a mosaic tale
artist statement
My artwork strives to connect us to the wonder of nature and the whole of the world we live in. From the layers of rock that form the land we live upon, to each plant and creature that we share the planet with, nature is a driving theme in my creations. I love pointing to the beauty of the mundane and overlooked, the annoying or intrusive, as well as those creatures we fear. I often focus on endangered species and habitats as a personal expression of my passions.
Discovering mosaic as an art form has given me a place to continually explore the synergy of glass and grout, color and form, puzzle solving and creativity that happens naturally as my designs take shape. It is a part of my process that I treasure.
I hope that my pieces leave people with a sense of peace, fun and joy; even possibly causing them to take a second or third look at this sphere we live on and the beings we share it with. Perhaps they will encourage us to see the beauty—even in those things that initially invoke a negative reaction from the human animals we are.
Why mosaics?
In the midst of a bathroom remodel I went looking for interesting tiles to bring some color to the design. I happened upon some beautiful mosaic art and, intrigued, did some internet perusing. I found a lovely set of starter videos and the next thing I knew I was making mosaics as a creative outlet simply for my own pleasure.
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I quickly discovered that glass, mortar, grout and I get along remarkably well. Friends and family began asking for me to make pieces for them as gifts; then encouraging me to consider selling things…
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I worked up the courage to enter some pieces in the county fair; they were well-received. So, I took the next big step and applied to be one of the artists judged into the Santa Cruz Arts Council's Open Studios in 2019. I was accepted and had a couple of great weekends demonstrating and selling my art!
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And now, here I am, online!
my work
I am a nature lover and an ocean advocate, which you will see clearly reflected in my work.
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I use (mostly) stained glass, vitreous glass and iridescent glass pieces. I cut the pieces by hand and use thinset mortar or weldbond adhesive to glue them to the substrate. Then, I grout the piece and finish with a sealer. Most of my mosaics are fine in either an indoor or outdoor setting. I have recently been playing with materials other than glass and look forward to sharing the results!
beginnings
I can't remember a time in my life that I wasn't doodling, drawing, or building something. Even through my entire Bachelor's program (I have a BA in Marine Biology), I continued to incorporate art into my life one way or another.
The same is true of the decades that have passed since then—from memory albums through my child-rearing years to graphic design, to classes in print making, color and design, and whatever else caught my fancy—I have always had that NEED for a creative outlet in my life.
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Even in my earliest childhood drawings, everything centered around nature and animals. As I reached adulthood, that love of nature and our place in it gained a depth that revolved around environmental concerns and our impact on the other beings we share this planet with. My attempts to convey that through art were never satisfactory, at least not to me—I never quite captured what was in my heart.
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Returning more focus to my art after raising my kids, I found that the expression of my absolute love and awe and connection to nature, the environment, and particularly the oceans and ocean conservation wanted to spill out in a new way: Sharing with others the beauty of the creatures and wildscapes that feed my soul. Only... How?!
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When I discovered mosaics , and they became what I can only label a "calling", they gave me the vehicle to fully express that beauty. I now have an artistic outlet that brings me joy and fulfillment and a deep satisfaction with the results of my work.
I continue to try new things, explore new materials and techniques, and be willing to have spectacular failures turn out to be surprise successes (or not) along the way. I hope you find as much joy in viewing my work as I do in creating it.
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