My work in Italy

Beneath the Surface

As a member of AIMC (the international association of contemporary mosaics) I was able to send a work to a members’ exhibition in Ravenna for the Ravenna Mosaico biennale and the AIMC’s biennial congress. Since we were planning to go to the event in person this year, I figured what the heck. I know international shipping can be a problem, but I took a chance and sent it. My risky choice was to use the USPS. I figured it was a cheaper option, but as it turns out it was the wrong choice. My package was stuck in Italian customs for 3-1/2 weeks! I was philosophical about this, feeling a little sheepish for choosing the carrier I did, but not upset. The AIMC people were super nice, saying that when it ever did arrive, they’d hang it in the show, which runs till the end of November. Lo and behold, it arrived on Friday, October 14! So it joins the member show for the rest of the run.

You can be sure that I will be choosing another carrier for the return journey! For future reference, I now know that when you use the national postal service, the tracking number you receive is useless once it arrives in the destination country. That country has no record of that US tracking number, and they didn’t contact the recipient of the hold. The customs people decided there was duty owed on my box, even though it was marked as of no commercial value. Live and learn!

Mosaic Artist Residency in Sisters, Oregon

I have been working with Rochelle Schueler (WildroseArtworks) to develop a residency program for mosaic artists at Pine Meadow Ranch in Sisters. Since 2019 when Rochelle and Kathy Deggendorfer first conceived of the idea to take a trove of discontinued and seconds tiles from Kibak Tile, also in Sisters, I’ve been along for the ride of developing a project from scratch.

Detail of the Round Barn ceiling

When Rochelle first came to me with the idea, we were working on our Baja Mexico commission Nopoló Flow. She described what she and Kathy were brainstorming, and at first I couldn’t envision it. Any mosaic mural I’ve ever built was designed using mostly solid tiles, broken and perhaps handmade tiles included. But never multi-color and pattered resist tiles, in the Portugese cuerda seca style! But the idea percolated on through 2019. For the backstory, Rochelle wrote posts at the time. Here is a link to the first post.

As 2020 dawned, Rochelle brought me in to meet Kathy and discuss possibilities for the fledgling project. The ranch, under the direction of the Roundhouse Foundation, had already researched and established an artists’ residency program, and the inaugural season was 2018. The 2020 residents were already chosen when Covid hit, and so the 2020 season had to be cancelled. Likewise, the concept of a mosaic artist-specific residency program had to be put on hold. During 2020, Rochelle and I worked on the design of the mural designs, and made preparations to have the project ready to go when it was possible. Here’s the link to Rochelle’s blog, documenting this next phase.

The center panels installed, the other four french cleats awaiting their panels to complete the mural.

As 2021 progressed, so did the center three panels. Rochelle worked a lot, and I helped some. The work was happening out at the ranch, a 35 minute drive from Bend, where we live. Here are links to the rest of the story, as we finished the panels last year. Part 3 and Part 4. By the middle of 2021, the call for artists to apply for a residency in 2022 was open, and the plan was set for a group of artists to be selected to help us complete the mural!

Artists at work! Top, Rochelle and me. Bottom, Brenda, Kellie and Line.

Here we are, June 2022, we and our three selected artists are in residence at Pine Meadow Ranch, working on the remaining four panels. Brenda Grafton from Madison, WI, Kellie Hoyt from Minneapolis, MN and Line Bergene, from Norway are the artists chosen to assist us on the mural. After the first two weeks, they are able to work on their own projects, as inspired by living on the ranch, and/or help finish the panels. We expect that after two weeks the panels will be all pieced and mortared down, but grouting will have to happen the third week. An unveiling is scheduled for June 24, so we have a deadline to meet!

Mosaic Arts International

I’m excited to announce that my Activate the Midline was juried into the Society of American Mosaic Artists’ annual Mosaic Arts International exhibition! Because of Covid, our conference and show was cancelled for 2020, and for 2021, everything went virtual. One plus is that SAMA created a beautiful virtual exhibition for everyone to be able to view. Many of the works are for sale (including mine!) and the show will be available on the website indefinitely.

From SAMA’s press release, “Fifty-four total works were selected including works from artists from throughout the United States, Australia, Canada, Greece, Spain and the United Kingdom. The fully interactive exhibition is on view at mosaicartsinternational.americanmosaics.org. The virtual exhibition was designed by SAMA Executive Director, Dawnmarie Zimmerman and provides an intimate viewing experience with large images and statements from each artist. The Architectural and Site-Specific Mosaic segment entries feature videos of each installation providing a comprehensive perspective of these large-scale works.”

For those of you who have followed my blog posts, you will remember the big commission I did in 2019 with Rochelle Schueler that was installed in Mexico. We entered it into the Site-Specific category in hopes it would be selected also, but alas, it was not among the only 10 projects selected. We have the opportunity to enter again next year. With a new set of entries in the field and new set of jurors, one never knows what might be the magical combination of projects that are selected for a show!

Please visit the link above to see the whole show— it’s breathtaking! I’ve been a member of SAMA nearly since the organization’s inception 20 years ago, and believe me, the quality of contemporary mosaic art around the world has skyrocketed! I am proud to be among this company. Each one of us respects the other, learns from one another, and we are all pushed and encouraged to continue to strive for innovation and excellence.