By Kate Hill
Staff Writer
On Aug. 18, Scott Baker installed a locally crafted floor mosaic inside Kalamata Pita, his casual Greek eatery on Albany Street in Cazenovia.
Local artists Mary Padgett and Leslie Mitchell completed the elaborate work the previous Saturday.
Baker enlisted Padgett’s help last spring to create a mosaic of the restaurant’s logo to replace a large metal grate in the middle of the floor.
Positioned above an obsolete heating system, the 3 feet by 3 feet grate was covered by a floor mat to keep dirt and debris from falling into the basement.
“It was [useless], it was ugly, and it was in the way,” Baker said. “I thought about making a mosaic for the spot in the floor for some time, then I saw Mary’s work on Instagram. I was kind of busy at the time, and I realized that I could either do a decent job or I could ask Mary and have [her do] an excellent job. I’m so happy that I let her take the reins on it, because it is absolutely a piece of fine art.”
Padgett enlisted another Cazenovia artisan, Leslie Mitchell — a ceramic tile and mosaic artist — to help with the project.
The pair started planning in June and began work on July 5.
“I had not done floor mosaics of this size before,” said Mitchell. “I had just done small pieces that were dropped into a tiled floor, but nothing like this.”
Padgett, who had previously only done wall mosaics, described the process as an “ exhilarating learning experience.”
When selecting materials, the artists considered a number of factors, including strength, impermeability, and whether or not the material was rated for commercial use on a floor.
“While we were using the strong materials, we still had to find colors and textures that were going to work with the logo provided to us and be true to what it looked like,” Mitchell said. “It was really interesting, all the different techniques we had to employ to make it work. Some of these tiles are incredibly hard to break; you can’t just snap them off.”
According to Padgett, the clean-edged, geometric shapes were formed using a tile cutter, while the more natural/organic shapes were created with a sledgehammer.
Padgett added that both artists are attracted to the dynamic quality of mosaic.
“We love how it picks up light,” she said. “It will change throughout the day. Some of those pieces are very matte and don’t reflect as much light, while others are polished and shiny. As the daylight changes and the artificial illumination comes on, it will have a dynamic quality. We really wanted to capture that and have it be part of its character, so it really feels alive.”
In addition to benefiting from each other’s perspectives and knowledge, the artists also received input from both of their husbands.
Mitchell’s husband helped the pair determine the specific mortar needed for the project, and Padgett’s husband — a designer — critiqued the arrangement of the tiles.
“It was helpful to have another pair of eyes,” Padgett said. “It kind of took a village, but the process was wonderful. We both enjoyed working on this, and with Scott, very much.”
Located in the former Emma’s Café, Kalamata Pita is owned and operated by Baker and his wife Christine. The eatery offers a number of quick and flavorful lunch and dinner options, including gyros, chicken pita, pork souvlaki, falafel, hummus, fries, salads and homemade sauces.
For the full menu and business hours, visit kalamatapita.com or call 315-655-0669.
