WARWICK artists Alain and Kate Colfs will share their expertise with the Birdsville community during the next three weeks as they help construct a mosaic.

"The mosaic will fea-ture the gibbers (stones), which are found around Birdsville, near the Simpson Desert,'' Mr Colfs said.

Mr and Mrs Colfs have been running Wildash Glass Works, near Warwick, for the past 23 years.

During a trip to the Diamantina Shire, Mr Colfs was asked to contribute to a number of mosaic sculptures for the small town of Birdsville.

The project was aided by a $19,675 Federal Government grant, which was given to the shire under the Regional Arts Development Fund.

"It will be very much a community project. We will try and get everyone in Birdsville involve, such as schools, the local people and even tourists,'' Mr Colfs said.

"A lot of them have already committed their time and resources and are very enthusiastic.''

He estimated the project would take about three weeks to complete.

The project will have a major mosaic of about 2.4m by 1.8m and two smaller mosaics of about 1.2m by 1m.

The mosaics will be designed by local Birdsville artists, and may depict the well-known features of the area such as sand dunes, wild flowers or the Birdsville races.

Mr Colfs said he started glass-work about 25 years ago and "got the bug''. Mrs Colfs agreed.

"Once you get started, you get hooked,'' she said.

The pair conducts regular workshops in which people can learn the skills of leadlighting and mosaic.

"A lady in Goondi-windi has come to our workshops 12 times, and she's 76. We also have an ex-student in Warwick who's selling work overseas,'' Mr Colfs said.

"Teaching others is the best part, and you make a lot of good friends.