chopping wood, carrying water

Yesterday was a super fun road trip day.  I don't always get to see my work after it is installed, but I decided to hire my favorite photographer, Jim Whetstone, and go see some of my recent projects.  Each stop was a great joy because I re-live memories of so many kids' stories.   Framing and installation always elevates the work that we did in the residency. This Milton Black Panthers' mosaic will have the frame painted black, presumably before school starts in the fall.  

The huge window above the panther made a really tough lighting situation for a photograph.  I just snapped this with my phone to show how light was bouncing around everywhere, EXCEPT on the mosaic where we wanted it.  I am really anxious to see what Jim was able to come up with.  Half of the four projects we went to involved mirror which makes things even more difficult.  Yeah, pro photos coming but I just couldn't wait. Are we there yet?  Are we there yet?  Are we there yet?

Check out Jim's work. On his home page, click on all galleries, then California light.  Whoah, right?  He's a really nice guy to work with.  Life is good.

then for fun...

I would have a really fun time driving around on trash day and collecting things to be upcycled. For now, I have enough stuff in my own place to work on.  We had a really old picnic table that had a warped top.  I still liked it but it really bothered Rob.  We came to a perfect compromise to just replace the top.  I had this great idea about how much fun it would be to do together.  I can tell you that this was the first and last mosaic project for Rob.  It isn't anything fancy, just left over stuff in my shop.  We are both happy with the results and maybe it gave him a greater appreciation for what I do. 

end of the school year

I can't say enough thank-yous to the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts for hiring me to do these residencies.  I want to again hire my photographer to shoot all four of these projects and will post in situ photos.  For now, I am going to share some of the photos that are of what goes on. 

 I'm anxious to see all these projects together and hung.  I am so proud of them that I have decided to make a serious effort to change my work's direction.  Way back when I was trying to decide if I should do mosaic or fused glass, I knew I should combine both.  Now, I am hoping to find ways to combine my own art with these projects because, frankly, I am addicted to both.

Who wouldn't love working with these two?

For one thing, twenty people at one time can get a whole lot of work done, FAST.  Sure, there are stinkers to contend with, and I don't always get through to them all.  I don't expect to. But when I can get through to one of these tough nuts, it is an indescribable high.  I can tell you that every day of this 40 day stretch, I was looking forward to going to "work."

One school, had a project where each kid got to make their own tile, then we started on the mosaic. 

In the third one, each kid got to do his own little section of a feather.  They chose a color and we assigned real estate.

 They made their own little video of the process and put it out on FUSFOO

 The last one was huge mirror letters that the school wanted in a mosaic of their school colors.  I was dying to do something with Ben Day dots so I was thrilled. 

For right now, I have to work on lining up some epic projects.  WOOHOOOOO!