Mosaics

Waterlily Floats

My, my I've been busy since the storm!  Not only did I sort, toss and patch, I created another gorgeous flower piece!

This is Waterlily Floats.  The leaves were the hardest part until I figured out the side lines fanned so they face one way on one end and the other way on the other end, I couldn't get them right.

The flower isn't as bright as I wanted it either, but overall I'm very pleased.

The Stargazer Lily is finished as well.  The previous post showed it ungrouted.  Here it is grouted and that annoying spot on the petal is gone.

Finally I thought I'd include the first of the flower series, which I sold (YIPPIE) to round out this post!

Kansas at the Art Fair

We played an involuntary game of the Wizard of Oz at the show in Cedarburg on Saturday.  The wind took the booth and destroyed a lot of stuff.  The tent tried to do a somersault and only made it 3/4ths of the way over before breaking it's legs, 5 large turtles, one three paned window, and more.  The umbrella flew away with the fish on it, the handle broke off the teapot.  Wish I had Dr Suess' talent to make this more amusing!

We were unhurt though, and it's just stuff.  What a great tax write off!

Gazing at a Star

I have shows coming up so I can't just work on the big window.  I've wanted to do another big flower ever since I finished the galflower (which everyone assumed was a sunflower), and since it sold at the Jacksonport show, now was the time. 

I'm soooo excited about how it turned out I can hardly fit my head thru the door!  So what if it's not centered...I meant to do that...ya, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

The pink glass is hard to come by in the deep tones, so I added a little deep translucent red to get the depth.  I rough painted the flower onto the surface first, and my hope that the bright pink I used would alter the red enough to suit turned out just as I wanted. 

I can see on place on the right petal that I want to work on a bit...I will take a little of that dark out and replace it with a lighter color so that spot doesn't stick out so harshly.  Looks kinda goofy right now...(go ahead and look for it, you KNOW you want to!)

I'm going to have it grouted in black.  Yes it worries me, but other than tinting the grout to do each color section I don't think anything else would work.  I find black disappears AND highlights better than most other colors.  It is a mosaic, not a painting after all so I'm swallowing my unease about the black in the light pink areas.

Now, back to work, back to work!

Mega Window with Birches

I've been so busy since getting back from Florida, what with making stuff for shows, doing shows and what not. My favorite, customer, friend and, dare I say patron, has been talking about having a this huge window done for several years. Now that she has a place planned to put it, it was time to get it started! She needs it by September, and I need time to get it just right.

Since Jane is the best kind of customer (she said, I think leaves and trees would be cool, you're the artist so you can decide how and what...") I chose birch trees. 

Notice all the different colors incorporated in to the tree trunks.  I even have some pale opaque pink here and there. 

I've cut out around 45 leaves already with my ring saw.  The tips of my fingers are RAW!   I never understood why you needed a tool to push the glass into the blade before this!

This last pic is to show how big the window is...notice none of what I have done shows here.  I estimate the window to be about 8' x 6', my biggest project to date.....wish me luck and inspiration!

My My It's been a long time

Sigh, vacation is over and it's back to the grind.  Not that I don't love doing Mosaics, just that I had such a great time this winter in Florida. 

So what have I been doing since we got home at the end of April?  Mostly getting ready for the first show of the year in Jacksonport Wi, on Lake Michigan in Door County.  I'll be in the park on the water side.

Here's a peek at what we've been working on:

Okay, only obout half of this group is new since last year.  The last show we did in December was soooo bad I had a bunch of stuff left over.  Which, in truth is why I could afford to slack off in Florida all winter.

This is the freshly grouted group.  Clocks, teapots and turtles mostly!  Since I'm 'fessing up, the clocks were done before I left...they just needed grouting and sealing.

Here's another group of stuff completed before we left.  The main difference with this group is I did the grouting.  Yes, my hands are black!  There's a mirror, a bunch of crosses, a large gecko and a kokepelli in this group.

The worst thing is I can't remember what else I have finished that's packed in the trailer.  So tomorrow we have to pull everything out and see what's there.  I do know what I have, I just don't know the colors.

So. a long post to make up for being absent so long.  Type at ya'll later!

Little Foot Little Foot Where are U Now?

Foot is almost uncontrolable..she keeps running outside (dragging the rest of the body parts with her) and looking at the sky for airplanes.  Little Foot is coming to see her and she is so excited!

Foot Tries Out for Swimsuit Issue

Foot has been feeling ignored lately.  So she's decided to make some changes in her footprint.  Here you see her getting a photo for her portfolio.  She wants to be in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. 

We told her she had issues...she misunderstood!

Under the Sea

out where it's wetter,

things will look better,

under the sea...

Not bad for a landlubber eh?

Oh You Can Dance

Working at the Car Wash baby...those cars keep coming...

Unbenownst to ya'll Joanse and I have been dancersizing....how do you like our exercise clothes...

Cluster FFFFF....

....oot

Foot has started to lead a questionable life style.  Doesn't she know that she has now been where every one of these feet have been?  And she didn't even use protection!