BOSCO!

I was contacted in early November 2015 to be a part of an art project for Oakland Animal Services called "Home is where the heART is". The idea was to have art made of hard-to-adopt animals and then whoever adopted them would receive the art too. Here is a link to the rest of the art http://oashomeiswheretheheartis.tumblr.com/ 
This was a magical experience from the beginning. First, I was contacted out of the blue. I usually don't like to do free work much anymore, because I have bills to pay! But this was a very worthy project and I love animals. Then the morning I arrived to choose my animal, I saw Bosco and immediately knew he would be a great subject. One of the attributes I believe scares people about pit bulls is that many of them have huge heads. And Bosco was one of them!! But he also had sweet eyes and I knew I wanted to help him find a home. So here he is!

Bosco!

14.5" x 13"

3d cement sculpture on Wediboard

Glass and mirror mosaic

Home Address Commission

I've been busy with some fun commissions this year. Here is one of them. A house address to dress up a drab exterior. An added bonus? This house is in a busy intersection!! 

18" in diameter, 3D cement sculpture on Wediboard, mosaicked with glass and mirror.

 

October 2015 Class at Institute of Mosaic Art

Another fun and successful class at IMA. I taught students how to make simple but wonderful 3D substrates for mosaic.

American Flag Mosaics

I have always wanted to do a series of mosaics based on the US flag. 

I will leave out any interpretation of what the flag means because it means something different to every person who sees it. Personally, I have always liked the flag in folk art. These pieces are just something I had in my head that I wanted to create. So I did. 

All of these are 3D cement on Wediboard attached to old fence boards 

for a rustic, folk art look.

"Old Glory"  22" x 12"

 5.5" x 19.5"

8" x 17"

8" x 22"

"Flag Trio" 30.5" x 8"

11" tall

20" x 6"

21.5" x 8"

Octopus Mosaics

"Red Octopus" 24" x 26"  

3D cement on Wediboard substrate. 

Red and black grout.

"Blue Octopus"   18" x 34" 
3D cement on Wediboard substrate. 

Whale Mosaic

This past winter we were treated to a weekend of whale watching up north of Mendocino. We saw dozens of them as we sat on a beautiful deck right on the cliffs. As a "thank you" I made our hosts this mosaic. "Whale!"  Approx 16" long.  

Glass mosaic on 3D cement substrate.

Mosaics for Gratta Wines Tasting Room at Butchertown Gourmet

My friend, Barbara Gratta, has  been making wine in her garage for over 15 years. Her wines have won medals at wine competitions in San Francisco and New York's Finger Lakes Region. Her latest endeavor has been to  open Butchertown Gourmet in SF's Bayview District. This area of SF is the newest, up and coming neighborhood for artisans and makers. Her partner in this business is Xan DeVoss who, under the business name Fox and Lion Bread, creates excellent breads!! I created these mosaics on old fence boards to hang in the tasting room. Each is approx 8" wide by 18" tall. Learn about Gratta Wines here.

My Latest Mosaics

Lately I have been experimenting with a more abstract style in my mosaics. Or maybe the best description is "Abstract Impressionism". Some of the following pieces were commissions, some were for my own exploration.

House number. 15" diameter. 3D cement substrate.

"Patina" 8" x 30" x 3"  3D cement substrate.

"Rythym" Commission. 16" diameter.  3D cement substrate.

"Undergrowth" 14" x 14"  3d cement substrate.

My Classes at Institute of Mosaic Art in Berkeley

I was asked last year to teach a class in making 3 dimensional wall hanging substrates for mosaic. It's not as complicated as it sounds! I started creating substrates like this for myself a few years ago. I won't go back to flat boards ever again! I taught last October, this past March and will be teaching again this coming October.
As one of my students said: "Life will never be flat again!"
Get more info at Institute of Mosaic Art

Before the class, I cut out several simple shapes for the students.

They learn the techniques of working with thinset and mesh to protect the edges.

 

Hard at work the second day. Learning about working with cement.

Some finished pieces, ready for mosaic.