Goleta Valley Art Association Artist Tour

The Parrot

Well, this isn't the best picture I've ever taken, but on the left is my parrot mosaic at the Cabrillo Arts Pavilion. It's the Goleta Valley Art Association's April show. It won a Juror's Choice award. Such a surprise! I wasn't exactly thrilled with the parrot, but since it was the only mosaic I had available to enter, I submitted it. On the right is the picture I used to create the mosaic. And, of course, the ubiquitous sun is in the mosaic!

Now that I recognize that I put a sun and a cat in all my mosaics, I'll make a concerted effort to branch out. Maybe a dog!

Goleta Valley Art Association's Picasso for Peanuts Show

Be sure to check out the Goleta Valley Art Association's Picasso for Peanuts show at the Goleta Valley Library. I submitted the mirror above, and it sold. There are 67 other pieces, all under $300. They would make wonderful holiday gifts for anyone on your list.

Santa Barbara Mission Mosaic

I decided to attempt a mosaic of the Santa Barbara Mission. It's quite near my house so I went over and took a number of pictures and then pieced together this design. The substrate is 24" x 19". I may have overreached my abilities (or my patience in attempting such a piece) but I'm going to give it a try. It won't be terribly detailed, I'm thinking now.

Also in the works is a round mosaic of a tree frog and a gecko on a cupboard door. I'll take some pictures of them later today.

And I received word that my mosaic piece "Raj Mahal" won the People's Choice first place award at the Goleta Valley Art Association's August 2011 Library show. Thank you, People!

Old and New Pieces and FUSIONS!

Are you wondering what happened to the "new mosaic a week" battle cry? Well, it's still happening even though things have been very busy this last week. I did grout the wine bottles and I like the way the piece turned out. An old world look. I need to work with marble more and maybe create a hammer and hardie setup for myself. Marble is hard to cut in exactly the shape I want with just the nippers.Though I tried to put a block of cheese, a wine cork and/or a loaf of bread into the mosaic, I wasn't successful.

Both of the mirrors I made with the glass bead flowers sold at the GVAA Festival last Saturday. So I'm making another one now on an existing frame I have. It has a shabby chic finish to it in a pale green so I think these blue tiles look good.

And the exciting new thing for me is making fusions! I don't have a kiln, but my dear friend Gary, who does fantastic stained glass art, has one in his studio. He tested some green smalti bits that I had left over, and the fusion above is the result! Wow!

He also gave me several pieces of  System96 glass which is the glass to use for fusing. I am making a cat head out of it next. Though I'll never do fusions like Martin Cheek, I bet I can come up with some things that would look great in my mosaics.

I may have to buy a kiln! But one thing at a time. I'll see how the cat head turns out and then think about buying a kiln again.

Mosaic Art vs. Mosaic Craft

So here is a dilemma I have. Where does one draw the line between craft and art? I have been turned down by judged shows because my work was "too crafty." Well, yes, I can see how the piece on the right is crafty. But there are an awful lot of people who love this sort of mosaic for their home. The pink oval mirror below was purchased by a friend of mine. It was entered at the local tennis club's show of artwork created by members only. I sold 16 of 18 pieces I had displayed and got three more commissions. But many of the pieces I made were what many "art people" call crafts.

This mosaic mandala below was sold at the tennis club show. Is this art? Craft? I just don't know!

I applied to the Goleta Valley Art Association earlier this year. I submitted two pieces; the smalti / marble mirror on the left and a replica of an 1800 botanical of Begonia Opuliflora below.. On the round mirror I used computer keyboard keys to spell out words like love, faith, hope, etc.

I was turned down with no remarks from the judge so I have no idea what she was looking for. The sweet part, however, was that one of the women there purchased the round smalti/marble piece. But isn't this art?







Well, I reapplied to the Goleta Valley Art Association last month and was accepted with this piece below I call "Raj" after my neighbor. It is all sparkly mirror tiles. I guess it must be art! The show is now hanging for a month at the Goleta Valley Library.

So I think I will just keep making art and craft and not worry too much about the judges who often seem to have their own likes and dislikes (can I say agendas?). I like doing the crafty things and I like doing more artistic works.

Ready to grout. Is this art?