Description
The Misty Layers #1 is a framed mosaic forming an abstract landscape in mineral layers, where pale, bluish, and earthy tones interact with the natural texture of stone and luminous materials.
- Title: The Misty Layers #1
- Artist: Marjolaine Alain
- Year: 2026
- Dimensions: 10 x 10 in
- Medium: Framed mosaic (wood frame)
- Materials: Marble, onyx, granite, glass, mother-of-pearl, and more
- Feature: One-of-a-kind artwork signed on the back
A delicate mineral composition that suggests a misty landscape shaped by horizon, texture, and light.
Creation process
Mosaic is an ancient technique rooted in Greco-Roman traditions and further refined in Italy, where it became a major art form built from tesserae of stone, marble, glass, or ceramic. Created using traditional hand-cutting tools such as the hammer and hardie, it relies on the precise arrangement of shape, colour, and visual rhythm. In the current work of Marjolaine Alain, a mosaic artist represented at Le Vivoir, this historic approach remains fully alive: each fragment is chosen for its own presence, colour, and form, coming together in contemporary compositions where material, light, distance, and structure interact.
Upkeep
Caring for a mosaic is simple and requires no special maintenance. A soft, dry or slightly damp cloth is all that’s needed to remove dust and maintain the materials’ natural lustre. Avoid abrasive products to preserve the integrity of both the surfaces and the grout.
The artist
Marjolaine Alain
St-Bruno-de-Kamouraska
I have been shaping stone for over ten years, with a direct and instinctive approach. My practice is rooted in the Italian mosaic tradition, but has evolved into a personal language. I do everything myself, including the cutting — a demanding process that has become natural.
Stone is at the core of my work for its authenticity, strength, and grounding presence. I also incorporate smalti and various fragments to enrich colour and texture, depending on what the piece calls for. I aim to remove any hierarchy between materials: each tessera is chosen for its shape, colour, and presence — never for its value.
My approach is precise but direct. Over time, I have developed speed, confidence, and intensity.
Mosaic is meant to be seen from a distance, yet I always work up close. At times, I feel sudden impulses, as if I were seeing the work from afar. These moments guide my adjustments.
Stone speaks to me. I assemble, one tessera at a time.
