But maurice bennett , one of new zealand 's most celebrated artists , is known as the " toast man " of the town because he creates vast mosaics from thousands of slices of toast .
First there is the squat red brick of westminster cathedral , home of england 's catholic hierarchy ; its byzantine mosaics , glinting in candlelight , are a splendid setting for one of the country 's finest choirs .
The distinctive tiling patterns , long overlooked by chemists , resemble a common design element in medieval arab and iranian mosaics as early as the 13th century , like those that decorate the alhambra palace in spain .