Grout - The Glue that Binds

Others have made the analogy. They have said, "Mosaics are like life." In my opinion, it is not a great analogy, but for the sake of discussion, let us run with it.

Perhaps their point was that all of our lives are made up small parts. We may have the "spouse" part and the "parent" parent. Of course we all have the "child" part and most of us have the "work" part. Humans, being what we are, each contain the "dark" parts and the "light" parts. We have pieces which strikingly contrast with each other, and we have those pieces which share the same tone.

As in an orginal mosaic, no two designs are identical. It would be impossible to find exactly the same pieces, with the same tonal quality and the same shape. To have them placed on the backing material in exactly the same way is also unrealistic. The application and cutting of the tessarae are so unique, that no two works could be the same. As in life, each work is distinctly unique.

The trick of the finished project often lies in the grout. This material binds the pieces together. If the grout is mixed poorly, or if the color of the grout is wrong, the whole project will suffer. Choosing the right grout is the key to success.

Perhaps that is a good goal for our lives - choosing the right stuff to hold all the pieces together. If we choose poorly, the whole work of our lives will suffer. If we have chosen the wrong glue, or have cut the tessarae poorly, or have chosen the colors of the tiles with haste, then the completed work suffers. If the grout is wrong, then even at the end, our lives will be incomplete or less appealing than they could have been.

I have nerely completed the ungrouted piece. Unfortunately, I've run out of the tile color I need to finish. So, I have to wait until they arrive from the supplier. Hence the philosophical musings about life, grout, and trying to finish the piece well.

Put some thought into your grout. It makes or breaks the artwork, your life.