I like working on more than one at a time. I can get a tad impatient waiting for sections to dry before starting on a new one. Having a couple going at once was the answer. 
When deciding what to do next, I often look at the colors I have to work with. My sister has a feather ball in her apartment which popped into my head when scanning the browns and tans. This piece will be left un-grouted. Adding background and grout would take away from the feathery look of the cut glass.
It will sit like this so the feathers look like they are falling toward the bottom of the board.
An important part of staying motivated (even though with mosaics it’s really not hard) is being organized. I like knowing what materials/colors I have in stock and wasting as little as possible. I also think mosaic materials are pretty and it’s a fun way to decorate my studio/kitchen. I still use larger ceramic bowls for the tile pieces, but started using recycled jars for glass.
After some research I decided making my own cement sculptures was something I wanted to try (especially because I can use the same cement I use as adhesive and I have a 50lb bag). I am starting small because this will be a learning experience. My first attempt to cover the entire ball at once failed. The second try I covered only half the ball, let it dry enough so it would not become one with it’s resting place, then flipped it over and covered the rest. This morning I went back and sanded the rough edges. They look pretty good! Each one is about 3 inches in diameter.
This piece will remain un-grouted. I like the way the color pops on the black (actually dark purple). Because glass is not colored only on the surface (like ceramic tile) grout can take away from the colored sides of the glass. While most of the time this is what I want, because grout helps tie a design together, it’s also fun to experiment with leaving them untouched. It was suggested to me that I try using Smalti, which is a type of hand cut glass that you cut like stones. The glass is chunky and in various square (brick-like) pieces. But because they don’t lie flat (not supposed to) the edges and various thicknesses reflect light beautifully. I can’t wait to get my hands on some. I can either buy it pre-cut or invest in a new set of tools and cut it myself. Ill post more about smalti after doing more research.
I grouted and drilled screws in the back to finish up this project. Each cat is 10″ x 12″ on lightweight particle board. This is now my favorite material for indoor wall hangings. And thank goodness because I had to buy a huge piece from the lumber yard (Piedmont Lumber, you are the best). I now have over 20 small boards (all conveniently cut in sizes that fit into flat-rate mail boxes for potential shipping) that all need mosaics and left the rest in large pieces that I can cut down later.
I went with a darker grout, Pewter, which worked out perfectly. It did exactly what I wanted to in bringing the pieces together without taking away from the portrait as a whole.
This guy is more abstract and he definitely has personality. When looking at the two next to each other they are quite a pair. I am so pleased with how these both came out.
Both cats have green eyes. But instead of making them all green I decided to just highlight with specks. This worked out well in both cases.
This piece is based on a tapestry I bought in Peru. I loved the colors and style. I cut out long strips of glass to mimic the thread.
For this piece I decided not to grout. By making this decision in the beginning, I could start with any kind of surface I wanted. I did not need to worry about prepping the surface with an adhesive and grout-friendly base. Instead I painted a 10×12 inch wood board with a gold acrylic paint and used clear sealant to adhere the glass.
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Welcome!
I am artist working for Wowhaus, an art and design company. They specialize in site-specifc work and have been creating public art pieces around the United States for over 10 years. I assist on execution, design, concepts and sample pieces. I am lucky to be part of such a talented team who consistently creates incredible and innovative art!
I also have a personal studio in my Lake Merritt apartment and work on pieces for family and friends, as well as custom commissioned work.
Each new project is an adventure. This blog is a record of the projects I am working on and art that inspires me. Please leave comments, suggestions and email me if you would like a custom commission!
Cementious 