Raising the Holy Grail...I mean Rail

Greetings friends! It's been a really long time since I have taken the time to write anything here. Partially because I have been so incredibly busy.

One of my recently completed favorite projects is managing the stone and mosaic installation of the masterful altar pieces, by master artisan and craftsman Sirio Tonelli, at Church of the Holy Cross Church in Belmont CA. Maestro (teacher or master in Italian) Tonelli used two young Italian master craftsmen and myself of course, to help him implement this dream project and major undertaking.

Sirio Tonelli & Thomas Sperow

I'm the master craftsman handling the fabrication and installation of the stone wall surrounds and an altar niche in Rojo Alicante marble and Botticino marble and the marble wainscoting and baseboards all along the wall around the altar. The stairs, with their flowing curves leading up to the altar were also done in Botticino marble with tile risers. It looks gorgeous. I also managed the installation project of the massive mosaic screen called the "Iconostasis".



Marble wall cover, altar piece foundation and mosaic installation

Here are several parts of the large scale mosaic Iconostases as they were unearthed from the shipping crates direct from Italy where they were assembled.