West Lexham Orangery Mosaics
A Celebration of Light, Time, Colour, and Nature
In 2021, Mosaic Memories was commissioned by Edmund Colville to design and create a series of bespoke floor mosaics for the new Orangery at West Lexham Estate, Norfolk. Inspired by the Sun’s trajectory, the cycle of day and night, and the changing of the seasons, these mosaics came to embody natural rhythms shaping life.
Crafted with Carolyn’s harmonious blend of techniques, the mosaics combine opus vermiculatum, natural lines of fracture, and the direct method. Broken pottery, ceramics, clockworks, and glass were repurposed into intricate, flowing designs echoing the organic passage of time. The natural fractures of materials were embraced, preserving their unique shapes to enhance composition. This integrated approach ensured a raw yet seamless connection between material and design, allowing each mosaic to emerge as a sharp yet fluid reflection of process and theme.
A Legacy in Material
Many materials integrated carry deep historical and personal significance. Lady Colville, Edmund’s mother, generously contributed heirloom crockery, archaically shattered and long stored away, now transformed into lasting works of art. As a tribute to her own creative legacy and the beauty of her Shell House, Carolyn felt to include some collected shells of Lady Colville. Additionally, Edmund contributed novel, precision-cut and polished stone, crafted by his late father’s joy, further embedding another layer of family history into the mosaic’s fabric.
To further connect, during renovations at West Lexham, Mosaic Memories repurposed ceramic offcuts from the estate, reinforcing the project’s ethos of sustainability and reclamation.
The Nature Wheel Mosaic
At the heart of the Orangery lies a 3-meter diameter floor mosaic, depicting the solar journey and the interplay of light and shadow throughout the day. The composition reflects the celestial rhythm, symbolizing the ever-turning wheel of time and our place within its grand movement.
Centered on the Sun’s trajectory, this mosaic maps its movement from dawn to dusk. Designed to interact with natural light, its visual tone shifts throughout the day, reinforcing its connection to time’s passage.
The materials—repurposed stained glass, vintage ceramic and mirror fragments, antique clockwork, and elements of farm equipment—were carefully chosen to evoke both time and timelessness, linking past and present. Further enhancing its resonance with the landscape, the mosaic’s alignment integrates it within the natural energy of West Lexham.
The Seasons
Positioned around The Nature Wheel, four smaller mosaics depict the changing seasons, each capturing the transitions of nature throughout the year. Their designs embody the mood and atmosphere of their respective times, incorporating elements which evoke renewal, abundance, transformation, and dormancy. One piece, created under the dim light of winter, carries the subtle influence of the season’s quietude, while another radiates the vibrancy of summer through dynamic pattern and texturing. Each mosaic carries a personal artistic touch, informed by both the natural world and the creative impulse of the moment.
The Alchemic Symbols
As ushers to The Nature Wheel and Seasons, four 1.4m² elemental mosaics—dedicated to Water, Earth, Fire, and Air—promenade the entrance to the Orangery. Inspired by alchemical symbolism and Sanskrit wording, these mosaics bridge ancient belief, craftsmanship, and modern sentiment, grounding the space in both spiritual and physical balance.
Each element was meticulously crafted to emphasize the interplay between time, nature, and human impact. The designs incorporate a variety of textures and materials, chosen to reflect the movement and character of each element. Among them, a beautiful heart shaped carnelian and keyhole centred in Earth, and a striking salamander figure, embedded within Fire, to invoke endurance and transformation—two of the many subtle, personal flourishes calcified into the artwork.
The River Nar and Natural Harmonies
For Carolyn, the entire mosaic arrangement was set within a landscape rich with natural and energetic significance. Directly in front of the Orangery, the River Nar flows east to west, while a ley line, divined along the north-south axis, further roots the space and the artistic process within the natural movements of water and sublime energy.
This positioning invites visitors to experience a harmonious balance between land, sky, and flowing water, reflecting the mosaic’s themes of time, transformation, and elemental forces.
A Legacy of Art and Sustainability
This project embodies both West Lexham Estate’s and Mosaic Memories’ ethos—where art, ecology, and heritage intertwine. Through the thoughtful use of intentional and reclaimed materials, these mosaics serve as timeless tributes to the rhythms of nature and the cycles shaping existence.
Visitors are invited to walk upon these mosaics, experience the play of light across the surfaces, and reflect on their own connection to the earth, elements, and the passage of time.
Carolyn has a deep connection with the River Nar and the surrounding land, flora, and fauna. Mosaic Memories is honoured to have contributed this deep and lasting work of art to the legacy of West Lexham and the Nar valley landscape.
