Embedded Files
Object: Fluere Pica Nuttalli Sold
Materials: Stone, Filato, Smalti on Cement Board
Dimensions: 30.5” x 12.5"
Method: Direct with mortar
With each new mosaic, I just want less.
Less color, less frill.
What is the essence of my subject?
Not quite a pure silhouette, this fella comes close. Canadian Magpies first captured my interest with their crisp coloring and unusually long tail. However, I chose to depict the California cousin, the Yellow-billed Magpie, for its striking beak and eye detail.
So maybe a little well-placed frill is still a good thing after all.
Selected for the "Mosaic Arts International Exhibition 2024"
SAMA's Annual International Juried Exhibition
See more about the exhibit
On display in 2024:
Janice Charach Gallery, West Bloomfield Twp, Michigan: August 25 – September 22, 2024
Belger Crane Yard Gallery, Kansas City, Missouri: October 4, 2024 – January 4, 2025
Close-ups & Process
Close-ups & Process
01 Detail
02 Detail
03 Design drawn on an iPad. The direction of the andamento was pretty clear on the bird. Only the background needed some exploration as to how to emphasize the strong horizontal composition while still having some interaction with the air around the subject.
04 After transferring the drawing to the substrate, I indicated some shapes in the bird’s body to help define its structure. As the stones get placed, it becomes clear which shapes need to be simplified or amplified to get the right feel.
05 Well on my way. I decided to include some iridescent smalti, on the wings and tail, to hint at the amazing reflective quality of the bird’s feathers. When walking past the final mosaic, light will catch the small number of sections with the glass detail.
06 The body completed.
07 The pupil of the eye has a few mortared pieces. I then rough-in the surrounding detail with additional yellow and grey filato.
08 All the eye parts removed, ready to be adhered back in place with a big glob of mortar.
09 Eye completed.
10 The final step is the background. Straight guide lines are added on the background to maintain a clean horizontal direction. The pattern of the background was meant not to draw attention to itself.
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