Heroes & Hearts
Artists
Karen Thompson
I graduated with a BA in Art from San Francisco State in January 1980. My areas of emphasis included textiles and ceramics. After working in wearable art for a few years I established a line of clothing that sold in high end boutiques around the country. This proved satisfying as well as frustrating. I taught myself how to make mosaics as a way to use my creativity which has proven to be much more satisfying and successful.
I founded Archetile in 1987, to design and fabricate mosaics for private, public and commercial clients. Materials and techniques are selected to best suit each commission and its location. Although most Archetile projects are collaborative, I've also created a range of independent works.
As owner of Archetile, I work with architects, landscape designers, interior designers, restaurant designers, business and home owners, conceptual artists, advertising agencies, and arts commissions. The mosaics are found in homes, gardens, restaurants, retail stores, public spaces and religious institutions. The surfaces that I have covered in mosaics include interior and exterior pavements, swimming pools, fountains, ceilings, walls, murals dimensional surfaces, furniture and lighting. The designs vary on every project and range from traditional to modern, abstract, figurative and geometric patterns. Essential to each project is the selection of materials and designs which fit into the local environment and complement the feel of a place. Materials used include a wide assortment of stone, glass, ceramic, semi-precious stone, beads, seashells, metals and gemstones.
