Numbers Are for Sissies - Mosaic Clock Face

Although my day job finds me heavily ensconced in the digital realm, and I confess to a feeling of horror and dread at the thought of being anywhere without my PDA, I do retain a certain fondness for antiquated technology if it doubles as a functional canvas. And since, in my household, we possess the skill of telling time in the erstwhile fashion (without numbers), I'm fond of clocks with moving parts.

I've always thought that a mosaic clock would be interesting, hence the inspiration for the project featured here. My concern was that a glass face might render the clock too heavy to hang. Also, since this project was something of an experiment, I figured best not to invest too heavily in clock parts. So, with a lightweight, cheap wall clock in hand, I set about to make it my own. Given that the desired result was achieved, (and yes, the clock keeps time after dismantling and re-assembly), I'll likely create a fully customized variation next time around.

In terms of design notes, to offset the design produced by the stained glass pieces, I've used fragments of clear safety glass as the backdrop. Some time ago, I discovered quite by accident that safety glass naturally breaks into wonderful shapes, perfect for filling out a mosaic. Although I preferred the clean edges produced by simply breaking the safety glass for this project, these fragments can also be softened through grinding. The technique, sharp or softened, appears in a lot of my work. I find it's an effective way to keep a mosaic from looking overwhelmingly busy.