How long is the workshop?

The introduction runs three hours as a single session or can be split into two afternoon sessions on consecutive weekends.

Are materials included?

Yes. Smalti, marble fragments, adhesives and basic tools are provided so you can complete a panel.

Is the atelier wheelchair accessible?

Yes—the Atelier Lily van Nunen on Havenstraat 129 is wheelchair accessible.

What is the minimum and maximum group size?

Minimum three participants and a maximum of four, which keeps the instruction highly personal.

What happens if the minimum number isn’t met?

If the class is undersubscribed the workshop will be rescheduled and you’ll be contacted with options.

Can beginners sign up?

Absolutely—this is an introductory class designed for people with no prior mosaic experience.

Make a Mosaic in Zaandam: Introductie Workshop with Artist Lily van Nunen

On a narrow street in Zaandam, at Atelier Lily van Nunen on Havenstraat 129, the clack and scrape of tile cutters replace the city's distant traffic. Workshop Mozaïek Introductie is a hands-on, three-hour introduction to creating mosaics using smalti—thick, richly colored Italian glass—and fragments of marble. In a compact studio designed for small groups (minimum three, maximum four), the artist Lily van Nunen walks you through selecting tesserae, composing a design, and placing pieces so the surface catches light.

The session is practical and tactile: you learn cutting techniques, how to bed pieces in adhesive, and tips for grouting that bring out color and texture. The marble used in the class is genuine veined stone, a reminder that mosaics are a craft of both glass and geology; smalti brings saturated color, while marble adds sculptural weight and natural veining. The studio itself is bright and accessible—wheelchair access is provided—and equipped with individual workbenches, task lighting, and a drying shelf where finished work rests between afternoons when the workshop runs as two linked sessions.

This is not a museum demonstration but active mentorship. Lily’s guidance turns what can be an intimidating medium into a sequence of clear, repeatable skills, ideal for beginners and creative travelers who want a hands-on souvenir. Materials are included, so you leave with a completed work or a substantial start to be finished in a second session. The tight group size means attention to composition, color balance, and finishing techniques you won’t get in larger craft classes.

Why choose this over a generic studio course? The combination of smalti and marble gives your piece a depth and durability that mass-market kits rarely match. Zaandam’s creative scene may not be as famous as Amsterdam’s, but it offers intimacy: local artists, compact studios, and a strong tradition of artisanal industry dating back to the Zaan region’s 17th-century mills. For visitors, this workshop is a sensory counterpoint to walking canals and tall, wooden façades—a quiet, crafted afternoon that produces something personal and portable.

Practical notes: sessions run as a single 3-hour block or two consecutive afternoon sessions; the workshop requires a minimum number of participants and will be rescheduled if the class is undersubscribed. Expect to leave with a finished panel or a nearly finished piece to take home after drying and grouting. Whether you’re a first-time maker or an experienced hand curious about smalti, this introductory workshop delivers focused instruction and a durable, gallery-ready result. Book a spot to work with glass and stone, meet an artist who explains material histories, and take home an artwork that keeps a memory of Zaandam’s hands-on craft scene long after your visit. Reserve early to secure a small-group seat and bring curiosity.