Valentine Mosaics

Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral. Small pieces, normally roughly cubic, of stone or glass of different colors, known as tesserae, (diminutive tessellae), are used to create a pattern or picture.

I made mosaic valentines  with my first graders today.
They are so pretty and festive! Mine is below. Lots of fun, and some made two or three hearts.

Sometimes not only church interiors, but façades were also decorated with mosaics. In Italy, like in the case of the St Mark's Basilica in Venice (mainly from the 17-19th centuries, but the oldest one from 1270–75, "The burial of St Mark in the first basilica"), the Cathedral of Orvieto (golden Gothic mosaics from the 14th century, many times redone), and the Basilica di San Frediano in Lucca (huge, striking golden mosaic representing the Ascension of Christ with the apostles below, designed by Berlinghiero Berlinghieri in the 13th century). I've been blessed with having seen all three of these churches! Amazing.

I made a heart within a heart. Jesus has my heart.
and...hey,  97 days of making art!