In The Studio - Part 2

Happy Halloween!! There's much excitement in our house ... the little ones are counting the hours until they can dress up in their costumes, all pile into their other grandmother's van and her neighborhood to get lots and lots of candy!! Woo-hoo!

This Nana will stay home enjoying the quiet and work on something creative. I'm okay with this; not joining them is sad but I'm also relieved. The long walks around many blocks to get to as many houses as possible isn't as much fun as they used to be when I took my girls trick-or-treating. Staying home and getting some quiet time is not really all that bad.

It's interesting to note that no matter how many years of mosaic work I've got under my belt, I still make mistakes. Mostly the mistake(s) can be fixed but this kind of thing definitely keeps me humble. It's actually nice to continue to learn but once in a while I need a refresher course on things I knew and apparently forgot.

I put a small MDF cross on top of a larger MDF cross and decided I'd paint the small one and sprinkle glitter on it, then mosaic it with tempered glass. I do this technique often and rarely have trouble with it. However, this time, I used a silicone adhesive so drying time wasn't as long as the PVA glue needs. My mistake, which is quite clear in the photos below was not smoothing out the silicone before applying the tempered glass, leaving big chunks of glue between the tg. It also became quite clear that although the glue dried well, because it was thick in some spots and not in others, the grouting process would not work.

The larger MDF cross has blue and white broken china on it and the sides of both crosses and back of the large one are painted blue. I do like this a lot and wanted to fix my mistake so I could sell or gift it.

Luckily, it was easy to take the tg off which should be a clue as to how wrong the application of glue was. It shouldn't have been easy, but I'm glad it was!

I cleaned all the glue off using a scraping tool and a little vinegar. Next step is to add the adhesive again, SPREAD IT AROUND, and then add the tg once more. Lesson learned ... until next time ...

Muuuuuch better ... another one for the "to be grouted" pile - woo-hoo!

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Stay peaceful,

Cindy

The 2014 International Mosaic Auction Is Coming!

Mosaic Auction

One of the best things about donating art is finding worthy causes. I continue to give to this one because Lin Schorr works hard to organize an event such as this. It is no small feat. Lin does an amazing job from beginning to end.

The poster above shows 'Sun and Moon', the mosaic star box I donated. If you don't remember how I made it, covering the lid inside and out plus the base inside, sides and bottom too you can find many photos on flickr to look through.

I also donated a mosaic pendant which is a nice treat for those who want to something small to bid on.

photo courtesy of Lin Schorr

I'll continue to share info about this event as time gets closer. Please consider bidding for a piece of art and help DWB - you get the reward of knowing your funds are going for a wonderful cause and you get a piece of mosaic art! You must join the site in order to bid. It's free!

An international group of mosaic artists whose works will be available for bid in the November ‘2014 International Mosaic Auction’ benefit for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières at the online auction website: www.BiddingForGood.com/DWB-MSF

Known in the U.S. as Doctors Without Borders (DWB) and worldwide as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), DWB/MSF is an international medical humanitarian organization that provides aid in nearly 70 countries to people whose survival is threatened, providing medical aid to those most in need.

This auction collection of 141 mosaic artworks from artists representing 13 countries is an example of the diverse creativity in this again-burgeoning art form. Some artists use classic materials that date back to the origins of mosaic, while others take full advantage of the limitless material choices available today.

‘2014 International Mosaic Auction’ will open online, Saturday, November 22, at 5pm EDT and will close Saturday, December 6, at 5pm EDT at www.BiddingForGood.com/DWB-MSF

Local folks of the Michigan area, you're in for a rare treat if you live near Northville, Michigan.  If you don't, consider a day trip to see all the beautiful artwork in person. There will be a preview of the art, including jewelry, on Friday, November 7th at Northville Art House. The LIVE preview exhibition opens with an Artist Reception from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at the Northville Art House, 215 W. Cady St, Northville, Michigan (Regular Art House hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 1:00pm to 5:00pm)

Click here to take you to Lin Schorr's website.

Do you know someone who would love to take part in the bidding? You can Refer a Friend on the auction site. Join us as the bidding wars begin, on November 22nd.

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Stay peaceful,

Cindy

In The Studio - Part 1

I took the Suns and Moons Birdhouse out for a walk over the weekend and got some really fantastic photographs. My favorite is the "HOME" side against the tree.

Each side is completely different than the next so that no matter which way it is turned, nothing is lost. I added a peace sign charm to the chimney as a finishing touch.

This stands 23 inches high. The front and back are 6 inches wide and the sides are 4.5 inches wide. Done completely in pique assiette on wood. This mosaic piece of art is available for purchase. Contact me for pricing and shipping info.

I don't know if many missed me last week, but I lost my internet connection on October 17th, Friday morning and didn't get connected again until late Thursday afternoon on October 23rd. The forced break was put to good use. I primed a LOT of pieces of wood and MDF so that when the muse is ready to get creative, I don't have to slow her down with prep work, it's finished!

This is one of 3 similar piles ... the trouble is figuring out where to start!

But I also ended up with a bad stomach virus which laid me flat for close to 6 days. If there is ever a good time to have no distractions, that week was a good one for me.

In the time I was away, I made some decisions about my future adventures with my mosaics and photography business. Taking time to create is becoming more important to me than doing the business end. I know promoting is necessary and I'll still share my adventures on my blog, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and Google+ as usual. Nothing much will change except how I sell my mosaics.

My photography can be seen on fineartamerica.com and society6.com and I'll promote those a little more as time goes on. I have a Facebook Page dedicated to photography - if you give it a "like" and set up for notifications, you won't miss the latest news.

Work began on a small mosaic wall art from one of the piles shown above. This cool peace mug is coming along fairly well.

In the "to be grouted" pile :)

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Stay peaceful,

Cindy

"Moon Magic" on Society6

'Moon Magic'

Photography of Original Mixed Media Art from

Earth Mother Mosaics

One of a small section of an original Mixed Media Art Piece I made a few years ago, 'Moon Magic' has a dream-like quality that is fitting for a children's room or nursery. As most of my art pieces appeal to a wide range of young and old, this is no exception.

Here are a nice selection of gift ideas for you from which to choose.

Framed print, iPhone/iPod Case, Laptop/iPad Skin, Tote Bag, Clock, Shower Curtain, Rug, Pillow Cover, Duvet Cover - click on each link to take you directly to the items.

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Stay peaceful,

Cindy

Promo Blast!

MEK the Dancing Kangaroo - Abstract Contemporary Mosaic Wall Art
Available - Contact me for price and shipping info

This 9 x 9 inch contemporary abstract mosaic I have dubbed "MEK" has colors in range from green to pink, blue to red; there's some yellow, orange and purple in there too. Iridescent glass, rippled glass, recycled silver mirror (something I like to use as often as I can) all placed together and grouted. Mosaic was glued into a wooden frame that I painted black. Not for outdoor use. Sealed, signed and ready to hang.

Once completed, I thought it looked like a kangaroo dressed up like a ballerina dancing down the street. Twirling in a big flowing skirt. I liked that thought because it meant that even though I was dealing with a lot of upheaval in my life at the time I created this piece, I could still dance and twirl happily down the street - albeit through my mosaic art - but I'm still dancing!

Contemporary art is universal and has a wide appeal for that reason. I personally love creating abstracts because I have a freedom like no other when I do them. At a time in my life when I was feeling restricted, this small piece of mosaic art gave me freedom. It is a personal choice to have no boundaries when I make mosaics. Staying within the lines isn't an issue if there are no lines!

Abstract Contemporary Mosaic Wall ArtAvailable - Contact me for price and shipping info

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Stay peaceful,

Cindy

Awesome Finds

My Awesome Finds this week were all found through Artful Home {www.artfulhome.com} proving my theory that there are more beautiful art pieces being created every day, we've yet to see. Each piece they create is beyond words. Well established, confident and talented artisans fill the pages of Artful Home. I highly recommend giving it a look. You might just find the next piece of art for your home or office.

Wood Console Table - Flying Console Table

Richard Judd Furniture Ltd.

Ceramic Jar - Oval Jar

Candone Wharton

Wood Sculpture - Twiga

Kyle Hawke

Wood Sculpture - Butterfly Woman

Elizabeth Frank

Ceramic Wall Art - 5 Circle Modern

Rhonda Cearlock

Wood Sculpture - Birds On Branch

Paul William Sumner

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Stay peaceful,

Cindy

In The Studio - Part 2

No new mosaics to share today and the ones I've been working on, the birdhouse and baby gift, haven't been touched since I shared the photos on Wednesday.

Sometimes the muse needs to rest and on those days, I do things that don't require her attention.

I've been priming many things both in MDF shapes and wood. The g'kids had some puzzles from a department store when they were much younger that requires pieces of wood to go into them with photos that match the inside of the puzzles.

I'm priming these and intend to mosaic inside the shapes as well as around them. These are fairly easy to turn into other things, even abstract in nature. Stay tuned to see what I do with them to make them into pieces of art. And somewhere ... still not sure where ... I have 5 or 6 wooden pieces that fit inside these shapes which when found will get primed and used in some way for some future mosaic yet to even be a glimmer of an idea. When they are found, I will know what I want to do with them.

There are small peace signs, crosses and a cabinet door salvaged from the dumpster being primed now with a very small paint brush (I use what I have available).

Once all of these pieces of MDF and wood are primed to my liking, I'll let the muse tell me where to start and what to do.

Meanwhile, the creative juices are relaxed and building steam for the next large wave of activity! Fun is always ahead when you are creating art!!

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Stay peaceful,

Cindy

Throw Back Thursday

Let's get into the "Way Back Machine" today. These are photos of me I recently found on my external hard drive. Three phases in my life. Three distinct moments in time captured through film. And in each photo, I recall something relating to television or the arts in some way. But you have to admit ... I sure am cute!

Circa 1958 - around the time we got our first television. Ed Sullivan, Captain Kangaroo, Mickey Mouse Club, I Love Lucy, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Donna Reed Show, Walt Disney Presents ... the early years of TV!

1976 - The Dorothy Hamill haircut was most popular and I discovered being blonde WAS more fun - it built confidence I didn't have as a brunette. I did some dancing and singing around this time and found lots of fun through musical theatre in northern New Jersey.

1980 - living in a 3 bedroom condo in CA with very little furniture, 2 male roommates and my cat, Erwin, I started to find my way back into the art world once more (if you're wondering why I look so glassy-eyed and sleepy here - it was early morning and I had only about 3 hours sleep before we were heading out for the day to take visiting friends to breakfast and roller blading on Venice Beach - ahhh youth ... ) by finding the night shift as a Word Processor and ultimately helped with the opening of EPCOT in 1982 at WED Enterprises a subsidiary of Disney Studios.

This was all before mosaics came into my life but I was building the foundation to find my way to them. I often say I sometimes wish I had gone right to mosaics, bypassing all the other things I tried before I found them but I don't think I mean it, really. I know everything happens by design and it's possible I wouldn't have found the people I needed in my life to have my children and my best friends forever if I hadn't done what I did, including the hobbies I had, as I had done them. Because I value all of them, I'm glad I did what I did when I did it most days.

Between 1970 and 1980 I had taught myself string art, embroidery, needlepoint and cross-stitch. I stayed with cross-stitch until 2004 when I stopped to figure out what to learn next. I had done a lot of plastic canvas needlepoint but it was losing it's appeal. Cross-stitch was pretty basic work, although I really enjoyed outlining the finished piece more than the actual stitching of it. I made some stuffed teddy bears in a folk art style and enjoyed making hearts and pillows too. All handstitched and something useful as well as artful. That's when I broke my grandmother's blue willow plate. In 2005 I still had the pieces of the plate, feeling guilty each time I looked at it sitting in a box in a closet. That's when I decided to do some searching on our computer to see what I could do with the broken pieces of dishes. Viola. Mosaics came into my life. I promptly headed to our local library and found a few books about mosaics. Studying them for inspiration and courage, I knew I could do something artistic with the broken dish pieces to make my Grandmother, long since passed, proud of me.

I remember my Great Aunt Ella donating some chipped custard cups in bright colors so I could make a mosaic panel using some of the blue willow. I had no nippers so I smashed them all on the sidewalk outside of our apartment with a hammer inside of a towel and used what pieces I could to create my first mosaic. I knew I had found something that would stay with me for a very long time.

Who here is surprised by the fact that there is a sun and moon in this first mosaic attempt of mine? Who here is surprised that when I feel stuck creatively, I make suns and moons? Interesting, isn't it?!

I'm not sure where this mosaic is at the moment. It could have gotten tossed out when I moved the last time, I truly hope not. It could be in the storage unit or with my Dad who is storing some things for me in his home.

This mosaic was done on a board or slat from inside a broken dresser. After I made it, I had it sitting outside our apt door on the porch for quite some time, in all different elements, snow included and it only warped the slightest bit. I did not protect it with primer or use the proper glue for it yet it stayed in one piece outside in the PA cold and heat for a few seasons. Amazing how some things just persevere, like people, through all the highs and lows. This is how and when my continuing love affair for mosaics all began.

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Stay peaceful,

Cindy

In The Studio - Part 1

I know some of you must be tired of visiting the mosaic birdhouse, but I must say I'm loving each phase of this one. I purposely made all 4 walls different to a certain degree so that no matter how it was turned, it would have a separate piece of art on it. They connect together because they are all of moons and suns, but if just one side is visible, it stands up for itself as a separate piece of mosaic art.

I've grouted the walls over the weekend and I am still very much in love with it.

taupe grout blends in nicely with the broken china used

1st wall

2nd wall

3rd wall

4th wall

Once it is completely grouted and the areas left exposed are painted, I want to take it outside and get some decent photos of it in natural light.

The baby gift has been worked on.

I'm also covering the back and sides with broken china, then all will be grouted. Yay!

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Stay peaceful,

Cindy