Picking up the pieces

Mike McCormick is putting the pieces together, both literally and figuratively. His road to success as a mosaic artist has been both circuitous, and rocky. If you ask him, it still is…but he’d also tell you the journey has been worth it. Before he found his passion — and developed a business creating custom made mosaic furniture and art pieces — McCormick spent nearly 20 years as a traveling salesman for a major apparel company, battled alcoholism, moved across the country and started his life over, from scratch. And during that time, he’s overcome monstrous hurdles to make a go of his now multifaceted business, Mike Mosaic, which includes direct sales through his store front, sales through his Web site and classes taught in his studio.

TCR: How did you first become interested in and get involved in working with mosaics, and how did your work evolve from where it started to the work you create today?

Mike's first table in 1993.

MM: Before I started making mosaics, I spent 17 years as a traveling salesman for a major apparel company. But years on the road had taken a real toll on me. I was an alcoholic, and being alone in strange cities all the time just contributed to my drinking problem. At one point, I realized that if I was to go on like that, it would eventually kill me. I knew I had to make some changes. So, in 1987, I quit my job and went into recovery, which started by going into rehab. In 1989, I started to get serious about my next step. I took a test at Cal State Long Beach that was designed to measure the takers’ interests, and found that I was "off the scale" on the creative side, and that perhaps I should become a teacher. Having spent so many years in sales, I walked away from the experience shaking my head. I really wasn’t sure at that point what I should be doing, but neither art nor teaching was ever a consideration. Some of it made some sense though, as I had always had friends in creative fields, and was always impressed by what they could do, and I had had some experience with floral design. But I hadn’t really ever considered myself as an artist. I knew I had to get a job, so I started working as a tile setter for a contractor and doing building maintenance and repair.

Mike at work.

One day, I stumbled upon a mosaic table. I liked it, and was intrigued by it. But at the same time, I knew I could make it myself. So I made one for my kitchen. Eventually, started making them for sale. I sold originally to a consignment shop, then started collaborating with another artist who was making tables for a trendy café. He would make the metal base and I would make the mosaic tile top. I was getting $300 for the table tops, until I found out they were being sold for $2500! I knew it was time to go out on my own. I started by selling to more consignment stores, which has been helpful because you do get feedback on what people like and what they will pay for things. For example, I learned that a table and chairs set will sell faster than just a table, or just a chair; and that most people like matching sets.

TCR: Where does the bulk of your business come from?

MM: I get a lot of business through the Internet. It varies, but at times Internet orders make up 45 percent of my revenue. The rest comes from a combination of teaching classes, selling mosaic table kits to students, direct sales from my studio and home and garden shows. I also made a video of how to create a table from start to finish. Students purchase those as well. The combination of income sources hasn’t made me rich, but I love what I’m doing.

TCR: Have there been major turning points in your career as a mosaic artist and furniture maker?

MM: I got into a situation where I was making mosaic barbecue tables for a retailer who was selling them from his showroom. At the beginning I was making about 10 tables per week for about $300 apiece. Then the guy said he needed to increase production — up to 25 tables a week. I wasn’t equipped for this, so I financed a shop expansion and bought new equipment on credit cards. Then the guy backed out of the deal, and went to Mexico to have the barbecue tables produced cheaper. I was left holding the bag. I had a large studio and had purchased all this equipment and had nothing to do with it. Then a friend suggested I teach classes in my studio. It was a great suggestion, I opened my studio for classes, and that helped me get out of debt. I now sell my pieces, as well as kits for making mosaic tables.

TCR: Do you see any business challenges specific to artists who work in mosaics? How have you overcome these?

MM: Shipping is a big problem. My work is very heavy, and therefore expensive to ship.

Bistro set.

TCR: What has been the most difficult thing you have encountered in your work?

MM: It’s not always reliable making a living at any kind of art. Since the war started, it seems like business has dropped off, so I’m trying to work through that.

TCR: What business and personal lessons have you learned from your experiences?

MM: If I hadn’t gone through some of these things, I would never have never been kicked into teaching, learned how to profit from the Internet, or realized that I could make a living as an artist. I also learned a lot about business from making mistakes along the way:

• Don’t do work for anyone else, work for yourself.

• Always make an effort to understand what the customer really wants.

• Get the final payment before you turn over the finished piece.

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