Marcelo José de Melo is a Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

ian artist. He was born in Apucarana

Apucarana

Apucarana is a municipality in the state of Paraná in Brazil, located at coordinates . The municipality covers at an elevation of above mean sea level. Its 2008 population was estimated as 120,133.- Transportation :The city is served by Cap...

, Paraná

Paraná (state)

Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...

, and lives and works in Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

, the Netherlands. (Naturalised British in 2003).

Marcelo de Melo has been living in Europe since 1996. In Brazil, he worked in the theatre as a professional actor, lighting designer and stage manager. He took part in several productions for Teatro Guaíra

Teatro Guaíra

The Teatro Guaíra Cultural Centre is a state-run cultural institution located in Curitiba, Paraná.Its building, located at Santos Andrade square, shelters about three thousand seats in three different auditoria, being one of the largest Concert Halls in Latin America.Some of the artists' groups...

, in Curitiba

Curitiba

Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...

. Since his arrival in Europe he developed a keen interest in mosaic

Mosaic

Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...

 art. From 1998 to 2005, he was based in Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

, Scotland, where he carried out most of his mosaic production. He is best known for his ‘structural mosaic technique’ (tesserae used as structural elements as well as surface embellishment) and one of his structural works, called ‘Running Rug’ was awarded the Juror’s Prize at the SAMA - Earth Elements Exhibition in Miami in 2003. De Melo travelled worldwide visiting museums and archaeological sites in pursuit of his passion for mosaics and art in general. He went on a study trip to South East Asia in 2002/2003 and produced an article on mosaic art in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam published in Grout Magazine (BAMM - UK) and in A Tessela Brazilian Mosaic Magazine (AMPAP). He has exhibited in several countries including Brazil, France, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. Several of his works have been featured in books and magazines worldwide. His production is now varied ranging from sculptures to paintings and collages.

The book De Kunst van het Mozaieken (ISBN 9058777391) jointly written with Greet Weitenberg is his latest contribution to mosaics. It was published in the Netherlands in January 2010 by Forte Uitgevers BV.

"In the irreverent world of Marcelo de Melo, mosaics are a launching point for his ideas and perceptions. Pushing the boundaries of traditional techniques, de Melo uses materials only as a means to an end, that end being the impassioned request to stimulate the viewer to the thoughts beyond the physical piece." (JoAnn Locktov)

Publications

Marcelo's mosaics have been featured in:

Books

Hunkin, Tessa. Modern Mosaic. Firefly Books, UK, 2003. ISBN 1552977013

Kelly, Sarah. The Complete Mosaic Handbook. Firefly Books, US, October 2004. ISBN 1552977749

Sonia King

Sonia King

Sonia King is a mosaic artist, author, movie writer and educator with studios in Dallas, Texas and San Francisco, California. She creates one-of-a-kind, fine art mosaics for gallery, architectural, community and residential settings. Her award-winning art is exhibited nationally and...

. Mosaic Techniques & Traditions. Sterling Publishing

Sterling Publishing

Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. is a publisher of nonfiction titles, with more than 5,000 books in print. Founded in 1949, it publishes a wide range of nonfiction and illustrated titles in categories which include art, biography/autobiography, body/mind/spirit, crafts, culinary, do-it-yourself,...

, US, 2003. ISBN 0806975776

Locktov, JoAnn. Mosaic Art and Style. Rockport Publishers, US, March 2005. ISBN 1592531458

MacKay, Jill. Creative Garden Mosaics. Sterling Publishing

Sterling Publishing

Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. is a publisher of nonfiction titles, with more than 5,000 books in print. Founded in 1949, it publishes a wide range of nonfiction and illustrated titles in categories which include art, biography/autobiography, body/mind/spirit, crafts, culinary, do-it-yourself,...

/Lark Books: US, 2004. ISBN 1579905994

Mills, Theresa. The Mosaic Artist's Bible. Trafalgar Square Publishings: US, 2005. ISBN 1570762937

Mills, Theresa. Mosaic Basics. Barron's Educational Series

Barron's Educational Series

Barron's Educational Series, Inc. is an American test preparation company, founded in 1941 as a publisher of materials to help students to prepare for college entrance examinations, and that offers online college entrance exam preparation classes...

. US, 2006. ISBN 0764159615

Pereira, Bea. Mosaico sem Segredos. Curitiba, Brazil, 2006

Wates, R. The Mosaic Decorator's Sourcebook. David & Charles

David & Charles

David & Charles is a publisher. The company was founded - and is still based - in the market town of Newton Abbot, in Devon, UK, on 1 April 1960 by David St John Thomas and Charles Hadfield. It first made its name publishing titles on Britain's canals and railways...

: UK, 2001. ISBN 0715311395

Wates, Rosalind. The Mosaic Idea Book. North Light Books

North Light Books

North Light Books, is a United States publisher for both beginning and established artists, offering how-to materials for watercolor, acrylic, oils, pastels and many other media. The imprint is owned by F+W Publications, which also publishes several other how-to imprints.- External links :*...

: US, 2000. ISBN 1581800959

Magazine Articles & Newspapers:

Baierl, S. Uma volta ao mundo do mosaico. In: MAO NA MASSA. São Paulo, Brasil, Oct. 2003. n. 10

Gonçalves, M. F. Palestra. In: CADERNO G - GAZETA DO POVO. Curitiba, Brasil, 10 abril 2003.

Gordon, G. Hands on. In: AT HOME - Scotland on Sunday

Scotland on Sunday

Scotland on Sunday is a Scottish Sunday newspaper, published in Edinburgh by The Scotsman Publications Ltd and consequently assuming the role of Sunday sister to its daily stablemate The Scotsman...

. Edinburgh, UK, June, 2003.

Hunter, N. All broken up. In: HOME PLUS SCOTLAND. Edinburgh, UK, Nov/Dec. 2001.

Lauton, T. Mosaico, riqueza e perfeiçao nos detalhes. In: ARTE COM AS MAOS. São Paulo, Brasil, Sept. 2002. ed. 01

Punton, Allan. British Mosaic Art at the Brink. In: MOSAIC. Mosaic Art Assoc. in Japan: Tokyo, 2004. Nov.vol. 9

Rodinick, V. Quando mosaicar é como comer e dormir. In: ARTE COM AS MAOS. São Paulo, Brasil, Nov. 2002. ed. 02

San Martin, P. Estante de Ideias. In: ARTE COM AS MAOS. São Paulo, Brasil, 2005. ed. 20

Taj Mahal Review. Allahabad, India, December 2005. Vol. 4, n. 2