Although the work shown in my Judaica webpages are all fabricated to be hung on a wall, I'm very interested in collaborating on architectural and other decorative / spiritual art projects. The information laid out below is nearly identical to my terms for architectural mosaics. If your project is for a wall-hanging, I'm happy to tailor the terms in that way as well.

Here's How to Commission My Work

To initiate a custom project, please simply call or email me. I can be reached by phone at 1-505/583-2180 or by email at mosaics66@cybermesa.com.

Initial Consultations

My initial exploratory consultations are free of charge (apart from possible expenses, such as travel). At this stage, we both need to figure out whether your need/desire and my skills mesh. We'll discuss theme, the space involved, colors, decor, style, timeframe, expenses. If after three consultations, we've still not established a concrete plan, I charge $60/hour (billed at 20 minute increments) plus travel time, if required, for consultation or design meetings.

How I Work with Clients

Once a project plan is agreed upon, I prepare a contract, including a preliminary estimate of costs. I am meticulous and detail oriented. I work on one project at a time to give full attention to that client's needs. I guarantee my work and strive to ensure that you will be fully satisfied with the result.

I suppliment face-to-face client contact with liberal use of the Internet, by creating private webpages to which I post digital imagery of sketches. I find this streamlines communication and keeps often complex projects moving along toward nicely.

End Products -- Architectural

Mosaics are focal points in an architectural setting or amidst conventional tile. Depending on the project, I can deliver meshed mosaic ready to install with conventional tile, or I can do the installation myself or with help. We plan toward the specific end from the beginning, since it might affect factors such as thickness or type of clay used.

Technical Expertise

I've written a detailed description of how mosaics are made. See technical details.

I stay current in materials and trends, but I also have a "silent partner" to consult if I cannot answer logistical questions myself. He's an accomplished artisan, welder (years in the nuclear industry), wood-craftsman (furniture-making and home construction), and a superb technical problem-solver.

Pricing

I'm most comfortable cost-estimating projects based on time and materials. I charge $25/hour plus expenses. Mosaics are gorgeous, but labor-intensive, and therefore time-consuming to prepare. Typically, an average architectural mosaic project runs about $ 200/per square foot.

To cover the myriad creative (and more mundane) time involved in executing a mosaic project, I also charge a 15% artist's fee. This covers tasks such as glaze-fabrication, kiln-loading and unloading, rescaling designs, preparing drawings to show, and so forth.

Additional costs might include installation (charged at $25/hour labor plus expenses, such as scaffolding if required), traveling to an installation site, costs of transporting the work to the site, modest lodgings and expenses if working more than 100 miles from home, any additional insurance required for shipping, truck rental, and so forth, and substrates (cement-based hardie-backerboard or plywood).

Deposit

I require a 50% deposit for projects under $5000. For projects over $ 5000, a 25% deposit is required. On such projects, once a design is approved by the client, an additional 25% is required, unless otherwise stated in the contract.