artists are eager to dispel. And instead of restricting their ideas to heated discussions on the subject, they have decided to stage an art show which they hope will drive the message home.

Recognising that a mosaic is created by joining small pieces of glass or stone together to form a unified picture, the group are emphasising the diversity of all those who are taking part by adopting the word and calling their group, `Mosaic'.

The first show is called Freestyle and opens at the Society of Arts gallery at City Hall this Friday.

The organising committee feel the time has come to shed the illusion that art concerns a narrow minority and to concentrate instead on widening Bermuda's artistic parameters so that visual art becomes a part of everyone's lives.

This, they argue, need not be in the form of pictures at all, but might just as easily be seen in the design of everyday objects around us, such as furniture, fabrics, or even knives and forks.

Liberal arts student Meredith Head, who is one of the show's organisers, says they are expecting more than 40 exhibitors -- many of whom have never participated in a Bermuda show before -- to take part. "We want artists from as many backgrounds as possible. We are very grateful for the support of the Society and the fact that they have loaned us the gallery, but this is not a Society show. It'll probably be a real mish-mash, but that's what we wanted, to encourage everyone to join in.'' Some of that mish-mash will include ceramics, sculpture, woodcarving, jewellery design, photography, silk-screening and needlepoint, stained glass, lithographs and, yes, more than a few paintings.

While many of the exhibitors will be newcomers or students, there is certainly no age limit, and the show will include work by people who have been practising art for some time, but for whatever reason, have never displayed their work.

In an effort to reduce costs, the organisers are asking only that work is "presentable''. It does not have to be mounted or framed as it is felt that the high costs involved often deter potential exhibitors, especially poverty-stricken students.

The idea for a show arose when a group of students were sitting on Elbow Beach recently, lamenting the fact that, in their opinion, there was not much of an outlet for young artists, or new art in Bermuda.

"The more we talked, the more we realised there was actually quite a crowd of us now who would like to show our work as a group and also get together to talk about it all,'' explains Brittany Wivel, who is studying art history at Wellesley College and spending the summer working at the National Gallery.

"And you don't have to be an artist in order to get involved in this sort of thing. Because my mother's an artist, I grew up with artistic people around the house all the time, so I love that atmosphere, and I wish there was more of it in Bermuda,'' adds Meredith, daughter of artist Sheilagh Head.

Ms. Wivell believes that art should be given more importance in the school curriculum, particularly in the primary schools: "I never thought about art as an option until I went away to school. Business has taken over this Island to the neglect of everything else. The image of Bermuda these days is an army of kids with business degrees, getting into three-piece suits and talking into fax machines. It's hideous!'' In an effort to embrace all branches of art, there will also be video animation on display by Daniel Dempster, and at the opening reception on Thursday evening, improvisational dancers will be performing in the City Hall foyer.

Other members of the organising committee are Sundee Whitehead, Tamell Simons and Carla Bean.

ARTISTS' MOSAIC -- Some of the artists and organisers of Freestyle, an art show organised by a new young group who call themselves Mosaic. The show opens on Friday in the Bermuda Society of Arts Gallery at City Hall and runs through August 28.