| FINE ART ABSTRACTS My metamorphosis from representation to abstraction was a gradual process. My mosaic work evolved from being graphic and illustrative to painterly and more fluid; I created many semi- abstract nature based works and became more and more interested in the areas that were purely about color, and forms that were so broken up as to become non-representational. Examples of this are the underwater streaming salmon in Spawning Salmon, the field of grass in End of Summer and the window reflections in Trilogy. I created my first true abstract in 2009 and realized that this process resonates with my artistic core: I get to think a lot, research my idea possibilities, make skeleton sketches of some of line work and shape divisions and then leave behind all this left brain thought and work intuitively with a myriad of textural materials.
My fine art mosaics were selected to be included in MOSAIC ART NOW, 2011 EXHIBITION IN PRINT. I was one of 8 artists selected from over 100 entries worldwide. Also, I am one of the 3 Honorable Mention winners for the Orsoni Prize 2011 Award from Venice, Italy. This was my first mosaic made only with smalti. Here is a link to the Orsoni website.
These works are for sale, contact me if you would like pricing information.
You can click on each of the images, including details, for a larger view, and begin to appreciate what these mosaics look like in person...
| Title |
Wintergreens |
Info
|
Our winter in New England had been lacking in snow when I started this mosaic which gave me a chance to appreciate how much green is still out there at this time of year. Thank you potter Gayle Sullivan for all the broken pottery pieces that went into this mosaic. They too were my inspiration for this piece. 2012 |
| Materials |
handmade pottery, stained glass, unglazed porcelain, smalti, bottle glass, vitreous glass, grout |
| Size |
15 1/4" h x 20" w |
| Title |
Textures, Fall |
Info
|
My intention was to create a mosaic of clearly defined shapes with an emphasis on texture. The side areas to the right and left of the black grout channel were an unexpected part of the process, and I love the way they mirror the colors of the central textured area. The whispers of grout along the edges of the mosaic make the substrate a part of the artwork, also my intention. 2011 |
| Materials |
handmade pottery, stained glass, unglazed porcelain, smalti, rocks, shell bits, mirror, bottle glass, vitreous glass, grout |
| Size |
25" h x 28" w |
| Title |
To Everything There Is a Season, Summer |
Info
|
Another for the series, this one originated in a mountain bike ride through a field when Purple Clover, Deptford Pinks, Fireweed along with early Goldenrod were blooming. And of course all that tangle of summer green. This was a true joy to work on as green is my favorite color and I didn't have to restrain myself in using it 2011 |
| Materials |
vitreous glass, unglazed porcelain, stained glass, broken pottery, rocks, smalti, mirror, bottle glass, grout |
| Size |
25" h x 33" w |
| Title |
Stochastic Processes, Smalti |
|
Info
|
I decided to depict 'Stochastic Processes' once again, this time limiting myself to smalti. This is my first all smalti work, and I like the results, but I prefer the combination of materials I normally use. For this work however, limiting the materials was a good choice as I was interested in portraying the interaction of 2 elements, the black and white/colored pieces. FINALIST, ORSONI PRIZE, 2011!!!!
|
| Materials |
smalti |
| Size |
26"w x 22"h |
| Title |
Vladimir's Circle |
|
Info
|
While researching for a public art commission for which I was a finalist, I came across a quote and line drawing that struck me as a great launching point for a mosaic. The quote is by Vladimir Nabokov: "The spriral is a spiritualized circle. In the spiral form, the cirecle, uncoiled, unwound...has been set free." This mosaic will be featured in an upcoming book called Works in Progress 2011
|
| Materials |
vitreous glass, unglazed ceramic, smalti, stained glass, mirror, broken pottery, shells, sea glass |
| Size |
24"w x 24"h |
... ;..
| Title |
To Every Thing There is a Season, Winter |
|
Info
|
I began with the same central areas of mirror bits representing the 3 months of the season as in the abstract below, To Every Thing There is a Season, Fall. I decided to include some of the science behind winter, portraying the earth on its axis which in winter is tilted away from the sun. On the left is the 6-sided shape of a snowflake. Created in January 2011, the palette is reflective of the world as it looks outside my studio door. Another mosaic that needs to be seen in person to appreciate the textural qualities.
|
| Materials |
vitreous glass, unglazed ceramic, smalti, stained glass, grout, mirror on edge, broken pottery, mesh, shells, beads, buttons, sea glass |
| Size |
33"w x 25"h |
| Title |
Arrangement in Black, Grey and White |
|
Info
|
I am delighted to have more studio time to create more of my own work. This is somewhat of a departure from other abstract work. I was l interested in working with a limited palette and repeated form. The bottom right square I call an UN-mosaic, as it is thinset, notch-troweled onto the substrate with 'footprints' of mosaic tiles to suggest the spiral shape. This looks especially cool when lit from above. 2010 |
| Materials |
vitreous glass, unglazed ceramic, stained glass, grout, rocks, smalti, broken pottery, mesh, wire, solder, nails, screws, ball bearings, legos, shark's teeth, shells, beads, black beans, buttons, Yahtzee dice... |
| Size |
22" w x 22" h |
 
| Title |
My World |
|
Info
|
My latest nature abstract, this is another reaction to the fall season and the beautiful color out there at this time of year. This mosaic is quite textural, more easily seen in the detail image above. Even with all the differing heights of the materials, I was able to assemble this indirectly. Working in this manner, laying everything down on a temporary substrate, allows me to change course several times in the process. Grouting turned out to be the biggest challenge and incredibly time consuming. 2010
|
| Materials |
vitreous glass, unglazed ceramic, stained glass, grout, rocks, smalti, broken pottery |
| Size |
24" w x 34" h |
| Title |
Stochastic Processes |
|
Info
|
In this mosaic, my starting point was a line drawing of stochastic mixing layers. 'Stochastic' is a greek word, and according to Wikipedia, "A stochastic process is one whose behavior is non-deterministic, in that a system's subsequent state is determined both by the process's predictable actions and by a random element." The 'predictable actions' are the layers which start out as vertical mosaic columns on top and bottom. THe silver and green mirror bits are the random elements. How they interact and are thrown about when they meet evolved with the laying of the mosaic. As with my other abstract work, I am trying several differnet things at a time; in this case I was also working the composition in a series of 1 1/2 inch horizontal rows, wherein the expanded grout line becomes an important visual element.2010
|
| Materials |
vitreous glass, unglazed ceramic, stained glass, broken pottery, rocks, smalti, mirror, grout |
| Size |
24" hx 36" w (framed size) |
| Title |
To Everything There Is a Season, Fall |
|
Info
|
I wanted to evoke the exuberence and cacophany of the fall landscape without getting representational. 2009
|
| Materials |
vitreous glass, unglazed ceramic, stained glass, broken pottery, rocks, smalti, mirror, grout |
| Size |
25" hx 33" w |
| Title |
Pavement Fractals |
|
Info
|
I have wanted to do a completely abstract piece of my own for YEARS and finally got around to it. Inspired by the way pavement breaks up, I thoroughly enjoyed the process of assembling this mosaic with just a small idea of where I was planning on going with it.
**Won Best in Show, Somerville,Museum Art of Mosaic 2009
|
| Materials |
vitreous glass, unglazed ceramic, stained glass, broken pottery, rocks, beads, smalti, mirror |
| Size |
18" hx 32" w(framed size) SOLD |
|
|
