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-metre diameter floor mosaic, depicting the solar journey and the interplay of light and shadow throughout the day. The composition reflects celestial rhythm, symbolising the ever-turning wheel of time and our place within its movement.
Centred 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.
The Seasons
Positioned around The Nature Wheel, four smaller mosaics depict the changing seasons, each capturing transitions throughout the year. Their designs embody the mood and atmosphere of their times, incorporating elements evoking renewal, abundance, transformation, and dormancy.
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.
Each element was crafted to emphasise the interplay between time, nature, and human impact. Among them, a heart-shaped carnelian and keyhole centred in Earth, and a salamander figure embedded within Fire, invoke endurance and transformation.
The River Nar and Natural Harmonies
For Carolyn, the mosaic arrangement was set within a landscape rich with natural 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 natural movements of water and land.
This positioning invites visitors to experience a balance between land, sky, and flowing water, reflecting the mosaic’s themes of time, transformation, and elemental motifs.
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 intentional and reclaimed materials, these mosaics serve as lasting 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 work to the legacy of West Lexham and the Nar valley landscape.
