Young girl's collection turned into mosaic art

As a little girl, Paulene Attard used to hoard large amounts of beached glass, pebbles, broken china, shells and anything similar that she came across, convinced that she would be able to draw them all together into something she could convincingly call art.

Her obsession with mosaics paid off and her unusual exhibition, titled Vitality In Colour, is being held at The Gallery at the Corinthia Palace Hotel, San Anton.

The exhibition, which will run until October 28, is a collection of mounted mosaics and vases, among others, put together by the self-taught artist.

Mosaics came along in quite an unusual way for Ms Attard, when a bag of thrashed swimming pool tiles were given to her. Five years of solid work later, her works now adorn many homes and gardens.

She held her first exhibition in 2002 and her 65-piece collection was sold out.

The media she uses are diverse and sometimes unusual. They range from stained glass to stainless steel, gold and silver leaf, broken crockery, ceramics, cutlery, pebbles, shells and any objects that complement her art.

What makes her art a beautiful visual experience is her attitude towards her work. Through a painstakingly slow and laborious process, she starts every project with a vision that the large amounts of shards will eventually form a unique mosaic - a one-off piece of art.

Ms Attard covers a variety of themes in her work, though subjects such as marine life, landscapes and animals are predominant.

Mosaic bursts with colour and vitality, and Ms Attard states that it is this vitality in colour that gives her the inspiration for the subjects of her work. Her extensive travels to various exotic locations have also contributed to her vivid expression.

"I am in love with life, and the colours that make up my life. My positive attitude is clearly reflected in my work and I think that over the years, my mosaics have brightened up people's homes and lives - I am delighted to be responsible for it."

The exhibition will be open daily for viewing between Monday and Friday, 6 to 8 p.m. and on the weekend between 10 a.m. and noon, and from 6 to 8 p.m. The artist will be present daily.