Margo Anton's Mosaic a Day

Copper and Turquoise

2012-01-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

40mm by 20mm - Turquoise, mosaic gold in sterling silver

Email to Purchase at $150.00

This might be my favorite of the recent pendants. I really like the slightly bigger ones, and the jewelry bases that are used in them are exquisite. This a variation on my love of red and turquoise, changing the red up for a more elegant copper.

Turquoise Gradient

2012-01-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

18mm by 13mm - Mosaic Gold set in sterling silver

Email to Purchase at $70.00

Creating a gradient is another successful design that I use in these pendants. This one isn't quite as good as some others I've done, owing to the drastic contrast between the silver and the turquoises, as well as the small base area. Having said that, I do still like the result, it just wasn't quite what I had hoped for.

Lime Pendant

2012-01-25T12:00:00.001-07:00

16mm diameter - Filati, smalti, mosaic gold in sterling silver

Email to Purchase at $70.00

Have I ever mentioned that I love the color lime? I don't always get a chance to use it in my artwork, so here it is in a pendant. Again, the simple mix of colors works....

Byzantine Pendant

2012-01-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

30mm diameter - Mosaic gold, filati, millefiori set in sterling silver

Email to Purchase at $120.00

I'm very pleased with how this particular pendant turned out. All the elements work together so well. I just can't believe how much detail the folks at Effetre are able to get into millefiori that is only 2-3mm in diameter. It really is very incredible.

Off Center Warm Tones

2012-01-23T12:00:00.001-07:00

16mm diameter - Mosaic gold, filati, millefiori in sterling silver

Email to Purchase at $70.00

This off center design, which I've done a few of in various colors, is challenging because each little piece must be cut to fit exactly--I can't just cut a variety of random pieces and choose to fit. As a result I'm often having to recut a piece to fit the same space over and over until I get it good enough for my standards.

Mixed Blues

2012-01-20T12:00:00.001-07:00

18mm by 13mm - Mosaic Gold in sterling silver

Email to Purchase at $70

One of the things I've really learned while making jewelry is to not get overly complicated in terms of design, especially since I work with such tiny pieces. Some of my favorites are ones like these, where I just do a simple mix of color. They always seem to turn out so nicely.

Copper Art Deco

2012-01-19T12:00:00.001-07:00

16mm by 16mm - Mosaic gold, filati in sterling silver

Email to Purchase at $70

This wee pendant is about the size of a penny. One of the things I love about using mosaic gold in the jewelry is that slightly different angles of setting each tile means that each pieces catches the light a bit differently, so the overall effect is quite sparkly.

Turquoise and Red

2012-01-18T12:00:00.002-07:00

20mm by 20mm - Turquoise, smalti, filati, mosaic gold in sterling silver

Email to Purchase at $80

Turquoise and bright red is one of my favorite color combinations. I love color combinations that are just slightly off of direct complementary colors. These smaller bases are a bit of challenge to work in, but I just love the effect.

Kinda Zebra Pendant

2012-01-17T12:00:00.002-07:00

18mm by 13mm- Filati, mosaic gold set in sterling silver

Email to Purchase at $70

It might be difficult to tell from the photo, but all of the area of black stripes is actually tiny threads of glass known as filati. It's certainly not the fastest way to fill in an area, but I love the effect. Each piece must be scored, broken off of a longer thread, then up ended into a putty. Eventually I want to learn to "pull" my own filati, but for now I have been using some produced by Antonella Gallenda of Orsoni, as well as some from Mosaic Tools.

I should just mention that if you are interested in this, or any of the other pendants I'm posting, you can just drop me an email and I'll take it from there. If you don't want the chain that comes with it (I've got both 16" and 18" chains) let me know and I'll take $10.00 off the price.

Small Purple Pendant

2012-01-16T16:54:00.001-07:00

16mm by 16mm- Smalti, filati, mosaic gold in sterling silver

Email to Purchase at $80

So over the course of the late fall, I made a great deal of mosaic jewelry for a Christmas event. Since I haven't posted to the blog in awhile, I thought I would post some of this jewelry for your viewing pleasure. So yep, I'm cheating again and posting previously created pieces, but each of these pieces were created in a day.

Also, I wanted to mention that I am scheduled to teach several courses on my jewelry techniques in the next half a year. I'll be doing two one day workshops at the SAMA conference in Kentucky, a 2 day workshop at Tesserae Mosaic Studio in April, and a 2 day workshop at the Institute of Mosaic Art in June. So if you want to learn to do what I do, check out these courses!

"Radiate" - SOLD

2011-10-13T12:48:00.000-06:00

5" by 6"- Dalles de Verre, marble, jasper cabochon, kyanite, pearls, eco smalti

Okay, so it's been awhile since I did some mosaic a days, so I thought I should work on a few for the next bit. I actually did this one in the summer, and it sold while I was working on it. I've had the jasper cabochon for a number of years, and finally figured out the perfect use for it. I'm really pleased with the outcome here.

On another note, I'll be teaching a Mosaic a Day class in Texas soon at Tesserae Mosaic Studio. It's a fun and packed three days of learning all the tips and tricks I've discovered while working on this project. As well, I'm also teaching a Fine Scale Mosaic Jewelry course while there, two days of working really small with really great materials. For more information, visit Tesserae Mosaic Studio.

Teeny 6 - NFS

2011-06-16T15:24:00.002-06:00

2.75" by 2.75" plus frame - Eco smalti, dichroic glass

I've created a number of red mosaics during the course of the blog, and naturally have accumulated a fair bit of red scrap, shich comprises the majority of the pieces here. Then I went for full drama on this piece by using textured dichroic glass as accents.

Teeny 5

2011-06-14T15:20:00.003-06:00

2.75" by 2.75"- Aragonite cluster, eco smalti, marble

Email to Purchase at $50.00

I've had several aragonite clusters (the orangey thing) for a number of years now, and I've just never found the right spot for them. They either have seemed too small, or I don't have enough of them, that sort of thing. But when I started these teenies, using one as a focal point just seemed perfect.

Teeny 4 - SOLD

2011-06-13T15:15:00.005-06:00

2.75" by 2.75" plus frame - Galena, marble

This piece was loosely based on my earlier piece, "Greens of Nature". The earlier piece is one of my personal favorites from the blog, and I had some leftover pieces, so this wee piece was born.

Teeny 3 - SOLD

2011-06-11T15:09:00.003-06:00

2.75" by 2.75" plus frame - Black Tourmaline, eco smalti, filati

This was a really fun one, and totally followed one of my tenents of small mosaics: letting the materials suggest a design. I started out by arranging the black tourmaline pieces at the bottom, and it completely reminded me of those poles that you see on docks sometimes that always seem to have birds on them. So of course, then I had to have a bird, and doing such a tiny bird was challenging, but satisfying.

Teeny 2 - SOLD

2011-06-09T14:52:00.003-06:00

2.75" by 2.75" plus frame - Smalti, marble, pearls

Okay, these are really fun, and I really think they are cute. I'm feeling sad I could only get 8 of these frames.

Teeny 1 - SOLD

2011-06-08T14:52:00.001-06:00

2.75" by 2.75" plus frame - Eco Smalti, fossil crinoids

So I found these adorable frames that are just 4 3/4" square and decided it would be fun to take my daily mosaic even smaller for awhile. The frames have an easel arm at the back for shelf display. Due to the size, these teeny mosaics are just $50.00.

"Breaking Through"

2011-03-30T18:23:00.000-06:00

6" by 5"- Stained glass, sea spikes, quartz points, glass threads, copper

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Okay, admittedly, this piece was not done in one day. There were actually 4 steps involved: mosaicking the background, grouting the background, gluing in the copper bits, letting that dry, then gluing in the spiky bits. So it's a bit of cheat, although total time was no more than I usually spend on a MAD. I just love sea spikes, and I really liked incorporating the little bits of copper.

"Pulse"

2011-03-25T11:53:00.000-06:00

5" by 8"- Eco smalti, dalles de verre, split pebbles

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Originally, as I created this mosaic, I had the image rotated 90 degrees clockwise, so the red pulse line was on the bottom. As so often happens, I discovered after finishing that I preferred the piece in this orientation. But mostly, I really love the magic of cutting rocks in half with my hammer and hardie, which is an upended chisel with a mosaic specific mason's hammer. It's my all time favorite tool.

"The Reds of Nature"

2011-03-21T14:39:00.002-06:00

6" by 6"- Marble, garnet, calcite, zippumite, obsidian and other red rocks and stones

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So I guess this week is about working with natural elements. After a couple more, I'll be thrilled to get back to glass. Might have to make about five glass only mosaics after this, just to settle the score. Moreover, I'm enjoying these "variations on a theme" that I'm working on. I suspect I'll create a few more themes in the not too distant future to work on.

"The Blues of Nature"

2011-03-19T14:29:00.002-06:00

7" by 5"- Marble, lapis lazuli, celestine, cyanite, sodalite

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I enjoyed the challenge of working in one color in all natural materials, so I've decided to try it in a few colors. Here is that concept in nature's blues. Although I like the design I came up with, I wish I had used slightly smaller marble pieces, which I think would have put more focus on the cyanite and lapis segments. One thing I do love about this project is how much I learn!

"The Greens of Nature"

2011-03-17T14:29:00.000-06:00

6" by 5"- Marble, malachite, fluorite, fuchsite, and other green natural stones

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Okay, I'm back! In an effort to get in the studio more, I'm reviving the Mosaic a Day project. This project is so good at exercising the brain to think creatively, and I'm definitely in need of some of that. I'm aiming this time for just 3 mosaics a week, in order to work in on larger pieces as well.

So in thematic St. Paddy's Day style, I give you the greens of nature. All the pieces are naturally occuring rock and stone. I hardly ever create my focal point to the right hand side of my art works, and so this was a challenging departure for me. I'm going to have to try this again, for I like the result.

I also want to mention that I'm scheduled in April to teach the techniques I've learned throughout the course of the project at the Institute of Mosaic Art in Oakland, CA. I taught this course there last year in June, and we had such a marvelous time. For more information, visit IMA's website.

"Silver Black Gradient" - SOLD

2010-11-26T11:54:00.001-07:00

5/8" diameter- Mosaic Gold on sterling silver base

One of the nicest things to do in mosaic, that has become a bit of a “go to design” for me, is gradients. They are not the easiest to do over such a small space, but I think they look lovely.

"Turquoise Stripes" - SOLD

2010-11-25T11:52:00.003-07:00

1" diameter- Mosaic gold, dichroic glass, quartz points on sterling silver base

I experimented with slightly larger pieces with this one. I usually go as small as possible (must be my perfectionistic nature) but I think using these larger pieces is effective as well. I’ll have to try more of this in the future.

"Little Silver" - SOLD

2010-11-24T11:44:00.001-07:00

5/8" square- Mosaic Gold, dichroic glass on sterling silver base

This one is really small. But all gussied up in mosaic gold and dichroic glass, I think it makes a pretty dramatic statement, in spite of its wee size.

"Little Red" - SOLD

2010-11-23T11:41:00.002-07:00

1" diameter- Mosaic gold, dichroic glass on sterling silver base

I recently got some really little sterling silver bases for mosaic jewelry, so have been enjoying the new challenges they present. Just how tiny should one go with the pieces? Despite having mostly done larger jewelry, albeit with teeny pieces also, I really like how these smaller jewelry pieces seem to be turning out. As a note, these wee jewels are just $45.

"Pendulum"

2010-11-22T11:39:00.002-07:00

9" by 4"- Dalles de Verre, glass, smalti, copper, quartz, and a big thing that I can't find the name for

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I took a week hiatus as life got very crazy, but now I am back on the project. So here’s more playing with dalle de verre, the thick plate glass that I’ve been using lately. I just love the sparkly depth that they give. I haven’t used them with marble much, and I must give this a try. However, I won’t be able to do this anytime soon. This is the last wee base I currently have, so you will be treated to mosaic jewelry for the rest of the week.

"Technicolor Bar Code"

2010-11-13T12:33:00.002-07:00

4" by 10"- Dalles de Verre, Smalti

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Okay, I was really hoping this would look like a bar code rather than just weird lines. I mean, it's still cool, but it certainly is NOT what I had in my head. Oh well, I got to play with dalles to my heart's content. Maybe next week I should just stick to portraiture.

"Gossiping Giraffes"

2010-11-12T12:22:00.001-07:00

4" by 9.5"- Smalti, Marble, turquoise, malachite, amazonite, emeralds

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Sometimes I create something abstract, and then it turns out like it looks like something. Like these giraffes. Who are evidently locked in conversation.

As an aside, if you haven't already, I recommend you check out the virtual version of Jo Braun's latest art exhibit. In addition to having me howling from laughter, it also hit very close to home in some places. My favorite piece in the exhibit has to be "It's helps if it's abstract and kinda messy". Hmm, didn't I just say the other day that I was trying to be less perfect and more expressionistic? I really just meant messy.

"It's Orange"

2010-11-11T12:00:00.001-07:00

10" by 4"- Dalles de Verre, Eco Smalti, glass cabochon, castoff from glass blower

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I have to thank my friend Marian Shapiro for the cool glass cabochon in this piece. She graciously gave me a bunch of unusual cabs when I first started with the project, and I have been slowly working my way through them. There is one section of this mosaic that I would go back and fix if I had the time or inclination. Can anyone else see it?

"It's Green!"

2010-11-10T12:00:00.003-07:00

8" by 7"- Dalles de Verre, marble, Eco Smalti, fluorite

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Did I mention I also got a big shipment of dalles de verre? This is one of my new favorites. I've used it here as a big focal piece, but you can also use it as more regular tesserae. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this glass, it comes 8" by 12" by 1" thick, and each slab weighs about 8lbs. It's difficult, yet exciting to cut, and I should warn you now that you'll probably be seeing a lot more of it this week.

"Dichotomy"

2010-11-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

7" by 5"- Dalles de Verre, Eco Smalti, Mexican Smalti, marble

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The new marble order I received from Italy has some amazing colors in it that I haven't gotten to play with before. For this piece I used some of it for the background, but then used scraps from previous projects for the "break through" section in the middle. I think it really shows the two sides of my own journey in mosaic. In the beginning I was trying to make everything look perfect, and now I'm trying to unlearn perfect to become more expressive, more artistic.

"Portrait Practice #1" - SOLD

2010-11-06T12:00:00.002-06:00

6" by 7"- Marble, various smalti

One thing I love about this project is how I get the chance to practice for other pieces in a non committal kind of way. I've only ever done one portrait, and though successful, it was in black and white, which made life a touch easier, as I only had to work on tone and not concern myself with color. Though I'm not entirely thrilled with this piece, as I think the eye could use a little more life, and maybe not so much white around the pupil, all in all I think it was an alright attempt for a first try at a color portrait.

Having said that, I should mention that this is of no one, but just a vision in my head. Now to try actual people.

"Golden Tiger Pendant" - SOLD

2010-11-05T12:00:00.002-06:00

2.3" by 0.7" - Tiger Eye, mosaic gold on silver plated base

I have been doing a bit of jewelry again, and I really like how this one turned out. I love the shape of these long pendants, and they work so well for doing a gradient. This shape just seems to suggest a gradient, and I always try to let my materials--including my substrates, have some sort of say in how the final piece turns out.

"Una Broma Privada" - NFS

2010-11-04T12:00:00.004-06:00

5" by 5"- Ceramic tile, marble, Eco Smalti, Mother of Pearl tile, Mexican Smalti

This piece is a departure for me, a challenge to use a material I normally wouldn't, ceramic. I have nothing against ceramic, it's just not something I generally use in mosaic. However, part of this process of mosaic a day is to stretch myself and push my boundaries, so I decided I work outside my normal box, just like I tell my Mosaic a Day students to do.

"Finally Arrived"

2010-11-03T12:00:00.003-06:00

6" by 7" - Chalcopyrite, amazonite, mosaic gold, marble

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The name of this piece has to do with this being the first thing I have created in my new studio. The six week that the studio was supposed to take turned into 13 months. This studio, with ample teaching space, has been my dream for a number of years. Add into this a new shipment of marble from Italy, and you have one very happy mosaic artist, as seen here:

"New Beginnings"

2010-11-02T15:48:00.000-06:00

5" by 5"- Dalles de Verre, beach glass, Mexican Smalti

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After a fairly extensive hiatus, I've decided to take up the project again. I learned so much the first time around, plus it really encouraged my ongoing creativity. As well, I finally finished my new studio and teaching space, so this will get me going.

A few people should recognize this piece, as I created it in Oakland at the Institute of Mosaic Art when I was teaching there in June. We had so much fun that I've been asked back again for next April, and I'm already looking forward to it.

Since I've been on such a long break from the project, I'd be really grateful if you'd forward this post to anyone who might be interested. I love the comments and ideas that I get from others, and the more, the merrier!

"Purple Pendant" - SOLD

2010-02-13T14:01:00.001-07:00

1" diameter - Dichroic glass, smalti, filati, sterling silver base

This is the 100th mosaic in the mosaic a day project. Next week, I begin something large, and take a break from this project for a bit. I will be returning to this project, after I convince myself that I can still work on a larger scale.

The picture of this pendant is a little off in color, but I could not manage to correct it. I might try another photo tomorrow, as this one really does not do it justice.

"Rhythmic Seashells" - SOLD

2010-02-05T13:32:00.001-07:00

7" by 8" - Rock, sea spines, pearls, seashells

Boy have I been lazy in regards to the project this week. My husband, who works out of town, has been around for the week, after working most of the last 3 months straight. So I have an excuse--I've been having a life!

This is the biggest mosaic a day I've created, but as there wasn't much for cutting it didn't take as much time as many of the smaller ones. I've always liked the mosaics that pull off rhythm, so I decided to give it a go, and this was the result.

"Stream of Consciousness" - SOLD

2010-01-28T14:22:00.001-07:00

4" by 7" - Funky rock, mosaic gold, Carroltons, ecosmalti, broken art glass

I'm pretty chuffed about this one. I wasn't sure at first when I started the background, but I adore it. I suspect I might end up doing something similar when I start working large. Also, I actually used the tile that I sell in this one, which I don't very often. For those of you that are familiar with Mosaic Outpost, I sell the teeny square tiles you see here called Carroltons. As much as I love them, I generally find them to be too regular to be used in a lot of my work, but they work just wonderfully here, and I'm finding I need to rethink their uses.

"Chunks and Curves"-SOLD

2010-01-27T12:16:00.001-07:00

5" by 6" - Dichroic glass and Eco smalti

Okay, I'm sure if I tried, I could come up with a better name for this one. Apparently I am having an off day with the names.

I've decided to get to 100 wee mosaics, then take a break to work on something big. If anyone wants to watch that painful process, let me know--I can always consider setting up a work in progress page on my website or something. I think I'm about 4 mosaics away or so, so I guess I should start thinking of ideas. If anyone thinks one of my smaller pieces could translate into a larger one, let me know. It's been so long since I've worked big that I think I need a refresher course in what works in that department.

"Tablet"

2010-01-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

6" by 4" - Dichroic glass, marble, smalti

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This is attempt number two on this concept. It still isn't exactly how I picture it. I'm now thinking the true problem is the scale. The picture in my brain probably can't be accomplished in a Mosaic a Day size, so if I want to do justice to this idea, I will need to go big.

Which brings me to another issue. I'm thinking I may have to take a wee break from my mosaic a day-ing to work on something large. I don't know what yet, but I've hit a point where any substrate over 7" by 7" makes me nervous. This is not a good thing, so I need to tackle this problem head on at some point in the not too distant future.

"Untranslated"

2010-01-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

6" by 4" - Dichroic glass, smalti, marble

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I always end up with little bit of leftover dichroic glass when I use it, and as it's very expensiveI can't bear to throw the bits out, but I haven't known what to do with them until now. Unfortunately this one didn't quite work out as expected. The "lettering" worked exactly as it did in my brain, but the background didn't. I think I'll try the concept (which I really like) again tomorrow, and see if I can improve it.

"Columnae Arantium"

2010-01-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

5" by 5" - Eco Smalti, mosaic gold, dalles de verre

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The color on this photo is a bit off, and it just refused to be fixed. The whole thing is a bit more orange than you see--it's a little too red in this photo. Having said that, I really like how this piece turned out, I had a great time making it, and really, isn't that the point of the whole thing?

"Electric Jasper"- SOLD

2010-01-13T15:15:00.002-07:00

5" by 7" - Jasper Cabochon, mosaic gold, Eco smalti

I got this cabochon at the SAMA conference last year, from the Mosaic Rock vendor table. I knew when I grabbed it that I would do something like this with it, but I just hadn't figured it out perfectly, kind of like the cabochon that I used in "Gypsy Dance". I debated doing the background in a red Travertino marble, but decided that would be too "same-y", so I went for the complementary color. Luckily, in this case it has flecks of red in it, and so turned out to be the perfect choice.

"Sea Chimes"- SOLD

2010-01-11T11:52:00.002-07:00

4" by 6" plus overflow - Glass, ceramic, shells, copper, turquoise, semiprecious stone, reverse mosaic gold

For all of you who diligently followed the creation of "Earth Chimes", I give you its smaller cousin, "Sea Chimes". I loved making this piece, so much so that I might need to figure out how to do a big one of it.

"Gypsy Dance" - SOLD

2010-01-07T20:26:00.003-07:00

8" by 5" - Glass Cabochon, mosaic gold, marble, millefiori, garnet, glass

I received this lovely cabochon from my friend Marian Shapiro, and I knew immediately what I wanted to do with it. It looked exactly like the torso of someone dancing, but it took me 9 months to decide on the rest of the elements. I love how the skirt turned out, but I must say that I hope I never have to create feet in mosaic again!

"Riches"

2010-01-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

5" by 4" - Mosaic Gold, Mexican Smalti

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With the exception of my pendants, this is the smallest mosaic to date. As a result, I decided I could go all out on the materials, so I covered the dang substrate in mosaic gold. One of my personal mosaic mottos has always been: "When in doubt, add gold". Rarely do I get to play with so much gold, so this was thoroughly enjoyable.

"Rock Garden II" - SOLD

2010-01-04T19:31:00.002-07:00

5" by 6" - Various natural materials

Happy New Year! I made Rock Garden (the first) back near the beginning of the MaD project, and always planned on doing another one. I think the first one was a tetch better, but this one works too. I concentrated on using a color scheme of the secondary colors, and as a result, the effect is more subdued than the first one. To compare and contrast, click here.

"Happy Holidays"

2009-12-21T13:10:00.002-07:00

6" by 5" - Mirror, glass, mosaic gold, ribbon, cut styrofoam ball

This is my sign off mosaic for the year, so that I can enjoy the holidays to the fullest. I'll be picking up the project again in the New Year. From a technical standpoint, it was interesting to use the strips of stained glass as the background--may have to try this again. Also, this is the first (and possibly the last) time I've used hot glue in a the construction of a mosaic.

Thanks to everyone for following my crazy project and blog this year. I'd like to wish everyone a safe and very happy holiday.

"Lapis Pendant"

2009-12-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

Approximately 2.3" by 0.7" - Silver plate base, sterling chain, lapis lazuli, dichroic glass

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The photo of this particular pendant is not as good as it could be. You can't really see the dichroic glass in it. The effect of the dichro is kind of neat in this one, as it is a similar color to the lapis, but then flashes to turquoise from a side view. In hindsight, a different color might have been more effective, but I was going for tone on tone, so I certainly achieved that!

"Waves" - SOLD

2009-12-13T19:14:00.001-07:00

5" by 4" - Ammonite fossil, sea spikes, shell beads

Okay, as much as I love being in the studio, I can't remember the last time I had THIS much fun. This piece is another of those that just fell together, and I felt like I didn't really do much but let it happen. The muse was definitely whispering into my ear on this one.

"No Stress" - SOLD

2009-12-11T10:29:00.001-07:00

5" by 5" - Chandelier crystals, mosaic gold, marble

I just love how this one turned out. At first, I had the crystals pointed straight up and down, but then I tilted them a bit, and the whole thing changed for the better. The yellow marble somehow gives the whole thing a French feel, which wasn't necessarily what I was going for, but I'll take it. It's just wonderful when things come together so tidily, and artfully.

"Stacked"

2009-12-09T17:22:00.000-07:00

7" by 4" - Jasper, amazonite, mosaic gold, marble, eco smalti, copper

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I'm not super crazy about this one. For starters, I don't think there is enough tonal contrast for the mosaic to be truely effective. In addition, I would cut the background pieces smaller if I could do it all over again. However, I do like how I fixed the fact that this piece was a bit boring when I was finished--I glued small squares of reverse mosaic gold on top of other tesserae, which adds interesting depth when viewed in person.

"Breaking Through" - SOLD

2009-12-07T16:10:00.003-07:00

4" by 6" Marble, mosaic gold, carborundum, bismuth, chalcopyrite

I love shiny things, and natural shiny things like carborundum, bismuth, and chalcopyrite are no exception to the rule. I'm quite pleased with how this one turned out, though I have to admit I think it looks like a landscape out of a science fiction story.

"S" - NFS

2009-12-04T13:51:00.004-07:00

7" by 6" - Stained glass, mosaic gold

The second in the set of commissions for a little girl's room. This is for the new baby sister. I got to play with mauve grout this time.

On another, less happy note, my piece "Earth Chimes" did not get into the MAI exhibition. Oh well, wasn't too sure if the jurors they have this year would appreciate my work.

" Lime Pendant" - SOLD

2009-12-02T19:15:00.004-07:00

Approx 2.3" by 0.7" - Glass tile, mosaic gold, silverplate base, sterling chain

It's been a long while since I have worked on a pendant, so I thought it was high time I did so. I love the color lime, and hadn't yet done a green pendant. I've got new pendant bases on the way, so there should be more pendants coming in the not too distant future.

"K"- NFS

2009-12-01T18:49:00.003-07:00

6" by 8" - Stained Glass, millefiori, mosaic gold, dichroic glass

This cutie mosaic was a commission for a little girl's room. I normally don't grout, but this seemed an appropriate instance to do so--plus, I got to play with indigo grout, which is just too fun.

"Red Perspective" - SOLD

2009-11-30T20:19:00.004-07:00

6" x 6" - Mexican or Eco Smalti

My sister is the godess of helping me maintain perspective when mine goes awry. She was helping me out today with my perspective regarding a client as I was color correcting this mosaic. Ergo, when it came time to name it, "Red Perspective" it was.

"Earth Chimes" - SAMA Entry

2009-11-28T10:58:00.009-07:00

14.25" x 16.75" x 2"- Marble, glass, mosaic gold, copper, pearls, obsidian, amethyst, amber, ammonite fossil

Well, here it is! The piece holding the "chimes together is covered in a variety of copper meshes. Keep your fingers crossed for me that it gets in! I also have a detail shot here for you as well.

SAMA Entry Part 4 - NFS

2009-11-27T15:50:00.003-07:00

10" x 2" - Marble, glass, mosaic gold, copper, pearls, obsidian, amethyst, amber

This is the last of the small mosaics that comprise my SAMA entry. Tomorrow, you get to see how it all gets put together.

SAMA Entry Part 3 - NFS

2009-11-25T19:29:00.003-07:00

12" x 2" - Marble, glass, mosaic gold, copper, pearls, obsidian, amethyst, amber

This is the third in the series that will come together to be my MAI entry. Obviously, they are are very similar, so as to relate to one another.

SAMA Entry Part 2 - NFS

2009-11-24T13:23:00.005-07:00

12" x 2" - Marble, glass, mosaic gold, copper, pearls, obsidian, amethyst, amber, ammonite fossil

Thank you so much to everyone who sent me lovely emails welcoming me back to the project. You've inspired me to keep going! This is the second mosaic that will comprise my Mosaic Arts International entry.

SAMA Entry Part 1 - NFS

2009-11-23T14:09:00.003-07:00

10" x 2" - Marble, glass, mosaic gold, copper, pearls, obsidian, amethyst, amber

In keeping with the mosaic a day idea, I decided that this year I'd create a larger work out of several smaller works for my entry into the Mosaic Arts International juried show. This is the first of the wee mosaics.

On another note, I'm picking the project up again, so you can expect more posts from here on in.

"Dueling Bunny Feet" - SOLD

2009-08-21T00:12:00.004-06:00

6" by 5" - Smalti, sea spines, millefiori, ceramic bunny feet

Remember how I've mentioned I received some weird items when I asked friend to contribute items to the Mosaic a Day project? Well, the one of the weirdest has to be these ceramic bunny feet. Note: the bunny was not attached to the feet when I received them. So of course, they brought out the silly side of me, so I decided they needed to be pitted against one another in a battle. And with the circus like atmosphere that one would expect from a bunny foot duel, I had to do a background worthy of the big top. In some very serious Orsoni smalti, of course.

"The Swept Floor" - SOLD

2009-08-19T21:29:00.004-06:00

5" by 5" - Everything but the floor itself

Since the beginning of this project, I've been collecting all my studio floor sweepings in a box with the intent of creating a "swept floor" mosaic. This is an ironic nod to the Hellenistic tradition of the unswept floor mosaics, where the floor was mosaicked to look like it had the leavings of a banquet on it. All the pieces in this mosaic literally came from off of my studio floor, and I cut as few of them as possible. There is still probably enough material in the box for several more of these. It was a very interesting exercise, and I'll probably do it again in another 50 or so mosaics.

"Encroaching"

2009-08-15T10:56:00.003-06:00

6" by 5" - Marble, dichroic glass, quartz crystal, glass, chandelier components

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Not entirely sure what I think of this one. I think it actually has ended up looking like two ideas or two mosaics stuck together. The dichro is a little overwhelming--I think that if I had used silver gold in those sections, and in a much narrower fashion, the effect would have been more what I was going for.

"Otherworldly" - SOLD

2009-08-13T19:23:00.004-06:00

6" by 5" - Mirror, dichroic glass, glass blowing offcasts

I lucked out a few weeks back, and was allowed to go through all the off bits from a glass blowing studio. Some of the pieces were EXTREMELY cool. Most of them are clear, but some are colored as well. In this piece, I glued the bits and bobs directly to a grouted mirror mosaic. As y'all know, I don't normally grout, but I do often have occasion to demonstrate grouting, so layered pieces like this work well for when grouting is the order of the day.

"Kaleidoscope" - SOLD

2009-08-12T20:25:00.004-06:00

6" by 5" - Eco and Mexican Smalti, mosaic gold

Again with the new laying style. I incorporated some colored gold this time as well. Interestingly enough, although this style looks a bit mishmash, it's actually pretty difficult for me to accomplish. I spend a lot of time standing back and squinting to make sure I have the texture and color balance just so. As of yet, it takes me much longer than most other styles I use.

"Signposts" - SOLD

2009-08-07T23:24:00.006-06:00

6" by 5" - Mexican and Eco Smalti

There were a lot of pale colors in this one, which for some reason makes it a tricky one to photograph and color correct, but I think I did okay. I'm really enjoying working in this new style. The whole process is about trying to achieve a certain balance while making it look random and interesting. There's a flow, but it's a very different sort of flow from other flows I've made in mosaic. I haven't yet discovered all the rules to this type of style yet, or if there even are any.

"Stonefire" - SOLD

2009-08-01T23:06:00.006-06:00

7" by 6" - Marble, dichroic glass, smalti, mosaic gold

I do so like the combination of dichroic glass and marble. This time I mixed a little eco smalti and gold in with the marble for good measure. Needless to say, I enjoy the effect. This mosaic is yet another one that is better in person than in the photo. Dichroic glass is just the worst to photograph.

"Untitled"- NFS

2009-07-30T20:41:00.004-06:00

6" by 5" - Mexican and Eco Smalti

I did it, I finally did it! I finally achieved proper "Spilimbergo" modern style. Of course, then I had to go auction it off to raise money for art scholarships at a college I teach at every summer, which is why it isn't for sale. But it's super abstract, super pleasing to the eye (well, my eye at least), and I love it.

Which brings me to the the contrast and compare part of today's blog entry. While looking at this one, I was struck by how far I've come in 6 1/2 years of mosaic. Here, for your viewing pleasure, is my first mosaic, from January of 2003:

A wee bit of a difference, no?

"Teeny Bit of Pride" - NFS

2009-07-27T09:39:00.002-06:00

Approx. 1 3/4" by 1 3/8" - Dichroic glass, stained glass, filati and marble on sterling silver base

Okay, so I jumped the gun on returning to the mosaic a day project. I just wrapped up a week of teaching in Red Deer, AB. My students were amazing, and produced wonderful mosaics, despite most of them having no experience with the medium.

This piece is a commission based on a pendant that I sold at the SAMA conference. Both pendants are based on a piece I did a few years back, called "Pride", a huge peacock feather with a marble background. I may need to create one of these pendants for myself someday....

"Onwards and Upwards"- SOLD

2009-07-14T21:58:00.004-06:00

8" by 5" - Ammonite, Eco and Mexican smalti, dichro, gold, turquoise, marble

I'm BAA-AACK! After a month and a half hiatus, I decided it was high time that I rebooted the Mosaic a Day project. Having said that, I plan on downsizing to four mosaics a week for the next couple of months. Canadian summers are so short that I have to enjoy it while I can. I will also be working on converting the garage into a teaching studio in August, so I expect that will eat up an extra chunk of time as well.

I don't know if I've mentioned it, but turquoise and red is probably my favorite color combo in the world.

The Backsplash: Finished!

2009-06-30T20:38:00.004-06:00

My apologies for the huge wait on this post. I have been working on too many projects all at once to even think straight most of the time. Here are a few pictures of the installation and completed work.

Here's a pic of me pushing some of the first sections in:

Here's the backsplash partly installed:

Putting in one of the last sections:

Sometimes you have to get a little uncomfortable for your art:

But the finished project is worth it!

In all seriousness, though this backsplash isn't created in my usual style, I really had a good time making and installing it. Of course, the fact that I could expect a succession of seafood feasts and steak dinners when all was done was certainly a boon. Naturally, my father now thinks we need to remove the bottom half tiles and finish the project with more field tile and a border. I figure, if he keeps the filet mignon and crab legs coming, he can have whatever he wants....

The Backsplash: Episode 3

2009-06-17T20:33:00.003-06:00

It's been awhile since I have had any time to blog. Or think straight for that matter! Here is the section that will go immediately to the right hand side of the stove. There's another 3 feet or so before I hit the wall and turn. I've done about 8 linear feet so far, and I think that makes it just 5 or 6 feet to go. But I've only got a week and a half, so time to get cracking.

The Backsplash: Episode 2

2009-06-07T19:46:00.004-06:00

On weekends, I work at a local diner, so I haven't had as much time to work on the backsplash. I've managed another couple of feet, the skinny section about the stove and under the microwave. Realigning the mesh and template after removing a couple of sections was a little more difficult than I anticipated but I think I managed alright. You can see a section cut off here.

On another note, I've also acquired another huge project. An artist friend of mine was commissioned to do a large mosaic on a column in a local junior high school. Although a mosaic enthusiast, she has very little experience working in mosaic. She asked me to come in at the start of the project to get her going on the right path. While there, she asked the principal of the school if there was money for her to keep me on for the project's duration, and received a positive response. So in addition to working on this backsplash, I'm also working on this new project about 18 hours a week, plus my waitressing job. So if I blog belatedly, or sporatically, please forgive me!

The Backsplash: Episode 1

2009-06-04T20:47:00.010-06:00

I received many comments after my last post from people wanting me to blog about the backsplash project, since I've temporarily suspended M.A.D to get this done.

This is the backsplash that got started nearly a year ago in my brain, for my dad. Some of you know my dad as this:

For those of you that have met him, he's a pretty conservative guy, and REALLY likes Roman mosaics. So a Romanesque mosaic it is for his backsplash. The dimensions are approximately 1' by 14'.

First came the great debate of what method to use. I chose thinset to mesh double direct, based on the advice of my good friend Lynne Chinn. I'm not an experienced installer, and have been worried about the adhesive coming up to the top of the tile during installation, and not being able to get the grout in, for one. So I wanted to glue to the mesh in a way that would prevent this from happening. I also don't like that mesh has some "wiggle" to it while installing, so I thought that thinset pancakes would be more rigid. As well, marble is really hard to use indirect, since it is so thick. It is often wider at the top than bottom, or vice versa. This means that the reverse side usually ends up looking really different than the side you were looking at while working. As this is my first backsplash, I really want to know what is going on as I work on it. Plus I'm using the fantastic stone tiles from Mosaic Rocks, and they are pretty much the same thickness, so I'm not worried about the flat surface.

So here's my gathered materials:

And here it is all ready to go. Drawing first (proving that drawing is not my best skill), then plastic, then mesh. I've taped to a laminated board. Easy to remove tape from, portable if I want to work outside, or if I want to rotate the whole thing for easier working.

I would have blogged this all yesterday, except my Internet was down, so the first WIP picture is the end of Day 2:

As you can see, the progess is pretty fast, as there is a lot of Opus Tesselatum, which I have now learned to lay two tiles at a time. About 3 linear feet have been laid at this point. You can see the mesh trailing off the right side of the board. I've already cut this part into sections, but haven't removed them. Then I'll have to slide everything over, retape, and keep going.

And here's a close up of one of the olive branches:

Won't get quite as much done tomorrow, as I probably only have about 2 hours to work on it.

"Shards"

2009-05-31T21:00:00.003-06:00

6" by 7" - Marble, mosaic gold (reversed), amazonite, glass

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I'm still enjoying creating these rhythmic pieces, but decided to mix it up a little by varying the marble color in a non random, deliberate way. I always want these pieces to impart a sense of tranquility, and this one does that, I think.

On another topic, I will be taking a break from mosaic a day beginning later this week to work on a large backsplash project that I've been putting off. I would be happy to blog my progress on that if people are interested. Let me know!

"Mardi Gras" - SOLD

2009-05-28T23:04:00.004-06:00

6" by 7" - Glass, Lapis lazuli, quartz, amber

A number of people really liked "Layered" from a couple days ago, so I thought I'd try the concept again. It's quite a lot of fun to see what happens when you layer glass. My husband thought this looked very festival-like, so we named it "Mardi Gras". Tomorrow it's back to marble. I start feeling a little weird when I haven't used any in a while.

By the way, does anyone know what the metal thingy from yesterday's "space ship" is?

"Ground Control to Major Tom" *- SOLD

2009-05-27T10:23:00.007-06:00

* With apologies to David Bowie

7" by 7" - Dichroic glass and thingies, metal thingies, semi precious stone

Those who know me well, know I have a very silly side. I usually curtail it for my artwork, but today it had to come out. So I present a very silly mosaic.

Having said that, I asked all my mosaic friends to bring me weird things to put in my daily mosaics. I suspect that some of the items were a bit of a joke, but I intend to dutifully use them all. This piece features a couple of the more unusual items.

"Layered" -SOLD

2009-05-25T23:44:00.004-06:00

7" by 6" - Various glass, quartz points, peridot

I've seen a number of mosaic artist layer glass for incredible effect. I played with this concept in "Penguins Marching" and "Mountain Lake", but hadn't yet tried something abstract. Layering is definitely interesting and a lot of fun, so I may have to explore this concept some more at some point.

"Secondary Amoebas" - SOLD

2009-05-23T23:49:00.004-06:00

7" by 6" - Eco Smalti, mosaic gold, amethyst, calcite

Putting all the primary colors in a design is pretty easy. I've done it many a time. However, I've always admired those artists who manage to put all the secondary colors in a piece, which is a much harder task. This is my attempt to do so, and I think it worked out. In hindsight, I wish I had eliminated either one of the orange tones or one of the grean tones--it's a bit busy for a mosaic of this scale.

"Baby Lodes" - SOLD

2009-05-22T23:40:00.004-06:00

7" by 6" - Pyrite, marble, Eco Smalti

Okay, apparently I couldn't wait to play with this idea again. I just love these "veins" of pyrite I've been creating. I may have to try this on a large scale at some point.

On another topic, a big thank you to everyone who emails me or writes blog comments. They really do keep me going, and I love to hear what people think of what I've done that day. I often hear how I've inspired someone, and hearing these sorts of things "inspires" me to continue what I am doing.

"Mother Lode" - SOLD

2009-05-21T10:53:00.007-06:00

6" by 7" - Pyrite, calcite, Eco Smalti

I finished my day too late yesterday to post, so I'm posting yesterday's piece this morning. I really enjoyed working on this one. The color palette is a bit unusual for me, but I like the way all the elements work together here. I might have to play with this idea again in the not too distant future.

"Scarab"

2009-05-19T19:11:00.002-06:00

7" by 6" - Marble, mosaic gold, pearls, semiprecious stone, quartz, glass, funky scarab thingy

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In a former mosaic life, I created a lot of mosaic mirrors that I called "Wall Jewelry". My materials have changed a lot since then, but I decided to try to see if the wall jewelry idea would still work with what I use now to create my mosaics. I think it does, although the balance seems slightly off in this piece.

I also sharpened my hammer and hardie today, so can't WAIT to play tomorrow.

"Sundial" - SOLD

2009-05-16T23:37:00.003-06:00

6" by 6" - Ammonite, sea urchin spines, marble

I've been suffering from a lot of fatigue lately. This could be partly due to my ridiculous schedule, but partially is probably an issue of low iron. But somehow, I am managing to keep up the project, which makes me pretty pleased. There is something about this particular piece that I find really quite calming, and it's creation practically seemed to happen without me; it was one of those times where I suddenly realized I was done already.

"Flame and Lime" - SOLD

2009-05-14T21:57:00.004-06:00

6" by 7" - Cut beach glass, Eco Smalti

This was a bit of an experiment, but I liked how it turned out. I had some beach glass that had a lot of curve to it, and it made really cool semi circle thingies when I cut it. Of course I had to try to piece it together, and this is what happened. Then I just figured it needed its color complement to really pop. And how could I turn down an excuse to use a lot of lime green?

"Abacus"- SOLD

2009-05-13T21:38:00.004-06:00

6" by 6" - Smalti, mosaic gold, pearls, beach glass

I cried "Uncle" yesterday and did not do a daily mosaic as scheduled. Since starting my sale on Mosaic Outpost, I have been inundated with orders to pack. This is a good thing, but all the busy work, plus my part time waitress job made me just too tired to do justice to a mosaic.

But I like today's piece a lot, even if I hate photographing and color correcting deep blues. My camera just does not like them at all, and the color still isn't correct. This piece could have potential as a larger piece; if you look back you'll see I've played with a similar concept a couple of times throughout the project.

"Art Imitating Life 2"

2009-05-11T22:22:00.002-06:00

6" by 7" - Smalti, Mosaic Gold, Picture Rock

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I really enjoyed doing the art imitating life from yesterday, so I decided to try another one. I tried to get a really close up photo of the rock I used as my design, but I couldn't manage to get it close up enough. I like how it turned out, but I think yesterday's was better.

"Art Imitating Life" -SOLD

2009-05-10T21:01:00.003-06:00

7" by 6" - Mexican Smalti, Jasper

I've not worked much with Mexican smalti. I discovered, however, that I love it. It has two usable sides, and they tend to be slightly different colors, which greatly expands the color palette. It's hard to tell in this photo, but I was trying to imitate the nuances of the jasper with the background. I may have accomplished it, but you do have to squint a bit.

"Downstream" - SOLD

2009-05-08T14:32:00.005-06:00

6" by 7" - Smalti, kyanite

I've been doing a lot of mosaics with red in them lately, so thought I should get out of the red rut. Also thought it was time to try some "flow-ier" andamento. Sadly, the kyanite stone and slivers didn't really end up adding much to this piece.

I've had a few questions as to my substrate and finishing. I use either 1/2" plywood (birch) or MDF as my substrate for these mosaics. After scoring the mosaic side and sealing all sides, I paint the backs and sides a flat black. This gets masked off before mosaicking, so I get a clean edge. Before shipping, I attach a baby sawtooth hanger to the back.

"Squares" - NSF

2009-05-06T21:44:00.003-06:00

Approx 2.3" by 0.7" - Glass tile, mosaic gold, silverplate base

NSF

My sister wanted this one, so unfortunately, it's not for sale. I'm getting better and better at gradients, I think. To do one over about 2 1/4" is pretty small scale, but it worked. The teeny black tiles are the Carrolton tiles I sell, but with embedded millefiori.

"Gas Line Anger"

2009-05-05T22:28:00.003-06:00

7" by 5" - Brass gas fitting, glass shards, marble, colored thinset

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Today has not been a good day. Through a number of convoluted events, including a failed gas inspection on our barbeque and range, we discovered that a permit was never obtained on the gas line to the gas range we have. Add on a gas company saying we owe them for installation (we paid cash), a gas line we are unsure about now, and a dog in heat, and you get the picture as to my mood. So I give you "Gas Line Anger".

Interestingly enough, I had intended to go all the way to the edges with the marble. But then suddenly, it looked done. Painters often say the hardest part of painting is knowing when to stop, and apparently I needed to stop before the edges on this one.

"Awakening" - SOLD

2009-05-04T22:09:00.004-06:00

6" by 7" - Pyrite Sun, marble, Eco smalti, mosaic gold

My apologies for missing a few days of mosaics. My birthday and surrounding festivities intervened with me getting in the studio. But it's back to the blog for me now, and I'm actually really glad to be back at the project.

I've never used a pyrite sun before, only pieces, mostly because I worry that somehow what I create won't be worthy of such a beautiful object. Worry that I'd end up "wasting" it. However, I am thoroughly pleased with this piece, and I encourage all you mosaic artists out there to try that special item you've been saving. If you don't use it, you'll never know.

"Crystalline Entity" - SOLD

2009-04-29T21:53:00.003-06:00

5" by 5" - Marble, dalles de verre, dichroic glass, mosaic gold, Carroltons

After a few days of pendants, it's back to the wee wall mosaics for me. The dalles de verre are so much fun to play with. For those of you unfamiliar with this material, it's these big plates of glass that are an inch thick. They cut very irratically, which is something I really enjoy. Someday I hope to have more than two colors of it!

As for the background, I got partway through, then had to rip it all off. Sometimes what I think will work doesn't; in this case I had to trade in the rectangles I had been working with for squares.

"Turquoise and Red"

2009-04-28T23:23:00.003-06:00

1 7/8" by 1 3/16" - Turquoise, mosaic gold, glass, filati, sterling silver base

Email to Purchase at $130 USD

I love the color combination of turquoise and red. At first I wasn't sure how it would work in a single piece of jewelry, but I really like the effect. What's funny is I went in the studio to do something in a chartreuse green, and this is what happened. About as far as you can get from green.

This is another piece that is a bit more expensive than usual owing to the sterling silver base. A number of people have been asking where I get my bases. I get them from Tiles and Tools in the Netherlands. The website is listed under my suppliers list towards the bottom of the blog page.

"Drops" - SOLD

2009-04-27T21:15:00.004-06:00

Approx 2.3" by 0.7" - Gold, filati, stone, sterling chain, silver plate base

Not only do I love this pendant, I love the picture of it. The pendants, with all the gold I tend to use, are particularly difficult to photograph. This may be my best photo of any of the daily mosaics. I'm also really please with the gradient of light to darker golds, as it is nearly seamless. If you are a mosaic artist, you'll know how difficult a color gradient is to do well!

"Stacked Pendant" - SOLD

2009-04-26T11:01:00.003-06:00

Approx 2.3" by 0.7" - Mosaic gold, smalti filati, silver plate base, sterling chain

My camera did not take a great photo of this, despite ideal conditions. The background white all kind of melded togetherand looks very flat. In real life, the background has loads of texture, much like my marble pieces. I love the effect, but you just can't see it well here. Might try again later--white is so hard to photograph.

"Fire and Agate" SOLD

2009-04-25T00:33:00.005-06:00

2" diameter - Agate, dichroic glass, sterling silver base and chain

It's been a crazy couple of days at the part time waitress job, and sleep became a priority today, so I'm posting one of my jewelry pieces that I've had for awhile. Owing to the lux, and pricey silver base, this piece is a bit more expensive than the others, $130 USD. The photo is a bit more "cherry" than the actual piece. I'm still trying to figure out how to photograph the jewelry correctly. The dichroic glass is really amazing and shiny in this piece, which the photo doesn't portray at all.