and I promise I won't bother you with a lot of Packer stuff , but hey
pok'in fun at a guy from Wisconsin who likes his beer well hey that
just doesn't wash. At night we set down an open tall cold one on the
bedside table and in the morning when all the fizz is out we take it
down all at once and that is what we call " Milwaukee OJ " vitamin C
and all. Eric"

[tileguytodd]

Touche' Eric :D
( I for one would never poke fun about anybody from Wisconsin likin thier Beer,or cheese for that matter ;) )

Beer goes particularly well with Bratwurst and Eggs in the morning ive been told :)

[Sherdobber]

Thanks Linda! I'm definately just starting out. I'm just finishing up a table with a friend of mine and starting on a bathroom project in my house to get me going. Doing a lot of reading, research and talking to people. I'm glad I found this website. Right now, getting over the flu. I don't know what it has been like in the rest of the country but TN has been smacked on its back with this. I'm just now getting back on my feet from it.

When I get done with the table, I'll take a digital pic with it and send it along.

[smee]

Awesome Sher - I'd love to see the table.

Hope you feel better!

Take Care -