SAMA and New Works

Well, I'm back from the fabulous Society of Mosaic Artists (SAMA) convention, and it was wonderful. What wasn't wonderful, however, were the tornadoes they had in Kentucky while we were there. On Friday, the loud speakers went off in the Hyatt hotel saying that the tornadoes were close by and we were to go down to the severe weather shelter. Fortunately, they passed us by but an awful lot of devasting damage was done in other parts of Kentucky. I did hang around outside for a while just because we don't really have weather like that in California. There was a lot of thunder and lightning and down pouring rain. Finally one of the hotel people told me I should probably go inside to the shelter area.

Just like last year, I came away feeling totally inadequate. The caliber of the artists is just amazing. But I took some workshops and felt that I learned a lot. And I met a lot of really wonderful people. 

I also spent a bit of time working at the Mosaic Marathon. Christine Braillier designed a gorgeous triptych of flowers, birds and sky and many volunteers spent time gluing Mexican smalti to her design. I really enjoyed working on it. The camaraderie among the workers was very special. The pieces were finished on time, grouted and installed at the Nest, a shelter for women and children in Lexington, Kentucky.  Great job, Christine! 

Mosaic Marathon

Mosaic marathon bird

Oh, and you know me well enough by now to know that I love a good margarita. I left the hotel one day searching for a good spot to eat and came across a wonderful restaurant that specialized in margaritas. I also found three other conventioneers at the same restaurant so I joined them. When they brought my drink, it had a half lime shaped into lips. So of course I had to try them on.


Now I'm back in Santa Barbara and have been working on a few new pieces. The apple was a trivet I got at a thrift store. The sunburst below is a piece of Wedi board I had that I cut to fit into this pretty frame that I painted so I matched the colors of the glass to the frame. You can't really see the pretty iridized pink & white glass I used for the background but it looks perfect with the piece. 

My show at the Good Cup Coffeehouse is going very well, so I need to make new pieces to replace those I've sold. 

Society of Mosaic Artists Mosaic Salon Entry

The SAMA convention is right around the corner, and I've finished my entry to the Mosaic Salon. I think it turned out very well though when I look at the finished piece,  I see changes I would have made to the sky. But I will be happy either way; if someone buys it or if I get to take it back home with me. I love the kitties that I cut out of a trivet with my ring saw.

More work on Kitties in Spring

Here is the Mosaic Salon entry. It's coming along. My brother asked what the red bow ties were. Hmmmm....

And this is the vin d'italia mosaic I sold to a very nice young man as a Christmas gift for his mother. Here it is hanging on her fence.

7th Annual GVAA Art Festival at Stow House - September 17, 2011 - Part 2

Well, the canopy is up! My dear neighbor, Rajie, came over and with two of us, we were able to click it into place.

This morning while exercising in the pool I was thinking of all the things I have to bring to the festival (this is my first) and I realized that there is no way I will ever get everything into my car. Hmmmmm....what do people do about that?

But I just keep making more mosaics! Here are a few I made in the last few days to try and sell at the festival. Another mirror in green with orange glass bead flowers, the word LOVE in sparkly tiles. The picture doesn't do it justice.

And at the bottom I have a couple more switchplates and a 6" x 6" smalti piece with precious stones and Mexican and Chinese smalti. Smalti traditionally came from Italy or Mexico, but a new Chinese company has started to make smalti also. I saw it first at the SAMA convention earlier this year. Each country makes them in different shapes. But they all seem to go together quite well.

If you're in Santa Barbara, come to the Festival next weekend and see everything in person!

SAMA Convention - Mosaic Marathon

The PeopleFund of Austin, Texas was this year's recipient of a large scale mosaic mural created by volunteer SAMA artists during the Society's Annual American Mosaic Summit. The Mosaic Marathon resulted in a beautiful work of art that was donated to this worthy local Austin non-profit organization to adorn the exterior of their new facility.

Since this was my first convention, I found the Mosaic Marathon a great way to meet people and find out about their mosaic interests and techniques. Various groups of us spent hours working on the three large pieces that were hung the Monday after the convention closed. So there was quite a bit of pressure to get the job done.