feature
LATICRETE
partnership helps artist create
SUNSET-INSPIRED
outdoor mosaic
A sunset to last a lifetime
feature
LATICRETE
partnership helps artist create
SUNSET-INSPIRED
outdoor mosaic
A sunset to last a lifetime
The Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz., is a sprawling facility with an unapologetic embrace of the surrounding desert, the area’s Native American roots, and the state’s intense heat. And because it is located on the outskirts of Scottsdale, the property can really let itself stretch out. The facility comes in at more than one million square feet in total.
The commanding size is only the start of a no-compromise design that seeks only the best, most luxurious amenities and details. This was never more evident than when the hotel planned a new pool area on the property’s west side. For the design, they tapped Klai Juba Wald, a Nevada-based architecture firm. The centerpiece of the renovation: twin swimming pools that are long and narrow. A large hot tub sits at the end of the swimming area.
Because the wall behind the hot tub marks the end of the swimming area, designers wanted to ensure it had a head-turning design, one that would blend the hotel’s existing motifs with the surrounding Sonoran Desert. Klai Juba Wald knew they needed to turn to an artist who would deliver such a design.
Enter Allison Eden, a mosaic artist based in New York who has been creating one-of-a-kind pieces for nearly three decades.
Eden’s storied relationship with LATICRETE meant she could focus solely on her art instead of worrying about the mural’s final installation and performance.
A ride-or-die alliance
Eden’s artistic approach has been consistent throughout her career thanks to a two-way relationship with her trusted installation materials partner, LATICRETE International, Inc. She and the global construction brand found one another after Eden’s graduation from the Fashion Institute of Technology in the ‘90s. Their relationship is uniquely tangible, with deep roots wherein Eden acted as a grout color tester for the brand. The partnership has afforded Allison a stable, reliable source for high-quality products that align with her artistic style.
“Allison has been a valuable partner for LATICRETE as the brand began to expand its color options,” said Samantha Rothberg, Director of Marketing Communications at LATICRETE. “We’re not in the business of product compromise. We want to make sure our products last and deliver the best installation experience. Allison has been a key partner that reminds us of the importance of color and how it can change an entire artistic work.”
Despite intense heat and heavy sun, Eden’s mural is able to shrug off the climate challenges.
Eden’s color expertise was part of the reason why she was so sought after for the Talking Stick Resort’s renovation. Her works are lauded for their distinct properties with no two pieces being the same. This was all part of the appeal for the resort. And because of Allison’s trusted relationship with LATICRETE, she knew she could rely on the brand for high-performing mortar and grout that function well both individually and as a compatible system.
In their commission of Eden’s mosaic work, Klai Juba Wald and the Talking Stick Resort join a litany of top brands and celebrities who have sought her design prowess. Notable companies such as Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdales, and New York’s famed Serendipity 3 have all pursued Eden’s creative eye. So, too, have past presidents and big names such as Elton John, Pink, Rihanna, the Kardashians, and Mary J. Blige. Some clients have even wished to remain nameless, seeking Allison’s work under anonymity.
Thousands of pieces of glass were used to create Eden’s mural.
landscape embrace
The resort’s West Pool design would undeniably be scrutinized if it failed to achieve the luxury aesthetics present throughout the rest of the facility. Because the mural was designed as the focal point of the entire area, it also needed to resist environmental factors with ease.
Any creation would need to match the desert earth tones that characterize the casino’s design. The final installation would also need to endure high traffic, Arizona’s notoriously powerful heat, and the moisture generated by the adjacent hot tub.
But what would appear to be a high-stakes project for an artist was actually somewhat ordinary for Eden. Because her relationship with LATICRETE was approaching 30 years, she knew she could rely on the brand’s high-performance adhesive mortars to ensure the mural would stand the test of time. She also knew the grout that was to finish the mural would easily shrug off such extreme conditions.
Eden’s storied relationship with LATICRETE meant she could focus solely on her art instead of worrying about the mural’s final installation and performance.
Once the piece arrived at the Talking Stick Resort, Phoenix-based Anthony Scuderi Tile helped install the assembly in the mural’s final location. Though Arizona is known for its dry heat, the mural faces significant humidity from an adjacent hot tub.
Unchained creativity
Because Eden knew she did not have to worry about the LATICRETE® adhesive mortar and grout that would hold together her art, she was freed up to focus on the design itself. For that, Eden leaned on Arizona’s breathtaking sunsets for inspiration.
Dark blues that line the bottom half of the mural closely mimic the shadows of the area’s mountains and surrounding landscapes. Between and above the blues are hues of yellow, pink, teal, violet, and white. Though she frequently uses tile for her artistic works, Eden relied on glass tile for this specific project. The finished design is a dazzling tapestry of thousands of pieces of colorful glass, each piece cut by hand.
Designed and assembled at Eden’s studio in Brooklyn, the large creation was subsequently broken down into sheets for cross-country transport. Once on site, Anthony Scuderi Tile out of Phoenix used LATICRETE adhesive mortar to install the glass tile before finishing with grout. The LATICRETE 254 Platinum™ adhesive mortar was an ideal choice for Arizona’s extreme climate thanks to its maximum bond strength that exceeds ANSI A118.5, long open time, and superior workability. The adhesive mortar is one of the brand’s most popular, being a frequent choice for high-profile projects globally. Likewise, the high-performance LATICRETE PERMACOLOR® Grout in Bright White made installation simple thanks to a fast-setting polymer-fortified composition. The grout also retains built-in Microban® antimicrobial protection, vital for the mural’s proximity to the resort’s hot tub.
It is a long journey for something so complex. Despite this, Eden had no worries about its assembly or longevity, which she attributes to the inherent quality of LATICRETE installation solutions.
“I just get giddy every time I get a photo of [the mural],” she said. “I just know every single piece that we laid down is how it was when we made it. I know that this mosaic will stay there until that building gets taken down one day.”
The West Pool at the Talking Stick Resort opened to guests in March 2024 with the mural’s glass glittering in the intense Arizona sun.