Jerry discussed the ancient art of mosaics, which goes back 4,000 years and can be found on the walls and floors of churches and other ancient ruins. She described the technique of mosaic art which uses both stone and pieces of glass, called tesserae. She focused on the mosaic art in the Basilica San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy which dates back to 547 AD. She showed photographs of the huge mosaics on the walls which depicted religious and political figures and scenes. These were created using the direct method of applying pieces of glass and stone directly to the surface of the wall using damp mortar.
Included in the photos was a section of a larger mosaic which featured a tortoise and a heron. Jerry used this small section as a model to create a mosaic tray that she made for an art project that she completed in 2013. She noted that the hammer and chisel she used to break glass into tesserae are the same tools used in 500 AD, and that the heron and tortoise image is as appropriate now in the Low Country as it was back then.
