Welcome, Bienvenidos!

STAR student Mosaic Project






Here are more student pieces for the star mural project. I have been doing a grouting marathon to get these done in time for installation and still have three more to go. Plus the large logo star! All are glued onto 1/4" hardi backer cement board, then cut with an angle head grinder, then grouted. Stars are 3' x 2' approx. and hearts are 10" and done on 1/2" Easy board. Stars will be installed onto a painted brick wall with thin set and anchor bolts. Same for the little hearts. Custom grout was used in Dove Grey. Kind of dark now but on a south west facing wall it will lighten up. Back to work now!

The London Elephant Parade - The Making of Phoolan Part 2

What a fabulous project and how I would have loved to work on it! Will Phoolan's message be heard where it is needed most - in India? Beautiful work.

Graphite Miniatures





This year drawing, mosaic and painting miniatures is what I have been producing. Working small has been very satisfying, but I am starting larger pieces again to break out of this and go for more change. Here are couple more mini graphite studies - African Caracal and Panda. Size: 4 1/2" x 5 1/2 "

Student Mosaic STARS




At times I have the privilege of working with students thru various schools and their focus and work is pretty awesome.
Here are three of eight mosaic stars for a mural that students have finished. Size around 3 feet. They are on Hardi Backer board. I'll be cutting and grouting them for installation, so this is how they look raw and ungrouted!
The grout is a dark grey so colors, mirror and gems will pop for a super cool look.
Each student has a special word on their star. Tile, glass gems and mirror are used.


Blue Coyote Mini mosaic WIP




Still playing with tempered glass in the mini mosaics. Made copy of my painting to for mosaic. No glass on it yet. This one will be sent as a sample when finished. The appeal of the TG is that it allows painting as well as mosaic. Painting, drawing, design is the foundation for my artwork. The visual "comfort food" that always soothes and restores the creative juices.
Think I am drawn to trickster tales in general. A great book on trickster tales I just finished - The Coyote Road Trickster Tales edited by Ellen Datlow. An anthology of tales by popular fiction authors and illustrations of Charles Vess. Introduction and Preface was fascinating and I learned much about the history of trickster folklore in different cultures.

Gila Mosaic & Risa - Watz Up!?



Grouted and Finished! A jewel like Gila Monster. When seen up close the real life Gila reptiles are beautiful with their beaded skin. Slow moving, they are part of the Fragile series I am working on. For the next mosaic class, Coyote the trickster will be featured and students will have the opportunity to interpret coyote folk tales in artful mosaic booklets. Ages 8 - 13. Can't wait to see what they come up with!
And Risa, constant companion doing her Watz Up face.


St. Francis Mosaic & Mosaic book



This is a special commission done with a little kitty and an owl - so cute! It has an amethyst stone, turquoise, beads etc. The painting is very detailed and I loved doing it. Also the work in progress of another mosaic booklet. I wish I had remembered to take pics from the beginning! At this stage the tempered glass is being added. Then I will grout, using two colors this time. It is part of a series I call Fragil, focusing on endangered species. This is a desert Gila Monster.

New Mosaics




Well it has been too long since my last post. Easy to get out of the routine of posting and so much has been happening. The glass pins have taken off as I knew they would. Those that see them end up placing an order - yay!
Also I will be teaching mosaics thru a summer program this June. The project I proposed combines my love of mosaics and books. Student ages will be 8 - 13 and I am so excited to start the classes. They will be making mosaic books. The end pieces will be mosaic and the content will be student choice of words, phrases, story. They are very different and it will be wonderful to see what the students come up with. I always learn so much from them. Here is the prototype that I will send to United Way as part of the grant application. Pandas are a favorite subject and the sample is 4"x 4". It is an accordion style folding book. Still have to finish the inside content. Can't wait to start!

Sparrow Seranade


A mini 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" of the little sparrow that sang all day in my yard. So many little songbirds come thru my yard and I recognize each of their voices with the help of binoculars. House finches, sparrows, goldfinches, viros, cactus wrens, curve billed thrashers, cardinals, hummingbirds and more all visit and each is perfect! Had help from photo references for this one. Drawing from life is very challenging with wildlife since they are rarely still for more than a few seconds. A color version of him will be part of my Singing Bird mosaic that is in progress.

Glass Nature series



Working on the nature series for the desert wildlife flora and fauna. They include little bats, kit fox, raptors, mice, coyote, lizards and more. After finishing the paintings and mosaics, sections will be cropped for the little glass jewelry.
My next series is already on the drawing board - endangered species, both plants and animals. While I work Risa periodically comes to check up on my progress, ask me to take a break and come out and play. Sometimes I can take five and I do! Then I get back to it, refreshed :~)
Starting my local wholesale to establishments that resonate with my work and ideals. Botanical gardens, Wildlife museums, zoos.

Siempre - Always


Siempre - Always. This little reverse glass painting of a heart is one of my favorites and it will probably get made into note cards when I find a quality printer with good prices for short runs.
Meanwhile I share my quote for the week which has inspired new work.
"If I keep a green bough in my heart, a singing bird will come." chinese proverb
Already have the design done. Can't wait to start!
The gem show started Jan. 30 and I have not gone yet. It's super for just about everything you could think of - from beads to fossils to - Everything!
Better get there soon.

Mosaic Art Addiction




O.k. I am so addicted to the whole Flickr mosaic artist sites and connecting with other artists! That's what comes of too much studio time. It has been such a blast looking and getting jazzed by all the different styles, colors, projects etc. that I am designing Right Now!
Here is teeny, tiny sample. The first is a heart by Lin Schorr for a community mosaic project and the second is by Lori Desormeaux called Latte Heart Valentine. The links enclosed will take you to a favorite blog that features these mosaics on the first and second pages plus Lin's site. I liked Lin's community mosaics with their themes and now I want to do one too. I posted all of my work and links and got a lot of response :~) The combination of the glass painting and mosaic is not mainstream, so people are asking how I do it. Will post some progress picks soon.