One to Watch: Eniko Leanyvari

Eniko Leanyvari is a Hungarian-British mosaic artist, classically trained in Ravenna, Rome and at the London School of Mosaic. With expertise ranging from filato micro-mosaic to large floor and wall mosaics, Eniko is passionate about perfecting both old and new techniques and integrating them into her work. She opened her studio Tiger’s Eye Mosaic, in London’s Cockpit Studios in 2023.

By Rhonda Duffy for Mosaic & Glass (June 2024)

What led you to mosaic?

My unwavering love for mosaics started while I was on holiday in Ravenna in 2012. I stumbled upon a mosaic workshop by chance. It was there, at Koko Mosaico, that I fell in love instantly with mosaic and made the decision to commit to learning as much about it as I possibly could. In 2017, I finally found the courage to change my career after nearly two decades in performing arts and literature. Changing career was an exciting challenge with a lot of hurdles but one huge advantage: I got a chance to build up the new one more consciously.

How have you developed your skills in classical mosaics?

My aim was to perfect all the fabrication skills and my knowledge of all materials that I would need to apply in mosaic making. In my work, I employ ancient and contemporary methods and work with a large variety of materials depending on which I deem most suitable for the given project.

I achieved a Diploma in Mosaic Studies from the London School of Mosaic (LSoM) as a student of Giulia Vogrig. Since completing the degree, I’ve stayed on as a freelance tutor and fabricator and worked with other mosaic artists on large-scale commissions in collaboration with LSoM, which has been brilliant.

What’s special about England is the community approach to mosaic – and our opportunity to give back something to society. I don’t think it would have been as easy for me to change careers at the age of forty-something anywhere else as it was in the UK. I will always be Hungarian, but I feel at home in London where I have lived for 24 years. I have met so many fantastic people who have supported my career, and I feel at home in Italy now too. It is wonderful to be accepted and recognised as a mosaic artist, even in the most difficult terrain like Italy, the cradle of mosaic art.

While studying and gaining work experience in London, I visited Ravenna whenever I could, to deepen my technique through intensive masterclasses. My first master – Arianna Gallo at Koko Mosaico – became a good friend as well as a mentor. I am indebted to her and her team for encouraging me to keep learning and believing in my abilities. I took every opportunity to try out a vast range of both ancient and modern methods in her workshop while aspiring to her high degree of Italian craftsmanship. During my regular visits to Ravenna, I had the chance to learn the filato (“thread”) technique from Annalisa Marcucci and later from Maria Teresa Vacchini in Rome. This uniquely delicate technique has since become one of my favourites.

Read the full interview on Eniko’s website.