Opus Femina: Women's Works A Stunning Exhibition of New Mosaic Work by Norma Vondee and Aliyahgator

Single mother Norma Vondee gave up her job as a inner city teacher when she found her self divorced and pregnant at 40. She fell back on her creativity and began to make and sell mosaics, something that she had started doing as a hobby. 20 years later with her son grown up and moved out, and she has become an internationally renowned artist, representing Great Britain last year at the prestigious Chartres Biennale. Her clients include Faberge, Disney, Kensington Palace and numerous others. Her chic and decorative mosaic installations can be seen from Venice to LA .

"It is very fitting that the new exhibition is in Walthamstow", Norma says, as Walthamstow was the home of William Morris, founder of the Arts and Crafts movement. Mosaics are primarily concerned with decorative and surface arts, as was the Arts and Crafts Movement, and artists have the opportunity to play with a wide range of materials and textures from glass and ceramics to marble and stone.

Exhibiting with her is her student, the up and coming mosaicist, Aliyah Owen, aka Aliyahgator. Aliyahgator has studied with Norma for three years. "I like to help other women," says Norma. "Watching Aliyah begin to develop and find her own artistic voice has been very rewarding."

"It is great to be exhibiting in Walthamstow, with a sense that women are continuing to lead the new crafts revolution. We are making crafts in our own homes and studios, but today we are also running businesses and becoming industry leaders."

Based on information supplied by Aliyah Owen.