Sarah Pryke
Fragments of Africa
Mosaic maker
Lions River, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, South Africa
Mosaic canvases of Africa's wildlife
- Sarah bases her mosaic designs on her deep regional ecosystem research
- Her practice breaks away from traditional conventions, using glass instead of tile
- She works on massive surfaces to lay out her intricate wildlife panoramas
Sarah Pryke runs her mosaic studio, Fragments of Africa, from the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. She spent a decade as an academic research biologist before using art to escape the rigidity of scientific research. "I have always had this innate creative interest," Sarah says. While working in Australia, she took a community class that sparked her obsession with mosaic. Over the years, Sarah's practice became rooted in a trial-and-error philosophy that elevates her pieces to mimic South Africa’s natural scenery. She is self-taught in mosaic, yet she attended painting workshops to learn how to decode the behaviour of light and shadow. Sarah's unique way of assembling glass transforms fragments into sharp and reflective brushstrokes.
Discover her work
INTERVIEW
I made an abstract guineafowl in tile, with a bold orange and red border. I no longer have it, as it was not very well made and did not last very long. The second piece I ever made was a zebra face, which I still have.
Instead of tile, I work glass, which I hand cut into different shapes and sizes. The flexibility of scale allows me to create a sense of realism in my pieces. As glass does not mix like paint, I line different colours right next to each other to fool the eye. Up close, tiny fragments of purples, reds, and greens work together to create a realistic effect.
Nature is my main inspiration, as I grew up in the bushveld near the Kruger National Park on a family farm. Clients occasionally convince me to step outside of my comfort zone and explore different forms, but I am simply not interested in doing abstract art. I am most happy while working on creations influenced by animals and nature.
I never thought my mosaic hobby would turn into a professional practice. Although I always had creative interests, I stuck to science fields. For years, I was committed to trying one new craft annually. And while I never formally learned mosaic art, I have attended painting workshops. I am certainly not a painter, but they helped me learn how to read light and shadow.
