- Near the Gulf Shores of Dunedin sits a public icon and private abode known as Mosaic House owned by artists Carol Sackman and Blake White, this celebrated home has been the center of inspiration and creativity for 20 years.

(gentle upbeat music) - We have pieces probably in almost every room.

They just make us smile and feel good.

Their art is, we love it whether it's the backyard or the front yard, it's such a visual stimulation.

- It's been just one of my favorite things to do because it's just every time you come, you see something new.

And as a photographer that's like really exciting.

So I could like take pictures here every day and find something new I'm sure.

- Their life is their art and their art is their life.

- We work together really well.

We're a team.

Sometimes I think I get a little bit too overpowering in that I'm, you know, full of myself and know it all.

And I have to pay attention to Carol because, I mean you know, she's right on with a lot of information on.

- When I was in school, I took a lot of different classes in fiber arts, (indistinct), weaving as well as the required drawing, painting and so forth.

Pottery.

So I had somewhat of a foundation.

I don't think I was really aware of outsider art until much, much later.

- Well, you know, when I was growing up, I was more focused on sports, you know, art, pretty pictures whatever.

No, it didn't, not until I met Carol that I become aware of art.

- With the background that I had, just being able to pick up things anything and put it together in another way was something that I think outsider art or visionary art encouraged.

- I worked with my hands, I worked in, did construction work.

And when you do that, you know you have to come up with solutions because not everything goes back the way it should.

You know, having that background working with my hands, it translated to mosaics.

- Well, my subject matter is generally more realistic or impressionistic.

Blake's is more abstract.

- I come from a different spiritual background than Carol and I incorporate a lot of spirituality, mythology in what I do.

I bounce things out for her and, you know we work really well together and we know each other's boundaries and you know we've learned that from being together 44 years.

- It's a long time.

So people think we're together 24 hours a day.

Well, we may be in the same house 24 hours a day but we're certainly not looking at each other all that time.

- This is kind of my studio.

I do work in here.

It's more limited, but as you can see I'm really into my music and I crank it up.

I crank it up.

Carol tries to call me on the phone.

She won't even come in here.

So this is my private space.

- Sometimes I call them on the phone when I'm too involved in something and don't want to get up and walk to the other end of the house.

But I think that serves us very, very well.

- Carol is in her studio almost every day.

- Yeah, we both do though, I think, 'cause that's what we do you know, other artists understand that you just do it.

And when you finish with one thing, you do something else.

I think sometimes when we're not working we're kind of wondering what to do next.

- Doing the show was a jumping off point.

It like was the culmination of everything we done and it was on display and it was like-- - Amazing.

- Yeah, it was unbelievable.

- The art center, when we had the show it was so incredible because you could see it.

Everything wasn't cluttered together the way it is here.

- I was moved to tears because I had never seen our art.

Each piece standing alone, being able to walk around it and the way it was set up or curated whatever you wanna say.

It was perfect.

It elevated our art to a higher level.

- We tried to be respectful of the different bodies of work that both Carol and Blake work on individually their different media, but was directed that really they represent a true creative partnership.

And that was how we presented the show.

That wasn't, this is Blake's work.

This is Carol's work.

No, it was their work, their life's work together.

- When that show happened, that was it.

You know, I mean, we couldn't do anything bigger than that or it was like more than we had hoped would ever happen.

Really being able to have that show for three months a show for just the two of us, we got a lot of exposure.

A lot of people enjoyed it.

It was just wonderful.

And I don't think that we would've had what we have now if it wasn't for the Arts Center's involvement.

And then there were other periodicals that contacted us and other commissions and more people who had seen the show who didn't know about us before.

And so it wasn't the end.

It was like another beginning.

- You know, we're getting up there the last quarter of our lives and you know, we gotta start thinking about that.

Well, I guess ultimately I'd like it to be in the public domain for people to come and do what they do now.

But sometimes things just unfold the way you want them to and that's probably what's gonna happen.

It'll unfold the way it should be.

- We don't want someone to buy it and then throw it down.

You know, that wouldn't make us happy.

- Come back and haunt them.

(gentle upbeat music) - [Announcer] To learn more, visit mosaichouseofdunedin.com.