About the Artist
I am a Texas-based mosaic and mixed media artist. My works grow from a globally-informed perspective. In my lush and detailed glass mosaics and paintings, I am known for my use of color and detail. My mosaics are unique, original, one-of-a-kind pieces of art that reveal something new in every piece.
Creative arts have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember and creating original, one-of-a-kind pieces brings me much joy. While I started out with music, my interests evolved into other pursuits such as stained glass, scrapbooking, drawing, painting, calligraphy, crewel embroidery, cross-stitch, sewing, quilting, and crocheting. Now I have turned my creativity to focus on mosaic art, mixed media, and acrylic painting – three areas that I thoroughly enjoy. The examples you see on this site represent the work that I have completed in the last couple of years.
I began creating mosaic art 10 years ago and once I discovered mosaics it became the craft that I wanted to pursue. I have attended numerous workshops over the years and learned many different techniques for creating a wide variety of pieces.
Beauty is not necessarily about something being perfect or whole. Perhaps this is why I am so drawn to the medium of mosaic. Individual fragments, imperfect and broken, are combined in such a way as to reveal a rich tapestry. My works include a wide assortment of materials in various color combinations which are unique and guaranteed to please.
My style ranges from contemporary abstract, using traditional and unusual materials, to specific images. I particularly like to incorporate floral images and beach scenes into the pieces I create. Contrast, color, detail and texture are the four words that best describe my work and I prefer using bright colors when they work for the piece. I take my inspiration from nature or the world of art around me and let the creating begin from there.
Mosaics History
The earliest known examples of mosaics were found at a temple building in Mesopotamia and are dated to the second half of the year 3 B.C. They consisted of pieces of colored stones, shells, and ivory. Early mosaics were often made of natural stones, especially when used to design floors. Mosaics created by the Romans can still be found in Italy and Sicily.
On a recent trip that I took to Sicily, I encountered different types of mosaic artwork. One villa built around 5 A.D. had several very detailed mosaic floors. You will find pictures I took in this villa below. These images give a glimpse of the many examples of mosaics I encountered on my trip.
While many ancient mosaics tended to be architectural, modern mosaics are found covering anything from park benches and cars to walls and flowerpots. They are as small as an earring or as large as a building. Mosaics are created on a wide variety of mediums (often called substrates) such as glass, ceramics, Styrofoam, or wood depending upon what works best for the piece being created and where it will be placed (indoors or outdoors). Items are attached to the substrate using an adhesive, thinset, mastic or something similar.
Mosaics have become a popular craft and art that is not limited to just professionals. Today’s artisans work with a wide range of materials such as stone, ceramics, shells, art glass of different varieties, gold, mirror, beads, and even odd items like cups, pitchers, or photographs. Pretty much anything can be included in a custom mosaic. They can be any shape as well.
Mixed Media
In visual art, the term “mixed media” describes artwork in which more than one medium or material is used to create the finished product. For example, you can add sculpture to your painting, draw on top of photography prints, add fabric or ribbon to your painting. Mixed media is all about breaking the boundaries between different art forms. And it involves so many different types of media – stencils, colored pencil, acrylic, ink, resin, ribbon, fabric, paper, textured gels, or shells. Pretty much anything you can find. This means that mixed media artists have a lot of materials and techniques!