Gary Drostle

alt=Fishpond Mosaic designed by Gary Drostle and made by Gary Drostle and Rob Turner in 1996 for Croydon Council, UK. Fishpond Mosaic designed by Gary Drostle and made by Gary Drostle and Rob Turner in 1996 for Croydon Council, south London. Gary Drostle (born 1961) is a British artist specialising in public art, sculpture and mosaic as well as mural painting and drawing. He was also President of the British Association for Modern Mosaic, a lecturer at The Chicago Mosaic School. and is on the editorial board of Andamento the Journal of Contemporary Mosaics.

Early years and education

Born in Woolwich, London, United Kingdom, the son of Docker and Trade Union activist Frederick Drostle. He studied art at the St Martin's School of Art (1979) and Hornsey College of Art (1980–1983) (now Middlesex University) where he undertook a Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art).

His graduate work was selected for the Christie's 'Pick of the New Graduate Art' exhibition in 1984.

Public Art career

Haringey Hospitals Mural Project

After leaving art college in 1984 he worked on a Government employment program creating murals for Haringey Hospitals.

In 2006 he received a Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust

Notable works alt=The River of Life Mosaic at the University of Iowa Campus Recreation and Wellness Center designed and made by Gary Drostle in 2010. The River of Life Mosaic at the University of Iowa Campus Recreation and Wellness Center designed and made by Gary Drostle in 2010.

(1987) The History of the Peoples Palace – Series of eleven Keim Murals painted in the West Corridor, Alexandra Palace, Muswell Hill, London, UK. (1989) Love Over Gold Mural - Keim wall mural on the side of Outset UK disability training centre (now Cockpit Arts Deptford). (1994) Sutton Heritage Mosaic - Porcelain Mosaic in Sutton Town Square, commissioned by London Borough of Sutton, UK. (1998) Gloucester Trade Trail Mosaics - A series of eleven floor mosaics for Northgate and Southgate in Gloucester, UK. (2000) One Town That Changed The World - Gable end mural depicting the Industrial Heritage of Dartford in Kent, UK. (2006) The De Luci Fish Roundabout - 7.5-metre high glass mosaic clad sculpture of three entwined fish created for Bronze Age Way in Erith, London, UK. (2010) The River of Life Mosaic - Large ceramic floor mosaic created for the entrance lobby of the CRWC building University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. (2015) A Walk Along The California Seashore - Series of ten mosaic panels set in bespoke terrazzo floor for the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford, Palo Alto, CA

Awards alt=The De Luci Fish mosaic sculpture Erith roundabout, Kent, UK by Gary Drostle. The De Luci Fish mosaic sculpture Erith roundabout, Kent, UK by Gary Drostle. Rouse Kent Award 2007

(2006) The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Award for craft excellence and development, Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (2007) The Rouse Kent Award for Public Art, Awards for Public art in Kent: The Erith De Luci Fish Sculpture (2013) Mosaic Arts International, Tacoma, Best in Show Award, The Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA, USA. (2014) Mosaic Arts International, Houston, Contemporary Innovation Award, The Williams Tower Gallery, Houston, TX, USA (2014) Prix Picassiette – Award Prize, Recontres Internationales de Mosaîque, Chartres, France (2019) 5th Annual FCI Awards, Winner in the Commercial Tile and Stone installation category.

Publications

'A Celebration of British Craftsmanship' - by Karen Bennett, Impress Publishing 2018 'Andamento', vol 13 2019 - Journal of Contemporary Mosaic published by the British Association for Modern Mosaic - - 'Away from the Gallery - Gary Drostle, large scale mosaics' by Helen Miles. 'Groutline' Fall 2018, vol.19 No.4, Journal of the Society of American Mosaic Artists, 'Creating California in a London Studio' article by Shawn Newton. 'Mosaïque Magazine', July 2016 vol 12 - 'The large-scale mosaics of Gary Drostle' by Renée Malaval. 'Masters of Mosaic' by Oliver Budd, 2014 The Crowood Press Ltd . 'Mosaic Art Today' by Jeffrey B. Snyder, Schiffer Press 2012,