It's always interesting (and sometimes a bit scary)to hear someone else's interpretation of your work. I've been mulling over names and and how to "explain" my newest mosaic (above). The way I see it- and have been thinking about it was that it is about forms and shapes and maybe time. Construction , deconstruction; is it the forming of something new or the end of something old. I've been trying to think of "heady" names for it-"Abandonment of the Aether" (what does that even mean?). My friend, Linda (who also photographed my work) looked at it and immediately began talking about relationships- and life and interaction between people and some relationships forming while others are breaking up. Wow. Now I am going to simply name it "Relationships".

Hello Blog. It's been a while. I put aside my mosaics while remodeling and painting my home, vacationing on the beach with my dogs (and other family), and a number of other distractions. But I'm back in the studio now spending several hours a day nipping & cementing. Flashback to 2008- my first marble piece I became frustrated with- I have now begun anew -I've worked through several problems, and it truly has been a learning experience for me. My goal is to finish it in time to enter it into the Mosaic International Competition sponsored by SAMA - the deadline is in Sept. I have no illusions that I will actually be accepted (I probably have about the same odds as winning the lottery- BUT- you don't enter, you can't win). I find that just knowing it will be entered in a competition makes me do better work (sad isn't it, I have to trick myself!) And I just think the whole entering process adds a sense of taking it seriously -- I'm going to have it professionally photographed also. I hope to have it completed by the end of this week and may post photos then- I still have a couple of places that I may need to rip out and redo. Ripping out has been one of my learning experiences. At first ripping out parts of my mosaic was disheartening & I really resisted - but now I find it a bit freeing! When I do not correct a mistake I find myself fretting over it every time I look at the mosaic or a photo. Learning to redo areas was not an "ah-ha" moment- but a "duh!" moment.

Here is the second in a series of 3 mosaics --the first one was Anthology I (see below). This one is (obviously) Anthology II. I think I am more pleased with the way II turned out than I. Even though this one is smaller and does not have as many elements. The material is just so rich, for me, that makes the piece. I love the iron (or maybe it's copper or a combo of both) ore that has the patina. Now on to the 3rd one-which I have started--it will be the same size and shape as this on. I hesitate to call it a Triptych--even though that was what it was meant to be, because I did not have the first piece when I started this one so it does not "exactly" match up--but they were made to be placed next to each other with a continuing flow and line.

I also have a video of Mr. Barr, who received the first Anthology (the next 2 are for his sons), explaining the material in the piece and where the material came from. He was very pleased with the mosaic. I'm hoping I can figure out how to post part of the video.

Anthology I --finally finished!

I still need to clean it up a bit-then it is on to the other 2 matching pieces that will make it a triptych. I really like this piece-- the materials are so wonderful. There area couple of things that I might have done differently (like the white marble) but not much.

This piece has so many different types of minerals in it- I'm not sure what they all are! I do know marble, iron ore, pyrite, chrysocolla, malicate. I don't know what the green colored stone is- or the black with crystals running through it. Any ideas? Anyone?

Below is a close up-- i love the areas with the mineral "dust".

Here is my latest -- all I have left to complete is the upper left background. This is going to be a triptych - it is a commission made for a friend-- the same one I made the table for- this will be for her father and brothers. I have great material to work with! I'm still trying to identify all of the rock samples she gave me. I do know that all came from a copper mine. I'm using marble in the background and the dark blue is smalti she brought to me from Murano. I also still need to think of a name.

Here area a couple of "side views" to show you the depth. The thing I love (and hate) about photographing my work is that when I look at the photo all of the flaws jump out at me! I'm also trying a new technique in this piece. I've been reading a book about Jeanne Reynal's work. She used the left over dust from cutting stone and glass in her mosaics. What I had left over was quite beautiful- so I incorporated areas in the mosaic where I tapped it into the thinset base.

I mentioned earlier that I wanted to do a series. Well, here is what I have so far. They are "desktop" mosaics- each have an "anchor" or primary focal point - I now have all of these pieces for sale at the Alexandria Museum of Art. I really enjoy making these- -I simplified the steps to make them- I used a piece of wedi board with a thin layer of colored thinset and insert it into a frame. Then I mask the frame and make the mosaic- no grouting and no painting! I'm going to make a few more to take to the San Souci gallery in Lafayette. I'm also about to begin 3 commissions- my friend that I made the table for (see Cyprium) found more rocks and wants me to do some pieces for her family members. Should be fun!

I began my mosaic table and am almost half of the way through - here is the first part. The other half is going to be lighter with gold highlights. I'm enjoying working with the mexican smalti - it is so easy to cut. I'm making the individual pieces of smalti a little larger that I would like- but I decided to do so since it is a table and I think it would make a more level surface.

"Emerge" - September, 2006
I began this piece at an advanced workshop with Sonia King and Emma Biggs in Dallas in August, 2006. I was a bit worried about taking an "Advanced" workshop- but should not have- learned lots- it was great! They are 2 of the best teachers. The piece has taken me about 50 hours to complete. I spent a lot of time thinking about this piece- almost a year in fact! The final design looks a lot different than what I planned. The concept of the slate "river" is there, and most of the material is the same- but I received such wonderful input about design from the workshop. I got a bit of insight about reflectivity and how to combine materials. The copper wiring looked too "new" - so I passed it through the burner on my gas stove- gave it a great patina! I am thinking about turning this piece on it's side, because I think the top is a bit heavy. One problem though- I "signed" it - with a tile "B" in the lower right hand corner- (I think it is cut off in this photo) - should have taken Sonia's advice and left space in all corners until I decided which way the piece would turned. I actually did not think that would be a problem until I was finished! The materials used in the piece are copper nuggets, slate, copper smalti, pebbles, marble, van Gogh tiles, safety glass and NZ paua shell.